10 Best Ski Ergometer Alternatives for Triceps Strength

If you can't use a Ski Ergometer, choose exercises that reproduce powerful elbow extension and vertical drive to target the triceps. Good options include dips, close-grip bench press, cable pushdowns, overhead dumbbell extensions, and band-assisted ski motions. Emphasize controlled elbow extension, scapular stability, and a braced core to mimic SkiErg biomechanics.

Original Exercise: Ski Ergometer

Ski Ergometer
Primary Muscle
Triceps
Equipment
Other
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, Forearms
How to Perform Ski Ergometer
  1. Adjust the seat height and footrests to a comfortable position.
  2. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, palms facing down.
  3. Sit up straight with your feet flat on the footrests.
  4. Extend your arms straight out in front of you, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  5. Engage your triceps and push the handles down towards your thighs.
  6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Ranked Ski Ergometer Alternatives

Best Match
Alternating Hang Clean

1. Alternating Hang Clean

63.2% Match
Hamstrings Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place two kettlebells between your feet. To get in the starting position, push your butt back and look straight ahead.
  2. Clean one kettlebell to your shoulder and hold on to the other kettlebell in a hanging position. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrist as you do so.
  3. Lower the cleaned kettlebell to a hanging position and clean the alternate kettlebell. Repeat.
Straight-Arm Pulldown

2. Straight-Arm Pulldown

61.1% Match
Lats Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. You will start by grabbing the wide bar from the top pulley of a pulldown machine and using a wider than shoulder-width pronated (palms down) grip. Step backwards two feet or so.
  2. Bend your torso forward at the waist by around 30-degrees with your arms fully extended in front of you and a slight bend at the elbows. If your arms are not fully extended then you need to step a bit more backwards until they are. Once your arms are fully extended and your torso is slightly bent at the waist, tighten the lats and then you are ready to begin.
  3. While keeping the arms straight, pull the bar down by contracting the lats until your hands are next to the side of the thighs. Breathe out as you perform this step.
  4. While keeping the arms straight, go back to the starting position while breathing in.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Shrug

3. Barbell Shrug

60.1% Match
Traps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of you with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your arms straight and your back straight throughout the exercise.
  3. Lift your shoulders up towards your ears as high as possible, squeezing your traps at the top.
  4. Hold for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug

4. Smith Machine Behind The Back Shrug

57.4% Match
Traps Machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. With the bar at thigh level, load an appropriate weight.
  2. Stand with the bar behind you, taking a shoulder-width, pronated grip on the bar and unhook the weight. You should be standing up straight with your head and chest up and your arms extended. This will be your starting position.
  3. Initiate the movement by shrugging your shoulders straight up. Do not flex the arms or wrist during the movement.
  4. After a brief pause return the weight to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before engaging the hooks to rack the weight.
Cable Shrug

5. Cable Shrug

56.9% Match
Traps Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip and let your arms hang down in front of you.
  3. Keeping your arms straight, shrug your shoulders up towards your ears.
  4. Hold the contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)

6. Cable Straight Arm Pulldown (with Rope)

56.3% Match
Lats Cable Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Attach a rope to the cable machine at the highest setting.
  2. Stand facing the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Grasp the rope with both hands, palms facing down.
  4. Extend your arms fully in front of you, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  5. Engage your lats and slowly pull the rope down towards your thighs, keeping your arms straight.
Hang Clean - Below The Knees

7. Hang Clean - Below The Knees

56.2% Match
Quads Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a shoulder width, double overhand or hook grip, with the bar hanging just below the knees. Your back should be straight and inclined slightly forward.
  2. Begin by aggressively extending through the hips, knees and ankles, driving the weight upward. As you do so, shrug your shoulders towards your ears. As full extension is achieved, transition into the third pull by aggressively shrugging and flexing the arms with the elbows up and out.
  3. At peak extension, aggressively pull yourself down, rotating your elbows under the bar as you do so. Receive the bar in a front squat position, the depth of which is dependent upon the height of the bar at the end of the third pull. The bar should be racked onto the protracted shoulders, lightly touching the throat with the hands relaxed. Continue to descend to the bottom squat position, which will help in the recovery.
  4. Immediately recover by driving through the heels, keeping the torso upright and elbows up. Continue until you have risen to a standing position.
Hang Clean

