10 Best Barbell Bench Press Alternatives for When You Can't Use a Barbell

The Barbell Bench Press is done lying on your back with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Wide-grip Barbell Bench Press, the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip and the Reverse Band Bench Press. Five harder versions, among them the Barbell Wide Bench Press and the Bench Press - Powerlifting, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Barbell Bench PressWatch the Barbell Bench Press

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Barbell Bench Press

The steps for the Barbell Bench Press itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Pectorals, with triceps, shoulders · Barbell · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
  6. Push the barbell back up to the starting position by extending your arms.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Barbell Bench Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Bench Press on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Wide-grip Barbell Bench Press

    1. Wide-grip Barbell Bench Press

    99% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie back on a flat bench with feet firm on the floor. Using a wide, pronated (palms forward) grip that is around 3 inches away from shoulder width (for each hand), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. The bar will be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. This will be your starting position.
    2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest.
    3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
    4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
  2. Barbell Wide Bench PressPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Barbell Wide Bench Press

    99% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the pectorals.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
    2. Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
    4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly flared out.
    5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
  5. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

    5. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

    97% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with an overhand grip.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
    2. From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
    3. After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
    4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bench Press

Barbell Bench Press FAQ

What muscles does barbell bench press work?

The barbell bench press primarily targets the pectoralis major (sternal and clavicular heads) while heavily recruiting the anterior deltoids and triceps brachii. It also requires scapular stabilizers and core/bracing muscles to maintain a stable pressing platform.

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