10 Best Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press Alternatives for Triceps

If you can’t perform the Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press, choose close‑grip barbell bench press, dumbbell neutral‑grip bench press, weighted dips, close‑grip push‑ups or dumbbell floor press. Cue a tight elbow tuck and controlled eccentric to bias the long head of the triceps; retract your scapula to maintain shoulder stability.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press

Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press
Primary Muscle
Triceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Chest, Shoulders
How to Perform Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press
  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.

Ranked Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press

1. Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press

99.4% Match
Triceps 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 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.
Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

2. Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

98.7% Match
Triceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.
  2. Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and your legs bent with your feet firmly on the floor.
  3. Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight over your chest at arm's length. Both palms should be pressing against the underside of the sides of the dumbbell. This will be your starting position.
  4. Initiate the movement by lowering the dumbbell to your chest.
  5. Return to the starting position by extending the elbows.
Ez Barbell Jm Bench Press

3. Ez Barbell Jm Bench Press

96% Match
Triceps Ez-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 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.
Barbell Lying Close-grip Press

4. Barbell Lying Close-grip Press

95.4% Match
Triceps 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 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.
Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

5. Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

95.4% Match
Triceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest. Tip: Make sure that - as opposed to a regular bench press - you keep the elbows close to the torso at all times in order to maximize triceps involvement.
  3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Reverse Triceps Bench Press

6. Reverse Triceps Bench Press

95.4% Match
Triceps Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close, supinated grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked extended in front of you and perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest. Tip: Make sure that as opposed to a regular bench press, you keep the elbows close to the torso at all times in order to maximize triceps involvement.
  3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Barbell Reverse Close-grip Bench Press

7. Barbell Reverse Close-grip Bench Press

95.2% Match
Triceps 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 reverse grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. Slowly lower the barbell down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your chest.
JM Press

8. JM Press

95.2% Match
Triceps Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start the exercise the same way you would a close grip bench press. You will lie on a flat bench while holding a barbell at arms length (fully extended) with the elbows in. However, instead of having the arms perpendicular to the torso, make sure the bar is set in a direct line above the upper chest. This will be your starting position.
  2. Now beginning from a fully extended position lower the bar down as if performing a lying triceps extension. Inhale as you perform this movement. When you reach the half way point, let the bar roll back about one inch by moving the upper arms towards your legs until they are perpendicular to the torso. Tip: Keep the bend at the elbows constant as you bring the upper arms forward.
  3. As you exhale, press the bar back up by using the triceps to perform a close grip bench press.
  4. Now go back to the starting position and start over.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Medicine Ball Supine Chest Throw

9. Medicine Ball Supine Chest Throw

95.2% Match
Triceps Medicine-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on your back on a bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Hold the medicine ball with both hands, extending your arms straight up above your chest.
  3. Lower the medicine ball towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  4. Explosively push the medicine ball upwards, extending your arms fully and throwing the ball as high as possible.
  5. Catch the medicine ball and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Floor Press

10. Dumbbell Floor Press

94.9% Match
Triceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press Alternative

You might substitute the Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press for several practical reasons: shoulder pain with rotation, lack of appropriate dumbbells, or a programming goal to overload the triceps with different levers. Swaps change joint angles and moment arms and therefore shift muscle activation, for example, a close‑grip bench reduces horizontal abduction, increasing triceps torque. Use a controlled eccentric and full elbow extension on replacements to preserve triceps recruitment. If you have shoulder irritation, pick a neutral‑grip or floor press to limit overhead translation and reduce rotator cuff stress while still targeting the triceps.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, pain history, and the triceps region you want to overload. If you want maximal long‑head tension, use dips or close‑grip presses with an elbow tuck; cue a vertical forearm at lockout to increase triceps moment arm. If you lack a bench or barbell, choose close‑grip push‑ups or dumbbell floor presses that limit shoulder extension and reduce impingement. For progressive overload, pick a compound move that allows linear loading (barbell close‑grip or weighted dips). Always test range of motion: reduce ROM if the shoulder aches and emphasize slow eccentrics to maintain hypertrophic stimulus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press work?

The movement primarily targets the triceps, especially under elbow extension torque, while also engaging the pecs and anterior deltoids. Maintain scapular retraction and a neutral wrist to optimize triceps activation and reduce shoulder shear.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press?

Close‑grip push‑ups are the best bodyweight substitute because they keep the elbows tucked and increase triceps loading. Cue a tight core and a straight line from head to heels while driving through the palms to maximize triceps recruitment.

Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press?

Yes. You can build comparable triceps mass with exercises that provide similar elbow extension torque, such as close‑grip bench press, weighted dips, or dumbbell floor presses. Emphasize progressive overload, full elbow extension, and controlled eccentrics to sustain hypertrophy.

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