8. Hang Clean

55.4% Match
Quads Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a shoulder width, double overhand or hook grip, with the bar hanging at the mid thigh position. Your back should be straight and inclined slightly forward.
  2. Begin by aggressively extending through the hips, knees and ankles, driving the weight upward. As you do so, shrug your shoulders towards your ears.
  3. Immediately recover by driving through the heels, keeping the torso upright and elbows up. Continue until you have risen to a standing position.
Lever Pullover

9. Lever Pullover

54.4% Match
Lats Lever Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the seat and handles of the leverage machine to a comfortable position.
  2. Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and grasp the handles with an overhand grip.
  3. Keep your arms slightly bent and your core engaged.
  4. Slowly pull the handles towards your chest, squeezing your lats.
  5. Pause for a moment at the peak contraction, then slowly return to the starting position.
Hang Snatch - Below Knees

10. Hang Snatch - Below Knees

53.4% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin with a wide grip on the bar, with an overhand or hook grip. The feet should be directly below the hips with the feet turned out. Your knees should be slightly bent, and the torso inclined forward. The spine should be fully extended and the head facing forward. The bar should be just below the knees. This will be your starting position.
  2. Aggressively extend through the legs and hips. At peak extension, shrug the shoulders and allow the elbows to flex to the side.
  3. As you move your feet into the receiving position, forcefully pull yourself below the bar as you elevate the bar overhead. Receive the bar with your body as low as possible and the arms fully extended overhead.
  4. Return to a standing position with the weight overhead, and then return the weight to the floor under control.

Why You Might Need a Ski Ergometer Alternative

You may substitute the Ski Ergometer for several practical reasons: no access to the machine, shoulder or back restrictions, or a goal to emphasize heavier triceps loading. The SkiErg mixes vertical shoulder extension with forceful elbow extension; replacing it requires matching that elbow torque and scapular control. For example, dips increase triceps torque through bodyweight vertical pushing, cue a slight forward lean and drive through full elbow extension to maximize lateral and medial head recruitment. If shoulder mobility is limited, use cable pushdowns with the upper arm fixed vertical to isolate the long head less and reduce shoulder extension moment.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Prioritize movement pattern, load capacity, and joint comfort. If you need a vertical push/pull pattern similar to the SkiErg, pick dips or close-grip presses to maintain elbow extension torque; cue elbows tucked 10–20 degrees and full lockout. For shoulder issues, choose cable pushdowns or band pressdowns that keep the humerus vertical to reduce long-head stretch and shoulder shear. For home training without heavy loads, use slow-tempo diamond push-ups or banded overhead extensions to control eccentric demand while maintaining triceps activation. Consider progressive overload, range of motion, and whether you must protect the shoulder or spine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Ski Ergometer work?

The Ski Ergometer primarily loads the triceps through repeated elbow extension while also engaging the lats, posterior deltoids, and core for stabilization. Biomechanically it combines shoulder extension and elbow extension, so you get compound upper-arm and back recruitment.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Ski Ergometer?

Dips are the top bodyweight substitute because they replicate vertical pushing torque and demand strong elbow extension. Cue a slight forward lean, tuck the elbows, and fully extend the elbows to emphasize triceps activation and scapular control.

Can I build muscle without doing Ski Ergometer?

Yes. You can build triceps and upper-arm muscle using presses, dips, pushdowns, and extensions that provide enough volume and progressive overload. Focus on full range of motion, controlled eccentrics, and increasing load or reps to drive hypertrophy.

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