10 Best Smith Behind Neck Press Alternatives for Safer Shoulder Training
Swap the Smith behind-neck press for seated dumbbell press, landmine press, Arnold press, machine shoulder press, or a strict military press. Cue: press in front of your face with elbows slightly forward to reduce impingement and bias anterior and lateral deltoid activation. Brace your core and lock scapular stability at lockout.
Original Exercise: Smith Behind Neck Press
How to Perform Smith Behind Neck Press
- Adjust the seat height of the smith machine so that the bar is at shoulder level.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the bar off the rack and step back, maintaining a stable stance.
- Lower the bar down to the back of your neck, keeping your elbows pointing forward.
- Press the bar up overhead until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Smith Behind Neck Press Alternatives
1. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
87.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Band Shoulder Press
86.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band under your feet.
- Hold the band with your palms facing forward and raise your hands to shoulder height, elbows bent.
- Press the band overhead, fully extending your arms.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the band back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press
85.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Anti-Gravity Press
85.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
- 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.
- 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.
- Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.
5. Dumbbell Scott Press
85.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Barbell Shoulder Press
85.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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).
- 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.
- Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
7. Cuban Press
83.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Take a dumbbell in each hand with a pronated grip in a standing position. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, allowing your lower arms to hang in the "scarecrow" position. This will be your starting position.
- To initiate the movement, externally rotate the shoulders to move the upper arm 180 degrees. Keep the upper arms in place, rotating the upper arms until the wrists are directly above the elbows, the forearms perpendicular to the floor.
- Now press the dumbbells by extending at the elbows, straightening your arms overhead.
- Return to the starting position as you breathe in by reversing the steps.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
8. Dumbbell Arnold Press
83.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level, palms facing your body and elbows bent.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended and your palms are facing forward.
- Rotate your wrists as you lift, so that your palms are facing forward at the top of the movement.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
83.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- While holding a dumbbell in each hand, sit on a military press bench or utility bench that has back support. Place the dumbbells upright on top of your thighs.
- Now raise the dumbbells to shoulder height one at a time using your thighs to help propel them up into position.
- Make sure to rotate your wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing forward. This is your starting position.
- Now, exhale and push the dumbbells upward until they touch at the top.
- Then, after a brief pause at the top contracted position, slowly lower the weights back down to the starting position while inhaling.
10. Dumbbell W-press
83.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
- Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Smith Behind Neck Press Alternative
You might substitute the Smith behind-neck press due to shoulder pain, limited mobility, or lack of a Smith machine. Behind-the-neck loading forces excessive external rotation and horizontal abduction, increasing subacromial compression for many lifters. Choose front-of-head or neutral-grip variants to keep the humeral head centered in the glenoid and maintain lateral deltoid recruitment. Cue: stop the rep if you feel pinching above 90° abduction and favor presses that allow a natural scapular upward rotation to protect the rotator cuff.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select an alternative based on mobility, equipment, and training goals. If you lack shoulder external rotation, pick neutral-grip dumbbell or landmine presses that limit harmful horizontal abduction and maintain deltoid activation. For strength focus, use strict standing or seated barbell/dumbbell presses and load progressively; for hypertrophy, use controlled tempo and full range that keeps tension on the lateral head. Cue: check that the elbow tracks slightly forward of the bar path to reduce impingement and ensure consistent scapular control through each rep.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Smith Behind Neck Press work?
It primarily targets the anterior and lateral deltoids while recruiting the triceps and upper trapezius for lockout. Biomechanically the behind-neck path increases horizontal abduction and external rotation, which shifts stress into the posterior cuff and can compress the subacromial space.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Smith Behind Neck Press?
The best bodyweight substitute is the pike push-up—set your hips high and descend with elbows tracking slightly forward to emphasize anterior and lateral deltoid loading. Cue: aim to press in an arc so your head moves between your hands; that pattern preserves vertical loading and scapular upward rotation.
Can I build muscle without doing Smith Behind Neck Press?
Yes. You can stimulate the delts with front-loaded presses, Arnold presses, landmine presses, and isolation work like lateral raises. Focus on progressive overload, full range with controlled tempo, and keeping the humeral head centered to maximize deltoid activation while minimizing cuff stress.
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