10 Best Bradford/rocky Presses Alternatives for Shoulder Strength
If you need an alternative to Bradford/rocky Presses, use seated dumbbell press, standing military press, push press, Arnold press, or landmine press to target the delts. For each, brace your core, retract the scapula, and press the weight along the midline to emphasize anterior and lateral deltoid activation while protecting the rotator cuff.
Original Exercise: Bradford/rocky Presses
How to Perform Bradford/rocky Presses
- Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar at shoulder level with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down. This is your starting position.
- Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms.
- Now lower the bar down to the back of the head slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Lower the bar down to the starting position slowly as you inhale. This is one repetition.
- Alternate in this manner until you complete the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Bradford/rocky Presses Alternatives
1. Clean And Press
99.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Assume a shoulder-width stance, with knees inside the arms. Now while keeping the back flat, bend at the knees and hips so that you can grab the bar with the arms fully extended and a pronated grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width. Point the elbows out to sides. The bar should be close to the shins. Position the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar. Establish a flat back posture. This will be your starting position.
- Begin to pull the bar by extending the knees. Move your hips forward and raise the shoulders at the same rate while keeping the angle of the back constant; continue to lift the bar straight up while keeping it close to your body.
- As the bar passes the knee, extend at the ankles, knees, and hips forcefully, similar to a jumping motion. As you do so, continue to guide the bar with your hands, shrugging your shoulders and using the momentum from your movement to pull the bar as high as possible. The bar should travel close to your body, and you should keep your elbows out.
- At maximum elevation, your feet should clear the floor and you should start to pull yourself under the bar. The mechanics of this could change slightly, depending on the weight used. You should descend into a squatting position as you pull yourself under the bar.
- As the bar hits terminal height, rotate your elbows around and under the bar. Rack the bar across the front of the shoulders while keeping the torso erect and flexing the hips and knees to absorb the weight of the bar.
2. Ez Barbell Anti Gravity Press
98.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
- Raise the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing forward.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Double Kettlebell Push Press
94.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders.
- Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebells overhead.
- Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and repeat.
4. Barbell Skier
90.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Simultaneously lift the barbell up towards your shoulders while jumping slightly off the ground.
- As you reach the top of the movement, quickly reverse the motion and lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Band Twisting Overhead Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band under your feet.
- Hold the band handles at shoulder height with your palms facing forward.
- Engage your core and press the band overhead, fully extending your arms.
- As you press, twist your torso to one side, keeping your hips stable.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then return to the starting position.
6. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Barbell Shoulder Press
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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).
- 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.
- Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
8. Anti-Gravity Press
88.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
- 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.
- 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.
- Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.
9. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
86.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Dumbbell Push Press
85.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
- Bend your knees slightly and dip your body down, then explosively extend your legs and press the dumbbells overhead.
- Lock out your arms at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbells back to shoulder level.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Bradford/rocky Presses Alternative
You may swap Bradford/rocky Presses for several practical reasons: limited overhead mobility, shoulder impingement risk with behind-the-head transitions, lack of a barbell, or a training preference for unilateral work. Substitutes let you change joint angles and load distribution to reduce supraspinatus strain and improve scapular upward rotation. For example, switch to a seated dumbbell press and cue a neutral wrist and packed shoulder to reduce posterior capsule stress while still loading the lateral deltoid effectively.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on mobility, equipment, and programming goals. If you lack overhead range, choose landmine presses that limit extreme external rotation; cue ribcage down and drive through the elbow to emphasize anterior deltoid torque. If you want hypertrophy and balanced development, pick unilateral dumbbell or Arnold presses to correct imbalances and increase rotator cuff recruitment. If you need heavier loads, the push press uses hip drive to overload the delts while keeping shoulder mechanics safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Bradford/rocky Presses work?
Bradford/rocky Presses primarily target the anterior and lateral deltoids while recruiting the triceps and upper traps for lockout. The movement also requires scapular upward rotation and rotator cuff stabilization; cue a packed shoulder and controlled scapular protraction/retraction to maximize deltoid activation.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Bradford/rocky Presses?
Handstand push-ups are the top bodyweight substitute for overhead pressing because they load the delts and triceps under axial compression. If a full handstand is too advanced, use pike push-ups with feet elevated and an emphasis on driving the head to the floor while keeping the scapula packed to replicate overhead mechanics.
Can I build muscle without doing Bradford/rocky Presses?
Yes—you can build deltoid mass using presses and raises that load the same fibers. Progress with seated dumbbell presses, Arnold presses, and lateral raises while increasing sets, reps, or load; always cue a full range with controlled eccentric tempo to maximize mechanical tension and hypertrophy.
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