10 Best Press Sit-up Alternatives for Barbell-Free Training

The Press Sit-up is done lying on your back with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press, the Barbell Seated Overhead Press and the Barbell Pullover To Press.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Press Sit-up

Press Sit-up
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

How to perform Press Sit-up
  1. To begin, lie down on a bench with a barbell resting on your chest. Position your legs so they are secure on the extension of the abdominal bench. This is the starting position.
  2. While inhaling, tighten your abdominals and glutes. Simultaneously curl your torso as you do when performing a sit-up and press the barbell to an overhead position while exhaling. Tip: Use your arms to push the barbell out as you perform this exercise while still focusing on the abdominal muscles.
  3. Lower your upper body back down to the starting position while bringing the barbell back down to your torso. Remember to breathe in while lowering the body.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
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Ranked Press Sit-up Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Press Sit-up 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. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Barbell Seated Behind Head Military PressPlay demonstration

    Progression

    1. Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press

    75% match
    • Delts
    • Barbell
    • Advanced
    • Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the delts rather than the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Lift the barbell off the rack and bring it down to shoulder level, behind your head.
    4. Press the barbell upward until your arms are fully extended.
    5. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Press Sit-up
  2. Barbell Seated Overhead PressPlay demonstration

    2. Barbell Seated Overhead Press

    75% match
    • Delts
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Lift the barbell off the rack and bring it to shoulder level, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
    4. Press the barbell overhead by extending your arms fully.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to shoulder level.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Press Sit-up
  3. Barbell Pullover To PressPlay demonstration

    3. Barbell Pullover To Press

    74% match
    • Lats
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it uses the same equipment, but it works the lats rather than the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the ground.
    2. Hold the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and extend your arms straight above your chest.
    3. Keeping your arms straight, lower the barbell behind your head in an arc-like motion until you feel a stretch in your lats.
    4. Pause for a moment, then reverse the motion and press the barbell back to the starting position above your chest.
    5. 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, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Press Sit-up
  4. Weighted Three Bench DipsPlay demonstration

    4. Weighted Three Bench Dips

    73% match
    • Triceps
    • Weighted
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A looser match: it works the triceps rather than the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the edge of a bench with your hands gripping the edge, fingers pointing forward.
    2. Walk your feet forward, sliding your butt off the bench and supporting your weight with your arms.
    3. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your back close to the bench.
    4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  5. Weighted Tricep DipsPlay demonstration

    5. Weighted Tricep Dips

    73% match
    • Triceps
    • Weighted
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with your hands gripping the edge next to your hips.
    2. Slide your butt off the front of the bench with your legs extended in front of you.
    3. Keep your back close to the bench and your elbows slightly bent.
    4. Lower your body by bending your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
    5. Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  6. Barbell Standing Bradford PressPlay demonstration

    Progression

    6. Barbell Standing Bradford Press

    72% match
    • Delts
    • Barbell
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip.
    2. Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
    3. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  7. Anti-gravity Press

    7. Anti-gravity Press

    72% match
    • Delts
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
    2. Lay on the bench face down. With a pronated grip, pick the barbell up from the floor. Flex the elbows, performing a reverse curl to bring the bar near your chest. This will be your starting position.
    3. To begin, press the barbell out in front of your head by extending your elbows. Keep your arms parallel to the ground throughout the movement.
    4. Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
  8. Barbell Shoulder Press

    8. Barbell Shoulder Press

    72% match
    • Delts
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with back support in a squat rack. Position a barbell at a height that is just above your head. Grab the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing forward).
    2. Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip width, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
    3. Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
    4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  9. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military PressPlay demonstration

    9. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

    72% match
    • Delts
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
    4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: delts, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
  10. Neck Press

    10. Neck Press

    72% match
    • Pectorals
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    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 your neck 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 neck.
    3. 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).
    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, not abs
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Press Sit-up

Press Sit-up FAQ

What muscles does Press Sit-up work?

The Press Sit-up primarily targets the rectus abdominis and hip flexors, with secondary stabilization from the obliques and transverse abdominis. If you press a bar in the movement, anterior deltoids and upper chest assist, so cue a tight shoulder pack to avoid compensatory shrugging.

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