10 Best Return Push From Stance Alternatives for Shoulder Strength

If you need a substitute for Return Push From Stance, use exercises that reproduce the shoulder push mechanics and deltoid load. Effective swaps include medicine-ball chest passes, seated dumbbell presses, landmine single-arm presses, and pike push-ups. Cue a controlled eccentric and full scapular protraction on each rep to maintain deltoid activation and joint stability.

Original Exercise: Return Push From Stance

Return Push From Stance
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Medicine-ball
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Chest, Triceps
How to Perform Return Push From Stance
  1. You will need a partner for this drill.
  2. Begin in an athletic 2 or 3 point stance.
  3. At the signal, move into a position to receive the pass from your partner.
  4. Catch the medicine ball with both hands and immediately throw it back to your partner.
  5. You can modify this drill by running different routes.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Plyometrics
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Return Push From Stance Alternatives

Best Match
Backward Medicine Ball Throw

1. Backward Medicine Ball Throw

95.4% Match
Delts Medicine-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This exercise is best done with a partner. If you lack a partner, the ball can be thrown and retrieved or thrown against a wall.
  2. Begin standing a few meters in front of your partner, both facing the same direction. Begin holding the ball between your legs.
  3. Squat down and then forcefully reverse direction, coming to full extension and you toss the ball over your head to your partner.
  4. Your partner can then roll the ball back to you. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Medicine Ball Scoop Throw

2. Medicine Ball Scoop Throw

94.7% Match
Delts Medicine-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Assume a semisquat stance with a medicine ball in your hands. Your arms should hang so the ball is near your feet.
  2. Begin by thrusting the hips forward as you extend through the legs, jumping up.
  3. As you do, swing your arms up and over your head, keeping them extended, releasing the ball at the peak of your movement. The goal is to throw the ball the greatest distance behind you.
Rack Delivery

3. Rack Delivery

91.4% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This drill teaches the delivery of the barbell to the rack position on the shoulders. Begin holding a bar in the scarecrow position, with the upper arms parallel to the floor, and the forearms hanging down. Use a hook grip, with your fingers wrapped over your thumbs.
  2. Begin by rotating the elbows around the bar, delivering the bar to the shoulders. As your elbows come forward, relax your grip. The shoulders should be protracted, providing a shelf for the bar, which should lightly contact the throat.
  3. It is important that the bar stay close to the body at all times, as with a heavier load any distance will result in an unwanted collision. As the movement becomes smoother, speed and load can be increased before progressing further.
Car Drivers

4. Car Drivers

86.9% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. While standing upright, hold a barbell plate in both hands at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. Your palms should be facing each other and your arms should be extended straight out in front of you. This will be your starting position.
  2. Initiate the movement by rotating the plate as far to one side as possible. Use the same type of movement you would use to turn a steering wheel to one side.
  3. Reverse the motion, turning it all the way to the opposite side.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Circus Bell

5. Circus Bell

86.9% Match
Delts Other Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. The circus bell is an oversized dumbbell with a thick handle. Begin with the dumbbell between your feet, and grip the handle with both hands.
  2. Clean the dumbbell by extending through your hips and knees to deliver the implement to the desired shoulder, letting go with the extra hand.
  3. Ensure that you get one of the dumbbell heads behind the shoulder to keep from being thrown off balance. To raise it overhead, dip by flexing the knees, and the drive upwards as you extend the dumbbell overhead, leaning slightly away from it as you do so.
  4. Carefully guide the bell back to the floor, keeping it under control as much as possible. It is best to perform this event on a thick rubber mat to prevent damage to the floor.
Chest Push (single Response)

6. Chest Push (single Response)

83.9% Match
Pectorals Medicine-ball Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin in a kneeling position holding the medicine ball with both hands tightly into the chest.
  2. Execute the pass by exploding forward and outward with the hips while pushing the ball as far as possible.
  3. Follow through by falling forward, catching yourself with your hands.
Chest Push (multiple Response)

7. Chest Push (multiple Response)

83.3% Match
Pectorals Medicine-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin in a kneeling position facing a wall or utilize a partner. Hold the ball with both hands tight into the chest.
  2. Execute the pass by exploding forward and outward with the hips while pushing the ball as hard as possible.
  3. Follow through by falling forward, catching yourself with your hands.
  4. Immediately return to an upright position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Weighted Kneeling Step With Swing

8. Weighted Kneeling Step With Swing

82.3% Match
Delts Weighted Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start in a kneeling position with your knees hip-width apart and your back straight.
  2. Hold a weight in each hand, with your arms extended straight down in front of you.
  3. Engage your core and swing the weights up and overhead, keeping your arms straight.
  4. Lower the weights back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Chest Push With Run Release

9. Chest Push With Run Release

81.9% Match
Pectorals Medicine-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin in an athletic stance with the knees bent, hips back, and back flat. Hold the medicine ball near your legs. This will be your starting position.
  2. While taking your first step draw the medicine ball into your chest.
  3. As you take the second step, explosively push the ball forward, immediately sprinting for 10 yards after the release. If you are really fast, you can catch your own pass!
Heavy Bag Thrust

10. Heavy Bag Thrust

80.4% Match
Pectorals Other Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Utilize a heavy bag for this exercise. Assume an upright stance next to the bag, with your feet staggered, fairly wide apart. Place your hand on the bag at about chest height. This will be your starting position.
  2. Begin by twisting at the waist, pushing the bag forward as hard as possible. Perform this move quickly, pushing the bag away from your body.
  3. Receive the bag as it swings back by reversing these steps.

Why You Might Need a Return Push From Stance Alternative

You may swap Return Push From Stance for several reasons: limited equipment (no medicine ball), acute shoulder pain or rotator cuff irritation, or programming needs like unilateral stimulus or higher volume. Substitutes let you keep the deltoids under tension while altering stability demands and range of motion. Choose movements that preserve the original push vector, horizontal or vertical, and that limit painful abduction or external rotation if you have cuff issues. For technique, keep the scapula mobile but controlled, avoid shoulder hiking, and drive through the palm to emphasize anterior/medial deltoid activation while protecting the glenohumeral joint.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Match the substitute to the movement plane, load capacity, and stability you need. For vertical push emphasis pick seated or standing dumbbell presses; for horizontal power choose medicine-ball chest passes or push-up variants. Consider unilateral landmine presses to reduce shear and improve scapular control if you have cuff soreness. Prioritize progressive overload, maintain a 2–3 second eccentric, and cue neutral spine and braced core to transfer force safely. If your goal is hypertrophy, use higher tempo-controlled reps; for power, use medicine-ball throws with an explosive concentric while keeping scapular protraction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Return Push From Stance work?

Return Push From Stance primarily targets the anterior and medial deltoids while recruiting the triceps and serratus anterior for scapular control. Your core and lower body stabilize the stance, and the movement combines horizontal and vertical push mechanics, so cue scapular protraction on the concentric to maximize deltoid drive.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Return Push From Stance?

A pike push-up is the top bodyweight alternative because it emphasizes vertical shoulder loading and anterior/medial deltoid activation. Set hips high to create a 45° torso angle, tuck slightly, and drive the head toward the floor while keeping elbows slightly tucked to protect the cuff and land the load through the delts.

Can I build muscle without doing Return Push From Stance?

Yes, you can hypertrophy the delts with many other presses, raises, and throwing variations that preserve mechanical tension and progressive overload. Use controlled eccentrics (2–3 seconds), full range of motion, and exercises like dumbbell presses, landmine presses, and medicine-ball throws while cueing consistent scapular control to target the deltoids effectively.

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