10 Best Overhead Slam Alternatives for Back Strength
The Overhead Slam is done standing with a medicine ball. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Catch And Overhead Throw, the Medicine Ball Catch And Overhead Throw and the Dumbbell Bent Over Row.
Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works
Original Exercise: Overhead Slam
- Primary muscle
- Lats
- Equipment
- Medicine-ball
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
How to perform Overhead Slam
- Hold a medine ball with both hands and stand with your feet at shoulder width. This will be your starting position.
- Initiate the countermovement by raising the ball above your head and fully extending your body.
- Reverse the motion, slamming the ball into the ground directly in front of you as hard as you can.
- Receive the ball with both hands on the bounce and repeat the movement.
Ranked Overhead Slam Alternatives
10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Overhead Slam on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.
Best match 
1. Catch And Overhead Throw
99% match- Lats
- Medicine-ball
- Intermediate
- Compound
It uses the same equipment and still works the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Begin standing while facing a wall or a partner.
- Using both hands, position the ball behind your head, stretching as much as possible, and forcefully throw the ball forward.
- Ensure that you follow your throw through, being prepared to receive your rebound from your throw. If you are throwing against the wall, make sure that you stand close enough to the wall to receive the rebound, and aim a little higher than you would with a partner.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Lats
- Medicine-ball
- Intermediate
- Compound
The same equipment, taken with an overhand grip.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medicine ball in both hands at chest level.
- Bend your knees slightly and engage your core.
- Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Explosively extend your hips and legs, while simultaneously throwing the medicine ball overhead.
- Release the ball at the top of the movement and catch it on the way down.
- Lower your body back into the squat position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
3. Medicine Ball Overhead Slam
80% match- Upper Back
- Medicine-ball
- Intermediate
- Compound
A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the upper back rather than the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medicine ball with both hands above your head.
- Engage your core and keep your back straight.
- Bend your knees slightly and forcefully slam the medicine ball down to the ground in front of you.
- As you slam the ball down, use your entire body to generate power, including your shoulders and core.
- Catch the ball on the bounce and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: upper back, not lats
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
4. Dumbbell Bent Over Row
75% match- Lats
- Dumbbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Let your arms hang straight down towards the floor, with your elbows slightly bent.
- Pull the dumbbells up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the lats.
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing down, and hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up, until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
- Pull the barbell towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
6. Bent Over Barbell Row
72% match- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Holding a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing down), bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
- Now, while keeping the torso stationary, breathe out and lift the barbell to you. Keep the elbows close to the body and only use the forearms to hold the weight. At the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
7. Reverse Grip Bent-over Rows
72% match- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand erect while holding a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up).
- Bend your knees slightly and bring your torso forward, by bending at the waist, while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor. Tip: Make sure that you keep the head up. The barbell should hang directly in front of you as your arms hang perpendicular to the floor and your torso. This is your starting position.
- While keeping the torso stationary, lift the barbell as you breathe out, keeping the elbows close to the body and not doing any force with the forearm other than holding the weights. On the top contracted position, squeeze the back muscles and hold for a second.
- Slowly lower the weight again to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
8. One-arm Long Bar Row
69% match- Lats
- Barbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Position a bar into a landmine or in a corner to keep it from moving. Load an appropriate weight onto your end.
- Stand next to the bar, and take a grip with one hand close to the collar. Using your hips and legs, rise to a standing position.
- Assume a bent-knee stance with your hips back and your chest up. Your arm should be extended. This will be your starting position.
- Pull the weight to your side by retracting the shoulder and flexing the elbow. Do not jerk the weight or cheat during the movement.
- After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
9. Kettlebell One Arm Row
68% match- Lats
- Kettlebell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in one hand with an overhand grip.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
- Pull the kettlebell up towards your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides and repeat with the other arm.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Body position: standing, the same as the Overhead Slam
10. One-arm Dumbbell Row
68% match- Lats
- Dumbbell
- Intermediate
- Compound
How to perform this exercise
- Choose a flat bench and place a dumbbell on each side of it.
- Place the right leg on top of the end of the bench, bend your torso forward from the waist until your upper body is parallel to the floor, and place your right hand on the other end of the bench for support.
- Use the left hand to pick up the dumbbell on the floor and hold the weight while keeping your lower back straight. The palm of the hand should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Pull the resistance straight up to the side of your chest, keeping your upper arm close to your side and keeping the torso stationary. Breathe out as you perform this step. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. Also, make sure that the force is performed with the back muscles and not the arms. Finally, the upper torso should remain stationary and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work except for holding the dumbbell; therefore do not try to pull the dumbbell up using the forearms.
- Lower the resistance straight down to the starting position. Breathe in as you perform this step.
- Repeat the movement for the specified amount of repetitions.
- Switch sides and repeat again with the other arm.
Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.
Why this matches
- Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Overhead Slam
- Equipment: free weights, the same as the Overhead Slam
Why You Might Need an Overhead Slam Alternative
You might substitute the overhead slam for shoulder issues, lack of a medicine ball, noisy or unsuitable training space, or programming that emphasizes controlled loading over impact. The overhead slam uses rapid shoulder flexion followed by forceful adduction and trunk flexion, which can stress the rotator cuff and lower back. Choose alternatives that maintain the lat stretch-shortening cycle or eccentric emphasis, cue scapular retraction, long lat length at the top, and a forceful elbow drive, to keep similar biomechanics while reducing joint load or equipment needs.
How to Choose the Right Overhead Slam Substitute
Pick a substitute based on goal, joint tolerance, and available equipment. For power, select high-velocity pulls (explosive pulldowns or medicine‑ball chest throws) and cue an aggressive concentric elbow drive and fast deceleration to replicate stretch‑shortening. For hypertrophy, use weighted pulldowns or rows with slow eccentrics and a full lat stretch. If you have shoulder pain, favor horizontal pulling or machine pulldowns that limit scapular shear and allow controlled scapular retraction. Track load, velocity, and range of motion to match the overhead slam’s lat activation patterns.
Overhead Slam FAQ
What muscles does Overhead Slam work?
The overhead slam primarily targets the lats through rapid shoulder extension and adduction. It also engages the core, serratus anterior, posterior shoulder stabilizers, and hips for power transfer during the explosive downward motion.
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