10 Best Smith Shoulder Press Alternatives for Limited Equipment
If you can't use the Smith shoulder press, use dumbbell shoulder press, barbell overhead press, push press, landmine press, or handstand push-up. For dumbbells, keep your scapula packed and press with a slight forward lean to load the anterior and lateral delts; avoid flaring the elbows to reduce impingement.
Original Exercise: Smith Shoulder Press
How to Perform Smith Shoulder Press
- Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the smith machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the bar off the rack and position it at shoulder level, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
- Press the bar upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to shoulder level.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Smith Shoulder Press Alternatives
1. Band Shoulder Press
87.1% 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.
2. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press
85.8% 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.
3. Anti-Gravity Press
85.8% 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.
4. Barbell Shoulder Press
85.8% 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.
5. Dumbbell Scott Press
85.8% 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 Standing Wide Military Press
83.8% 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.
7. Cuban Press
82.6% 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. Cable Shoulder Press
82.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the cable machine so that the handles are at shoulder height.
- Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and bring them up to shoulder level, with your elbows bent and pointing outwards.
- Press the handles upwards until your arms are fully extended overhead.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handles back down to shoulder level.
9. Dumbbell Arnold Press
81.8% 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.
10. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
81.8% 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.
Why You Might Need a Smith Shoulder Press Alternative
You may need substitutes for injury, unavailable equipment, or movement preference. A Smith machine fixes bar path and can mask core and stabilizer weakness; switching to dumbbells or a barbell restores natural shoulder rotation and increases rotator cuff activation. If you have impingement, use neutral-grip dumbbell presses or a landmine press to rotate the humerus and reduce subacromial contact. For strength carryover when balance is limited, the push press lets you use leg drive while still training delts. Cue each alternative: control the eccentric, limit lumbar extension, and keep the ribcage down to bias deltoid activation safely.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on equipment, shoulder health, and training goal. For maximal delt hypertrophy and unilateral balance, choose dumbbell shoulder presses and press with a full scapular pack and vertical forearm at lockout to emphasize the lateral delts. For raw overhead strength, use a strict barbell overhead press and brace your core with a neutral spine to transfer force through the delts and triceps. If you need reduced shoulder strain, pick the landmine press and press on a diagonal plane with a slight forward torso to shift load from the supraspinatus. Use push presses to overload with leg drive while maintaining overhead mechanics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Smith Shoulder Press work?
The Smith shoulder press primarily targets the deltoids—especially the anterior and lateral heads—while recruiting the triceps and upper trapezius. The fixed bar path reduces stabilizer activation, so rotator cuff and core engagement are lower than with free-weight presses.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Smith Shoulder Press?
Handstand push-ups are the top bodyweight substitute because they load the delts and triceps under vertical resistance. Start with wall-assisted sets and keep a tight core and straight line from heels to head to maximize deltoid activation and reduce compensatory neck extension.
Can I build muscle without doing Smith Shoulder Press?
Yes. You can build shoulder muscle using dumbbell presses, barbell overhead presses, landmine presses, and push presses, which all load the delts and recruit stabilizers more effectively. Focus on progressive overload, controlled eccentrics, and proper scapular positioning to ensure consistent delt hypertrophy.
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