10 Best Smith Behind-head Military Press Alternatives for Shoulders
Can't use the Smith standing behind-head military press? Use seated dumbbell presses, landmine presses, pike push-ups, Arnold presses, or standing front barbell presses instead. Cue: brace your core, keep elbows under wrists and press in a 10-20° forward plane to load the medial delts while protecting the rotator cuff.
Original Exercise: Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press
How to Perform Smith Standing Behind Head Military 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.
- Position the bar behind your head, resting on your upper traps.
- Keep your core engaged and your chest lifted throughout the exercise.
- Press the bar overhead by extending your arms, fully straightening them.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the bar back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press Alternatives
1. Band Shoulder Press
89.2% 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. Dumbbell Scott Press
87.9% 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.
3. Anti-Gravity Press
87.9% 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
87.9% 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. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press
87.9% 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.
6. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
85.9% 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
84.7% 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
84.2% 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 Shoulder Press
83.9% 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 Arnold Press
83.9% 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.
Why You Might Need a Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press Alternative
Many lifters replace the behind-head Smith press because the bar path forces extreme humeral external rotation and upward scapular rotation, increasing subacromial compression and impingement risk. You may also lack a Smith machine, have limited thoracic mobility, or prioritize safer joint mechanics. Good substitutes shift the press slightly forward and use neutral grips to reduce supraspinatus loading while still activating the medial and anterior deltoids. Cue: maintain slight scapular retraction, keep ribs down, and drive the elbow up and slightly forward to target the middle deltoid without excessive anterior shear.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching mobility, load goals, and muscle emphasis. If you want strict deltoid hypertrophy choose seated dumbbell presses or Arnold presses; cue: keep elbows at roughly 90° and press vertically to maximize lateral head activation. For heavier loads use standing barbell fronts or push presses to recruit legs and overload the delts; cue: brace hips and drive through the heels. If you have shoulder pain pick landmine or neutral-grip dumbbell presses to keep the humerus in a safer rotation and reduce supraspinatus compression. Consider unilateral work to correct imbalances and improve scapular control.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press work?
The lift primarily targets the deltoids — especially the lateral and posterior heads — while also recruiting the upper trapezius and triceps for lockout. Cue: keep the scapula controlled and drive elbows upward to emphasize the mid delts and limit anterior shoulder overload.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press?
Progressive pike push-ups or handstand push-ups are the best bodyweight substitutes because they create a vertical pressing line that loads the delts and triceps. Cue: elevate feet on a box, stack hips over shoulders, and tuck the chin to shift emphasis to the middle deltoid while protecting the cervical spine.
Can I build muscle without doing Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press?
Yes — you can build shoulder mass using a combination of vertical presses, unilateral dumbbell work, and isolation movements. Cue progressive overload with seated dumbbell presses, landmine presses, and lateral raises, keeping elbows under wrists and using controlled eccentrics to maximize deltoid activation.
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