10 Best Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Alternatives for Shoulder Growth

What can you do instead of the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press? Use seated dumbbell presses, landmine presses, Arnold presses, machine shoulder presses, or pike push-ups. For example, perform a seated dumbbell press with scapular retraction and a controlled eccentric to emphasize medial and anterior deltoid activation while protecting your lower back.

Original Exercise: Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Upper Back
How to Perform Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
  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.

Ranked Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Alternatives

Best Match
Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

1. Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

99.4% 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.
Standing Bradford Press

2. Standing Bradford Press

98.7% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a loaded bar at shoulder level in a rack. With a pronated grip at shoulder width, begin with the bar racked across the front of your shoulders. This is your starting position.
  2. Initiate the lift by extending the elbows to press the bar overhead. Avoid locking out the elbow as you move the weight behind your head.
  3. Lower the bar down to the back of the head until your elbow forms a right angle.
  4. Lift the bar back over your head by extending the elbows
  5. Lower the bar down to the starting position.
Anti-Gravity Press

3. Anti-Gravity Press

98% 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

4. Barbell Shoulder Press

98% 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

5. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

98% 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

6. Standing Behind Neck Press

98% 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

7. Standing Military Press

98% 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.
Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

8. Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

96% 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.
Dumbbell Scott Press

9. Dumbbell Scott Press

88.2% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
  2. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
  3. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Kettlebell Alternating Press

10. Kettlebell Alternating Press

88.2% 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 height.
  2. Press one kettlebell overhead, fully extending your arm.
  3. Lower the kettlebell back to shoulder height.
  4. Repeat with the other arm.
  5. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Alternative

You may substitute the wide military press because of shoulder pain, lack of a barbell, poor thoracic mobility, or a need for unilateral work. Injuries often require reduced horizontal abduction or external rotation; swapping to dumbbells or a landmine lets you adjust hand position and humeral rotation to offload the rotator cuff. Equipment limits push you toward machines that stabilize the scapula and let you load safely. Preferences for targeting the lateral deltoid or correcting strength imbalances justify unilateral presses like single-arm dumbbell or landmine variations that improve motor control and even muscle activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute based on equipment, pain patterns, and the muscle emphasis you want. If you lack a barbell, pick seated dumbbell overhead presses and cue a tall spine and elbows slightly forward to load anterior and medial delts. If you feel impingement, use a landmine press with external rotation to reduce glenohumeral pinching. For balanced deltoid development, alternate bilateral machine presses with unilateral Arnold or single-arm landmine presses to address strength asymmetries and optimize scapular upward rotation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Standing Wide Military Press?

A pike push-up or full handstand push-up are the best bodyweight options; they create a vertical line of force similar to overhead pressing. Elevate feet for a steeper angle, keep the chin tucked, and lead with your head to maximize anterior and medial deltoid activation and triceps involvement.

Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Standing Wide Military Press?

Yes, you can hypertrophy the delts using alternatives that replicate vertical pressing mechanics and progressive overload. Prioritize full range of motion, controlled eccentrics, and variations like seated dumbbell presses, Arnold presses, and machine presses to stimulate anterior and lateral deltoid growth while maintaining scapular and rotator cuff health.

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