10 Best Front Raise And Pullover Alternatives for Chest Training

The Front Raise And Pullover is done lying on your back with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Decline Barbell Bench Press, the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip and the Barbell Incline Bench Press. Two harder versions, the Bench Press - Powerlifting and the Bench Press With Chains, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Front Raise And Pullover

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

How to Do the Front Raise And Pullover

The steps for the Front Raise And Pullover itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Pectorals, with lats, shoulders, triceps · Barbell · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Lie on a flat bench while holding a barbell using a palms down grip that is about 15 inches apart.
  2. Place the bar on your upper thighs, extend your arms and lock them while keeping a slight bend on the elbows. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now raise the weight using a semicircular motion and keeping your arms straight as you inhale. Continue the same movement until the bar is on the other side above your head . (Tip: the bar will travel approximately 180-degrees). At this point your arms should be parallel to the floor with the palms of your hands facing the ceiling.
  4. Now return the barbell to the starting position by reversing the motion as you exhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

The 10 Best Front Raise And Pullover Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Front Raise And Pullover 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. Decline Barbell Bench Press

    1. Decline Barbell Bench Press

    79% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
    2. 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. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack.
    3. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your lower chest.
    4. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest 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).
    5. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    6. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
  2. Bench Press - Powerlifting

    Progression

    2. Bench Press - Powerlifting

    79% match

    Pectorals · Advanced · Compound

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

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
  4. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

    4. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

    78% match

    Pectorals · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want to work the pectorals with more balance to manage.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    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.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Front Raise And Pullover
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Front Raise And Pullover

Why You Might Need a Front Raise And Pullover Alternative

You may substitute the Front Raise And Pullover for several reasons: shoulder pain from overhead and cross-body stress, lack of a barbell, or a desire to shift load distribution across the chest. Alternatives let you change arm path, reduce anterior shoulder impingement, or increase time under tension for the pectoralis major. When you pick a substitute, focus on movements that maintain horizontal adduction and a long-head stretch, and cue a braced core and scapular retraction to keep pectoral activation high while protecting the glenohumeral joint.

Front Raise And Pullover FAQ

What muscles does Front Raise And Pullover work?

The movement targets the pectoralis major (both sternal and long-head contribution) while recruiting the anterior deltoid and latissimus dorsi during the pullover portion. It also relies on serratus anterior and scapular stabilizers to control thoracic motion and maintain chest-focused tension.

Can I build muscle without doing Front Raise And Pullover?

Yes. You can achieve similar pectoral hypertrophy with compound presses, fly variations, and progressive overload using dumbbells, cables, or bodyweight. Ensure you preserve full ROM, control elbow path toward the midline, and incrementally increase load or volume to stimulate growth.

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