10 Best Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Alternatives for Shoulder Growth

The Barbell Standing Wide Military Press is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Anti-gravity Press, the Barbell Shoulder Press and the Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press. Three harder versions, the Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck, the Standing Bradford Press and the Standing Behind Neck Press, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Barbell Standing Wide Military PressWatch the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

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

How to Do the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

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

Delts, with triceps, upper back · Barbell · Intermediate · Compound

  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.

The 10 Best Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Standing Wide Military 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. Anti-gravity Press

    1. Anti-gravity Press

    98% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with an overhand grip.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
  2. Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

    Progression

    2. Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

    99% match

    Delts · Advanced · Compound

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

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.
    6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

Barbell Standing Wide Military Press FAQ

What muscles does Barbell Standing Wide Military Press work?

The lift primarily targets the anterior and lateral deltoids, with secondary load on the triceps and upper trapezius. Stabilizers like the rotator cuff and serratus anterior engage to control scapular upward rotation, cue a neutral wrist and slight external humeral rotation to optimize deltoid recruitment.

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