10 Best Anti-gravity Press Alternatives for Barbell Limitations
If you can't do the Anti-gravity Press, choose presses that load the delts while protecting the shoulder: seated dumbbell overhead press, landmine press, single-arm dumbbell press, push press, and pike push-ups. Cue: keep ribs down, retract the scapula slightly, lead with the elbow to bias mid-deltoid activation and avoid excessive lumbar extension.
Original Exercise: Anti-gravity Press
How to Perform Anti-gravity Press
- Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
- Lay on the bench face down. With a pronated grip, pick the barbell up from the floor. Flex the elbows, performing a reverse curl to bring the bar near your chest. This will be your starting position.
- To begin, press the barbell out in front of your head by extending your elbows. Keep your arms parallel to the ground throughout the movement.
- Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Anti-gravity Press Alternatives
1. Barbell Shoulder Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with back support in a squat rack. Position a barbell at a height that is just above your head. Grab the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing forward).
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip width, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
- Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
2. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
98% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Barbell Standing Bradford Press
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip.
- Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Dumbbell Scott Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Ez Barbell Anti Gravity Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
- Raise the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing forward.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Band Shoulder Press
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band under your feet.
- Hold the band with your palms facing forward and raise your hands to shoulder height, elbows bent.
- Press the band overhead, fully extending your arms.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the band back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Bradford/Rocky Presses
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar at shoulder level with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down. This is your starting position.
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms.
- Now lower the bar down to the back of the head slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Lower the bar down to the starting position slowly as you inhale. This is one repetition.
9. Clean And Press
88.5% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Assume a shoulder-width stance, with knees inside the arms. Now while keeping the back flat, bend at the knees and hips so that you can grab the bar with the arms fully extended and a pronated grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width. Point the elbows out to sides. The bar should be close to the shins. Position the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar. Establish a flat back posture. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to pull the bar by extending the knees. Move your hips forward and raise the shoulders at the same rate while keeping the angle of the back constant; continue to lift the bar straight up while keeping it close to your body.
- As the bar passes the knee, extend at the ankles, knees, and hips forcefully, similar to a jumping motion. As you do so, continue to guide the bar with your hands, shrugging your shoulders and using the momentum from your movement to pull the bar as high as possible. The bar should travel close to your body, and you should keep your elbows out.
- At maximum elevation, your feet should clear the floor and you should start to pull yourself under the bar. The mechanics of this could change slightly, depending on the weight used. You should descend into a squatting position as you pull yourself under the bar.
- As the bar hits terminal height, rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders while keeping the torso erect and flexing the hips and knees to absorb the weight of the bar.
10. Dumbbell W-press
86.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Anti-gravity Press Alternative
You may substitute the Anti-gravity Press due to shoulder pain, limited barbell access, poor overhead mobility, or the need for unilateral work. Alternatives change load vector and stabilization demands to reduce impingement risk while preserving deltoid stimulus. For example, the landmine press narrows abduction and limits external rotation—cue: hinge the torso slightly and drive the elbow forward to bias anterior deltoid and reduce supraspinatus strain. Dumbbell presses let each scapula move independently, increasing middle-deltoid recruitment and correcting imbalances—keep elbows slightly in front of the body to maintain deltoid activation.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on which deltoid head you prioritize, your joint tolerance, and available equipment. For vertical overload like the original, use seated dumbbell or single-arm standing presses; cue: press with wrist stacked over elbow to focus anterior and middle delts. If you need lower shoulder stress, choose a landmine or neutral-grip dumbbell press to reduce abduction and external rotation. For unilateral strength and core demand, select single-arm dumbbell or landmine presses—brace your core and avoid lumbar extension. Also match the rep range (6–12 for hypertrophy, 1–5 for power) and plan progressive overload.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Anti-gravity Press work?
The Anti-gravity Press primarily targets the anterior and lateral (middle) deltoid heads, with the triceps and upper traps assisting. The movement is a vertical press requiring upward scapular rotation; cue: press overhead while keeping the elbows slightly forward to maximize deltoid recruitment and limit shoulder impingement.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Anti-gravity Press?
A pike push-up (progressing to elevated-feet or wall-assisted handstand push-up) is the best bodyweight substitute because it mimics vertical loading of the delts. Cue: set hips high, lower the crown of your head toward the floor while pushing through the mid-deltoid and maintaining a hollow-body brace for stable scapular mechanics.
Can I build muscle without doing Anti-gravity Press?
Yes. You can build shoulder muscle using other overhead presses, landmine variations, unilateral dumbbell presses, and progressive bodyweight overhead work—focus on progressive overload and full range of motion. Cue for all alternatives: keep the wrist stacked over the elbow and maintain slight sagittal-plane elbow placement to consistently load the deltoids.
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