Cable Alternating Shoulder Press
Shoulders · Cable · Beginner
How to do it
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the handles of the cable machine with an overhand grip.
- Position your hands at shoulder height, with your palms facing forward.
- Keep your core engaged and your back straight.
- Press one handle up and forward until your arm is fully extended.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handle back to the starting position.
- Repeat with the other arm.
- Alternate between arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles worked
Primary: Delts
Secondary: Triceps, Upper Back
Is your Cable Alternating Shoulder Press good?
Enter your bodyweight to compare against Buffro's nine strength ranks. The source is Buffro's exercise-specific standards, not a generic chart copied across every movement.
| Buffro rank | Estimated 1RM |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 11.5 kg |
| Novice | 15.8 kg |
| Intermediate | 20.3 kg |
| Advanced | 25.7 kg |
| Expert | 31.3 kg |
| Veteran | 38.3 kg |
| Elite | 45.3 kg |
| Master | 53 kg |
| Apex | 60.8 kg |
These are estimated one-rep-max targets for adults under 40, scaled to bodyweight. Enter the total external load recorded in Buffro. They are training benchmarks, not medical or safety limits.
The table uses the same nine tiers as the Buffro app for Cable Alternating Shoulder Press.
Sets and reps
Use an easy load and stop well before failure while you learn the movement.
Finish most sets with 1-3 good reps still available.
Rest 2-4 minutes so each working set stays strong.
Common mistakes
- Letting the weight stack pull you out of position. Keep tension on the cable and return each Cable Alternating Shoulder Press rep under control.
- Shortening the range as fatigue builds. Use the largest pain-free range that keeps tension on your delts.
- Turning the set into a speed contest. Pause briefly in the hardest position, then control the return instead of dropping into the next rep.
Cable Alternating Shoulder Press FAQ
What muscles does the Cable Alternating Shoulder Press work?
The primary target is delts. It also involves triceps, upper back while you keep the movement controlled.
How many sets and reps should I do for the Cable Alternating Shoulder Press?
Start with 3 sets in a repeatable range. Use 6-12 reps for most compound work or 10-15 for smaller isolation work, then add load after you can complete every rep cleanly.
How should I read the Cable Alternating Shoulder Press strength standards?
Compare estimated one-rep max, not the weight from an arbitrary rep count. Buffro scales the published target to your bodyweight and sex.
