10 Best Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip Alternatives for Gyms

If you can’t perform the Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip, use neutral-handle push-ups, dumbbell floor presses with palms facing inward, or single-arm cable presses to replicate horizontal adduction. Cue: retract the scapula and keep elbows ~45° to the torso so the sternocostal pec major drives the movement and minimizes shoulder rotation.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip

Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip
Primary Muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, Triceps
How to Perform Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip
  1. Take a dumbbell in each hand and lay back onto a flat bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your shoulder blades retracted.
  2. Maintaining a neutral grip, palms facing each other, begin with your arms extended directly above you, perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
  3. Begin the movement by flexing the elbow, lowering the upper arms to the side. Descend until the dumbbells are to your torso.
  4. Pause, then extend the elbow and return to the starting position.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Compound

Best Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Pullover Hip Extension On Exercise Ball

1. Dumbbell Pullover Hip Extension On Exercise Ball

97.3% Match
Pectorals Dumbbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on an exercise ball with your feet flat on the ground and the dumbbell resting on your thighs.
  2. Slowly walk your feet forward, rolling the exercise ball down your back until your head, neck, and upper back are supported on the ball.
  3. Hold the dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping your arms straight and maintaining control.
  5. Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Bench Press

2. Dumbbell Bench Press

95.2% Match
Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing forward and your arms extended above your chest.
  3. Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
  4. Pause for a moment, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Reverse Bench Press

3. Dumbbell Reverse Bench Press

95.2% Match
Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing towards your feet.
  3. Extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest, allowing your elbows to flare out to the sides.
  5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

4. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

95.2% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
  2. From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
  3. After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Bench Press With Chains

5. Bench Press With Chains

94.8% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the leader chain, shortening it to the desired length.Place the chains on the sleeves of the bar.
  2. Lying on the bench, get your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar.
  3. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
  4. Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Barbell Wide Reverse Grip Bench Press

6. Barbell Wide Reverse Grip Bench Press

94.7% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Grasp the barbell with a wide reverse grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in and your wrists straight.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
Bench Press - Powerlifting

7. Bench Press - Powerlifting

94.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin by lying on the bench, getting your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement.
  2. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart.
  3. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
  4. Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
Barbell Wide Bench Press

8. Barbell Wide Bench Press

94.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly flared out.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
Barbell Bench Press

9. Barbell Bench Press

94.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
Dumbbell Lying Pullover On Exercise Ball

10. Dumbbell Lying Pullover On Exercise Ball

92.9% Match
Pectorals Stability-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on an exercise ball and roll forward until your upper back is resting on the ball.
  2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight up over your chest.
  3. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head while keeping your arms straight.
  4. Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip Alternative

You may need substitutes because of shoulder pain, lack of a flat bench, or to vary stimulus for hypertrophy. Neutral-grip presses reduce glenohumeral internal rotation and often ease impingement, so alternatives that preserve horizontal adduction and elbow tuck can protect the shoulder while still targeting the sternal pec major. Cue for alternatives: maintain scapular retraction and press with palms facing each other to emphasize pec activation and reduce deltoid dominance. Equipment limitations, rehab protocols, and training goals (strength vs. stability) also drive substitution choices.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select an alternative based on movement pattern, loading capacity, and shoulder mechanics. Prioritize exercises that preserve horizontal adduction — for example, parallel-handle push-ups or neutral-grip cable presses — to keep primary pec activation. Assess loading needs: use weighted push-ups or single-arm dumbbell presses for progressive overload. Technique cue: keep elbows tucked ~45° and brace the core to transfer force through the chest. Consider range of motion and stability demands; if shoulder pain is the issue, favor floor presses or cable variations that limit shoulder extension and rotation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip work?

The exercise primarily targets the pectoralis major (sternal and clavicular heads), with secondary engagement of the anterior deltoid and triceps brachii. The neutral grip shifts emphasis slightly toward the sternal pec and reduces external rotation stress; cue: press with palms facing each other and tuck elbows to ~45° to maximize pec adduction.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip?

Parallel-handle push-ups (neutral-handle push-ups) are the top bodyweight substitute because they preserve the neutral grip and horizontal adduction. Cue: keep the scapulae retracted, elbows tucked, and lower until the chest nearly touches the hands to replicate pec loading and ROM.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip?

Yes — any progressive horizontal pressing that overloads the pecs will build muscle, such as weighted push-ups, cable neutral-grip presses, or single-arm dumbbell floor presses. Cue: use controlled eccentric tempo, full range of motion, and squeeze the chest at the top to maximize time under tension and pec recruitment.

More Exercise Alternatives

Find Alternatives for Any Exercise

Use our free tool to discover the best substitute exercises based on your available equipment and goals.

Try the Exercise Substitution Finder →

Our similarity scores are calculated using a weighted algorithm based on movement patterns, muscle activation, and biomechanics. Learn about our methodology