10 Best Smith Wide Grip Bench Press Alternatives for Home or Gym
If you can't do the Smith wide grip bench press, use barbell or dumbbell bench presses, weighted dips, incline presses, or cable wide presses to stress the pectorals naturally. Focus on scapular retraction, a 45° elbow tuck, and a controlled two‑second eccentric to maximize pectoral stretch and muscle activation through full range of motion.
Original Exercise: Smith Wide Grip Bench Press
How to Perform Smith Wide Grip Bench Press
- Adjust the bench to a comfortable position on the smith machine.
- Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows out to the sides.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
- Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Smith Wide Grip Bench Press Alternatives
1. Barbell Wide Bench Press
86.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly flared out.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
2. Barbell Bench Press
86.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
3. Cable Bench Press
85.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the cable machine to chest height and attach the handles.
- Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and step forward to create tension in the cables.
- Position your feet firmly on the ground and engage your core.
- Bend your elbows and bring your hands to shoulder level, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
4. Band Bench Press
85.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the band handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms fully, pushing the bands away from your chest.
- Slowly lower the bands back down to your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Bench Press - Powerlifting
84.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Begin by lying on the bench, getting your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement.
- However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart.
- Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
- Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
6. Bench Press - With Bands
84.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Using a flat bench secure a band under the leg of the bench that is nearest to your head.
- Once the band is secure, grab it by both handles and lie down on the bench.
- Extend your arms so that you are holding the band handles in front of you at shoulder width.
- Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
- Bring down the handles slowly until your elbow forms a 90 degree angle. Keep full control at all times.
7. Bench Press With Chains
84.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the leader chain, shortening it to the desired length.Place the chains on the sleeves of the bar.
- Lying on the bench, get your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar.
- Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
- Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
8. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
84% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
- After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
9. Dumbbell Bench Press
84% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing forward and your arms extended above your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Dumbbell Reverse Bench Press
82% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing towards your feet.
- Extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest, allowing your elbows to flare out to the sides.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
Why You Might Need a Smith Wide Grip Bench Press Alternative
You might swap the Smith wide grip bench press because the fixed bar path can aggravate shoulder impingement, your gym lacks a Smith machine, or you want greater stabilizer recruitment. Free weights allow small transverse-plane adjustments that improve pectoral fiber alignment and increase serratus anterior and rotator-cuff activation. Cables provide constant tension and better peak contraction, while dips load the lower pecs and force core and triceps stabilization. If you feel anterior shoulder pain, reduce humeral abduction, keep elbows near 45°, and use a substitute that lets you control bar path and scapular motion to protect the joint while keeping hypertrophic stimulus.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to your equipment, shoulder health, and the pec region you want to target. For upper-pec emphasis pick incline dumbbell presses at 25–35° with full scapular retraction; for lower-pec emphasis choose weighted dips with a slight forward lean and scapular depression. If stability is your goal, use unilateral dumbbell presses to force rotator-cuff and core engagement—brace your core, press with both hands evenly, and lower under a two-second eccentric. If you need constant tension and control over the line of pull, use cable wide presses and move the handles in a wide arc to load pectoral fibers through the entire ROM.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Smith Wide Grip Bench Press work?
The Smith wide grip bench press primarily targets the pectoralis major—especially the sternal head—while secondary stress falls on the anterior deltoids and triceps brachii for lockout. The fixed bar path limits scapular protraction/retraction, reducing serratus anterior and stabilizer activation compared with free-weight variants.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Smith Wide Grip Bench Press?
Weighted or bodyweight dips are the top bodyweight substitute; lean forward 20–30° to shift load onto the pecs, retract the scapula, and descend until your chest is stretched. Wide push-up variations (elevated feet or tempo pauses) also work—keep elbows at about 45° and pause at the bottom to increase time under tension.
Can I build muscle without doing Smith Wide Grip Bench Press?
Yes. You can achieve equal hypertrophy using progressive overload across barbell or dumbbell presses, dips, and cable movements that target the pecs. Emphasize full range of motion, controlled eccentrics, and systematic volume progression to stimulate growth without the Smith machine.
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