10 Best Barbell Standing Bradford Press Alternatives for Shoulders

If you can't perform the Barbell Standing Bradford Press, use pressing variations that load the delts while reducing thoracic and shoulder strain. Try seated dumbbell shoulder presses, standing military or push presses, landmine presses, or Arnold presses. Cue: keep ribs down, drive elbows upward, and avoid excess neck extension to preserve deltoid activation.

Original Exercise: Barbell Standing Bradford Press

Barbell Standing Bradford Press
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Upper Back
How to Perform Barbell Standing Bradford Press
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip.
  2. Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
  3. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Barbell Standing Bradford Press Alternatives

Best Match
Anti-Gravity Press

1. Anti-Gravity Press

90.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.
Barbell Shoulder Press

2. Barbell Shoulder Press

90.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
  4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

3. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

90.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
  4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Behind Neck Press

4. Standing Behind Neck Press

90.4% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell behind your neck with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
  3. Press the barbell overhead by extending your arms, fully extending your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Military Press

5. Standing Military Press

90.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by placing a barbell that is about chest high on a squat rack. Once you have selected the weights, grab the barbell using a pronated (palms facing forward) grip. Make sure to grip the bar wider than shoulder width apart from each other.
  2. Slightly bend the knees and place the barbell on your collar bone. Lift the barbell up keeping it lying on your chest. Take a step back and position your feet shoulder width apart from each other.
  3. Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip length, 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.
  4. Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
  5. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

6. Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

89% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for easier pick up of the bar. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
  2. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
  3. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Your back should be kept straight while performing this exercise. This will be your starting position.
  4. Elevate the barbell overhead by fully extending your arms while breathing out.
  5. Hold the contraction for a second and lower the barbell back down to the starting position by inhaling.
Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

7. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

88.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
  3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
  4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

8. Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

86.4% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing forward.
  2. Engage your core and press the kettlebells overhead, fully extending your arms.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebells back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Skier

9. Barbell Skier

86% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  3. Simultaneously lift the barbell up towards your shoulders while jumping slightly off the ground.
  4. As you reach the top of the movement, quickly reverse the motion and lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press

10. Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press

85.9% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and bring it down to shoulder level, behind your head.
  4. Press the barbell upward until your arms are fully extended.
  5. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.

Why You Might Need a Barbell Standing Bradford Press Alternative

You may substitute the Bradford press because the movement demands wide bar travel, high thoracic extension, and repeated shoulder external rotation, conditions that aggravate impingement or rotator cuff issues. Equipment limits (no squat rack or long bar), programming goals (power vs strict hypertrophy), or a desire for unilateral work also drive substitutions. Cue: favor alternatives that maintain upward scapular rotation and a tolerable bar path for your shoulder ROM. Choose movements that let you keep a neutral spine and progressive overload while protecting the rotator cuff and minimizing compensatory lumbar extension.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute by assessing mobility, desired load, and stability needs. If your thoracic extension or shoulder abduction is limited, choose a landmine press or push press that directs the bar on a diagonal and reduces abduction; cue: press with elbows slightly forward. For strict hypertrophy and balanced deltoid activation, use seated dumbbell presses or single-arm landmine presses to limit spinal compensation. If you want power transfer, choose the push press and focus on rapid hip extension. Monitor muscle activation by feeling the deltoids contract on the concentric and control the eccentric for 2–3 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Barbell Standing Bradford Press work?

The Bradford press primarily targets the deltoids, especially the anterior and medial heads, while recruiting upper traps, triceps, and thoracic extensors for stability. Standing execution also demands core bracing and scapular upward rotation. Cue: keep the bar path close to your forehead to emphasize deltoid loading and limit excessive neck extension.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Standing Bradford Press?

The best bodyweight alternative is the pike push-up, progressing to wall or freestanding handstand push-ups as you gain strength. Pike push-ups mimic a vertical press and load the anterior and medial delts; cue: form a high pike, drive the crown of your head toward the floor, and keep elbows at about 45° to the torso to maximize deltoid activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Standing Bradford Press?

Yes, you can build shoulder muscle using other pressing patterns and progressive overload. Combine seated dumbbell presses, landmine presses, push presses, and high-volume pike or handstand work to hit all deltoid heads and scapular stabilizers. Cue: prioritize controlled eccentrics and full tension on the deltoids to maximize hypertrophy.

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