Exercise Comparison
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press vs External Rotation
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
Instructions
Alternating Cable Shoulder Press
Move the cables to the bottom of the tower and select an appropriate weight.
Grasp the cables and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing forward. This will be your starting position.
Keeping your head and chest up, extend through the elbow to press one side directly over head.
After pausing at the top, return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
External Rotation
Lie sideways on a flat bench with one arm holding a dumbbell and the other hand on top of the bench folded so that you can rest your head on it.
Bend the elbows of the arm holding the dumbbell so that it creates a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. Tip: Keep the arm parallel to your torso.
Now bend the elbow while keeping the upper arm stationary. In this manner, the forearm will be parallel to the floor and perpendicular to your torso (Tip: So the forearm will be directly in front of you). The upper arm will be stationary by your torso and should be parallel to the floor (aligned with your torso at all times). This will be your starting position.
As you breathe out, externally rotate your forearm so that the dumbbell is lifted up in a semicircle motion as you maintain the 90 degree angle bend between the upper arms and the forearm. You will continue this external rotation until the forearm is perpendicular to the floor and the torso pointing towards the ceiling. At this point you will hold the contraction for a second.
As you breathe in, slowly go back to the starting position.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions and then switch to the other arm.
Verdict
Both exercises target the shoulders. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is a beginner exercise using cable, while External Rotation is beginner and uses dumbbell. Choose Alternating Cable Shoulder Press if you have access to cable, or External Rotation if you prefer dumbbell. Alternating Cable Shoulder Press is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. External Rotation isolates the target muscle for focused development.