10 Best Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press Alternatives for Triceps Strength

The Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press is done lying on your back with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Barbell Lying Close-grip Press, the Close-grip Barbell Bench Press and the Reverse Triceps Bench Press. Two harder versions, the Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press and the Close-grip Dumbbell Press, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

The Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press lowers two dumbbells to your chest, palms facing each other, elbows tucked close to your body. The Barbell Lying Close-grip Press is the closest swap because it lowers a barbell the same way, elbows held close to your body, with both hands on one bar so they cannot drift apart. Without a barbell, the Close-grip Dumbbell Press lowers a single dumbbell to your chest, both palms pressed against its sides, with only your shoulders resting across the bench.

Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench PressWatch the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press

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

How to Do the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press

The steps for the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Triceps, with chest, shoulders · Dumbbell · Intermediate · Compound

  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 a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and your arms extended straight up over your chest.
  3. Slowly lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench 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. Barbell Lying Close-grip PressPlay demonstration

    1. Barbell Lying Close-grip Press

    96% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

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

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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 close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing towards your feet.
    3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
    4. Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
  2. Dumbbell Twisting Bench PressPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press

    99% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

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

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    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 an overhand grip, palms facing away from you.
    3. Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
    4. Lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    5. As you lower the dumbbells, twist your wrists so that your palms face towards you at the bottom of the movement.
    6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then reverse the movement by pressing the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
    7. As you press the dumbbells up, twist your wrists back to the starting position with palms facing away from you.
    8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
  6. Dumbbell Floor Press

    6. Dumbbell Floor Press

    95% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the triceps.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lay on the floor holding dumbbells in your hands. Your knees can be bent. Begin with the weights fully extended above you.
    2. Lower the weights until your upper arm comes in contact with the floor. You can tuck your elbows to emphasize triceps size and strength, or to focus on your chest angle your arms to the side.
    3. Pause at the bottom, and then bring the weight together at the top by extending through the elbows.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
  7. EZ Barbell JM Bench PressPlay demonstration

    7. EZ Barbell JM Bench Press

    95% match

    Triceps · Advanced · Compound

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

    • Ez-barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
    2. Grasp the ez barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body.
    4. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: flat horizontal press, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press Alternative

A gym without free dumbbells is the most common reason to swap the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press, and a barbell or an EZ bar covers the gap. The lift asks for a neutral grip, elbows close to your ribs, and full extension at the top, so any replacement should keep the elbows tucked. Some swaps move that press onto a single barbell or EZ bar, which joins your hands on one bar and lets you load more weight than two dumbbells that can drift apart on their own. Others stay with dumbbells and change what you do with them, either pressing one dumbbell between both palms or adding a twist as you push. One drops you flat on the floor, where your upper arms stop on the ground before the dumbbells reach the depth they do on a bench.

How to Choose the Right Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press Substitute

If a barbell is what you have, the Barbell Lying Close-grip Press lowers to your chest on one bar with the same tucked elbows. Stay with dumbbells and the Close-grip Dumbbell Press has you lie across the bench on your shoulders and press one dumbbell held between both palms, while the Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press keeps the dumbbells but turns your palms toward you as you lower and back away from you as you press. With no bench, the Dumbbell Floor Press stops your upper arms at the ground, so the dumbbells never travel as far as on a bench. With an EZ bar on hand, the EZ Barbell JM Bench Press puts both hands on one bar, overhand and slightly wider than shoulder width, elbows still tucked, with no straight barbell or dumbbells needed.

Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press FAQ

What should I use if my gym only has a barbell?

The Barbell Lying Close-grip Press is the top swap for the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press, which lowers the same way with elbows tucked to your sides. A single barbell also covers the Close-grip Barbell Bench Press, the Reverse Triceps Bench Press and the Barbell Reverse Close-grip Bench Press. All four keep your elbows tucked toward your ribs and let you load one bar instead of two dumbbells that can drift apart as you press.

How do I make this press harder once it feels easy?

Move the press onto one bar. The Barbell Lying Close-grip Press or the Close-grip Barbell Bench Press keeps your elbows tucked the same way, and one barbell takes more plates than two separate dumbbells, so the triceps get more load once the dumbbell lockout stops feeling like work.

Is there a version of this press that works with an EZ bar?

The EZ Barbell JM Bench Press, the Close-grip Ez-bar Press and the Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press all use an EZ bar's bent grips instead of a straight bar or a pair of dumbbells. All three keep your elbows tucked in through the press, the same position the neutral grip trains on dumbbells.

Can I do the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press at home?

Yes, with a pair of dumbbells and a bench. Without a bench, the Dumbbell Floor Press does the same press from the ground. The Close-grip Dumbbell Press needs only one dumbbell, held between both palms, and the Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press adds a twist through the press with the same pair of dumbbells.

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