10 Best Barbell Guillotine Bench Press Alternatives for Safer Chest Training

If you can’t perform the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press, use alternatives that preserve pectoral stretch and horizontal adduction. Try incline dumbbell press, Smith-machine guillotine, or weighted dips. Cue: retract your scapulae, keep elbows at ~45° and lower with a controlled eccentric to load the clavicular and sternal heads of the pecs.

Original Exercise: Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

Barbell Guillotine Bench Press
Primary Muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, Triceps
How to Perform Barbell Guillotine Bench Press
  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. Lower the barbell slowly towards your neck, keeping your elbows pointed outwards.
  4. Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your neck.
  5. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Barbell Guillotine Bench Press Alternatives

Best Match
Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press

1. Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press

95.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Barbell Bench Press

2. Barbell Bench Press

94.7% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Barbell Wide Bench Press

3. Barbell Wide Bench Press

94.7% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Reverse Band Bench Press

4. Reverse Band Bench Press

94% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Position a bench inside a power rack, with the bar set to the correct height. Begin by anchoring bands either to band pegs or to the top of the rack. Ensure that you will be position properly under the bands. Attach the other end to the barbell.
  2. Lie on the bench, tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar.
  3. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
  4. Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

5. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

93.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Bench Press With Chains

6. Bench Press With Chains

93.1% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the leader chain, shortening it to the desired length.Place the chains on the sleeves of the bar.
  2. Lying on the bench, get your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar.
  3. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
  4. Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Bench Press - Powerlifting

7. Bench Press - Powerlifting

92.7% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin by lying on the bench, getting your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement.
  2. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart.
  3. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
  4. Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Barbell Wide Reverse Grip Bench Press

8. Barbell Wide Reverse Grip Bench Press

92% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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 reverse 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 and your wrists straight.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
Weighted Drop Push Up

9. Weighted Drop Push Up

86% Match
Pectorals Weighted Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
  2. Lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  3. Once your chest is just above the ground, explosively push yourself up, lifting your hands off the ground.
  4. As you push up, quickly move your hands out to the sides and slightly forward, allowing your body to drop down towards the ground.
  5. Catch yourself with your hands in the wider position and immediately lower your chest towards the ground again.
Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

10. Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

85.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie back on a decline bench with the feet securely locked at the front of the bench. 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 lower 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.

Why You Might Need a Barbell Guillotine Bench Press Alternative

You might swap the guillotine press due to shoulder pain, neck drive risk, lack of a spotter, or gym rules. The guillotine increases shear at the shoulder and stresses the rotator cuff when you take the bar to the neck; substitutes reduce horizontal abduction or shift load vectors. For example, incline dumbbell press shortens the moment arm and promotes bilateral muscular balance while maintaining upper-pec activation. Use a Smith-machine guillotine or machine incline press when you need stability, still cue scapular retraction and a controlled 3–4 second eccentric to maximize pec fiber recruitment.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on safety, equipment, and targeted fiber emphasis. If you want upper-pectoral bias and reduced shoulder shear, choose an incline dumbbell or incline barbell press and keep elbows slightly tucked to emphasize clavicular fibers. If you need joint protection or single-side weak point work, use machine presses or unilateral dumbbell work and focus on full range and a controlled eccentric to maintain time under tension. For power and overload, weighted dips with a forward lean recruit both sternal pecs and anterior deltoid; cue a steady descent and drive through the chest, not the triceps.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Barbell Guillotine Bench Press work?

The guillotine press primarily targets the pectoralis major, especially the clavicular (upper) fibers, while also loading the anterior deltoids and triceps. Its wide, neck-level path increases horizontal abduction and pec stretch, which can increase tension on the pecs but also raises shoulder shear forces.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Guillotine Bench Press?

Weighted dips with a strong forward lean are the best bodyweight alternative because they load the sternal and clavicular pecs via horizontal adduction. Cue a slight forward torso angle, scapular depression, and descend under control to a chest-level depth to maximize pec activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Guillotine Bench Press?

Yes. You can achieve equal or superior hypertrophy with safer options like incline dumbbell press, machine incline press, or weighted dips that preserve range of motion and progressive overload. Focus on progressive loading, controlled eccentrics, and consistent time under tension to stimulate pectoral growth.

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