10 Best Clean And Press Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

The Clean And Press is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Bradford/rocky Presses, the EZ Barbell Anti Gravity Press and the Push Press.

The Clean And Press pulls a barbell off the floor with a hip drive, catches it at your shoulders, then asks you to stand and press it straight overhead. The Bradford/rocky Presses is the top swap because it keeps the same barbell and the same delts, but you sit down and alternate lowering the bar behind your head and back to the front instead of pulling it off the floor. Without a bar to load, the Double Kettlebell Push Press lets your legs help drive two kettlebells up instead.

Clean And Press

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

How to Do the Clean And Press

The steps for the Clean And Press itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts, with abdominals, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, middle back, quadriceps, shoulders, traps, triceps · Barbell · Advanced · Compound

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Stand to full height, holding the bar in the clean position.
  7. Without moving your feet, press the bar overhead as you exhale. Lower the bar under control .

The 10 Best Clean And Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Clean And 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.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Bradford/rocky Presses

    1. Bradford/rocky Presses

    99% match

    Delts · Advanced · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the delts.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. 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.
    2. Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms.
    3. Now lower the bar down to the back of the head slowly as you inhale.
    4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
    5. Lower the bar down to the starting position slowly as you inhale. This is one repetition.
    6. Alternate in this manner until you complete 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 Clean And Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Clean And Press
  2. EZ Barbell Anti Gravity PressPlay demonstration

    2. EZ Barbell Anti Gravity Press

    99% match

    Delts · Advanced · Compound

    A good swap when you have an EZ bar to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Ez-barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
    2. Raise the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing forward.
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Clean And Press
  3. Push Press

    3. Push Press

    95% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the delts.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Clean And Press
  4. Standing Two-arm Overhead Throw

    4. Standing Two-arm Overhead Throw

    95% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a medicine ball to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Medicine-ball
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart holding a medicine ball in both hands. To begin, reach the medicine ball deep behind your head as you bend the knees slightly and lean back.
    2. Violently throw the ball forward, flexing at the hip and using your whole body to complete the movement.
    3. The medicine ball can be thrown to a partner or to a wall, receiving it as it bounces back.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Clean And Press
  5. Double Kettlebell Push Press

    5. Double Kettlebell Push Press

    95% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a kettlebell to work with, and it still works the delts.

    • Kettlebell
    How to perform it
    1. Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders.
    2. Squat down a few inches and reverse the motion rapidly. Use the momentum from the legs to drive the kettlebells overhead.
    3. Once the kettlebells are locked out, lower the kettlebells to your shoulders and repeat.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Clean And Press
  6. Push Press - Behind The Neck

    6. Push Press - Behind The Neck

    94% match

    Delts · Advanced · Compound

    The same equipment, taken with a wide grip.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Standing with the weight racked on the back of the shoulders, begin with the dip. With your feet directly under your hips, flex the knees without moving the hips backward. Go down only slightly, and reverse direction as powerfully as possible. Drive through the heels create as much speed and force as possible, moving the bar in a vertical path.
    2. Using the momentum generated, finish pressing the weight overhead be extending through the arms.
    3. Return to the starting position, using your legs to absorb the impact.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Clean And Press
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Clean And Press

Why You Might Need a Clean And Press Alternative

A barbell might not be free, or the pull off the floor before the press might be more setup than you want today. The Clean And Press asks for a bar and floor space to load it from, so these swaps trade that bar for a pair of kettlebells, an EZ bar, a medicine ball or a band while still pressing overhead with your delts. Some keep a full barbell load. The EZ Barbell Anti Gravity Press swaps the straight bar for a curved one, which suits wrists that prefer it, and the Double Kettlebell Push Press moves the load into two kettlebells, with a quick dip and drive from your legs to help send them up.

How to Choose the Right Clean And Press Substitute

If a barbell is free and you want the closest match to the press itself, take the Bradford/rocky Presses: same bar, same delts, but you sit down and swap the floor pull for an alternating press to the front and behind your head. Want to stay standing? The Push Press - Behind The Neck keeps the same barbell, racked and pressed behind your neck. With a pair of kettlebells, the Double Kettlebell Push Press lets your legs drive both bells overhead, good for anyone easing off a heavy load. With only a band, the Band Twisting Overhead Press keeps you pressing overhead with nothing to rack or clean. The Push Press keeps the same barbell and delts, so if the floor pull is what makes it feel like too much, that is the smallest change you can make.

Clean And Press FAQ

What muscles does the Clean And Press work?

Your delts take the main load through the press overhead, and the pull off the floor before it brings in your hamstrings, glutes, quads, traps and grip. Your abs and lower back help hold a flat back on the way up. The Double Kettlebell Push Press and the Push Press - Behind The Neck keep some of that leg drive, since both dip at the knees and drive up to get the weight moving overhead.

Can I do a Clean And Press swap at home?

Yes, if you have a pair of kettlebells or a band. The Double Kettlebell Push Press keeps the press overhead and lets your legs help drive the weight, while the Band Twisting Overhead Press has you stand on a band, press the handles overhead and twist your torso to alternate sides, with no bar to load or clean.

What should I pick if the Clean And Press itself feels too heavy today?

The Push Press. It keeps the same barbell and the same delts as the Clean And Press, with no pull off the floor to set up first. If you want the press with no leg drive at all, the Barbell Shoulder Press has you seated on a bench in a rack, lowering the bar to your shoulders and pressing it back to lockout.

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