10 Best Standing Military Press Alternatives for When You Can't Press

If you can’t do the Standing Military Press, use exercises that keep a vertical pressing pattern and deltoid load. Top options include Seated Dumbbell Press, Push Press, Arnold Press, Landmine Press, and Pike Push‑Up. Each preserves shoulder activation while matching different equipment, mobility, and loading needs, pick one based on your limits.

Original Exercise: Standing Military Press

Standing Military Press
Primary Muscle
Delts
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps
How to Perform Standing Military Press
  1. Start by placing a barbell that is about chest high on a squat rack. Once you have selected the weights, grab the barbell using a pronated (palms facing forward) grip. Make sure to grip the bar wider than shoulder width apart from each other.
  2. Slightly bend the knees and place the barbell on your collar bone. Lift the barbell up keeping it lying on your chest. Take a step back and position your feet shoulder width apart from each other.
  3. Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip length, 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.
  4. Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
  5. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
  6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Compound

Ranked Standing Military Press Alternatives

Best Match
Anti-Gravity Press

1. Anti-Gravity Press

99.9% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat to complete the set.
Barbell Shoulder Press

2. Barbell Shoulder Press

99.9% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. Lower the bar down to the shoulders slowly as you inhale.
  4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

3. Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

99.9% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
  4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Behind Neck Press

4. Standing Behind Neck Press

99.9% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell behind your neck with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
  3. Press the barbell overhead by extending your arms, fully extending your elbows.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

5. Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

98% Match
Delts Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
  3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
  4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

6. Standing Barbell Press Behind Neck

97.4% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for easier pick up of the bar. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
  2. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
  3. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Your back should be kept straight while performing this exercise. This will be your starting position.
  4. Elevate the barbell overhead by fully extending your arms while breathing out.
  5. Hold the contraction for a second and lower the barbell back down to the starting position by inhaling.
Standing Bradford Press

7. Standing Bradford Press

96.7% Match
Delts Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Place a loaded bar at shoulder level in a rack. With a pronated grip at shoulder width, begin with the bar racked across the front of your shoulders. This is your starting position.
  2. Initiate the lift by extending the elbows to press the bar overhead. Avoid locking out the elbow as you move the weight behind your head.
  3. Lower the bar down to the back of the head until your elbow forms a right angle.
  4. Lift the bar back over your head by extending the elbows
  5. Lower the bar down to the starting position.
Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

8. Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press

96% Match
Delts Kettlebell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand at shoulder level with your palms facing forward.
  2. Engage your core and press the kettlebells overhead, fully extending your arms.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the kettlebells back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Scott Press

9. Dumbbell Scott Press

90% Match
Delts Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
  2. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.
  3. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ez Barbell Anti Gravity Press

10. Ez Barbell Anti Gravity Press

90% Match
Delts Ez-barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding the ez barbell with an overhand grip.
  2. Raise the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing forward.
  3. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
  4. Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Standing Military Press Alternative

You might substitute the Standing Military Press for several reasons: shoulder pain or limited thoracic extension, lack of a barbell, or the need to protect lower back from heavy axial load. Substitutes let you maintain anterior and medial deltoid activation while altering stabilization demands and loading vectors. For example, a seated dumbbell press reduces spinal compression and isolates delts, keep scapula retracted and drive each dumbbell overhead to emphasize the lateral head. A push press uses leg drive to tolerate heavier loads while preserving overhead mechanics through upward scapular rotation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Choose a substitute by matching the primary constraint: mobility, equipment, or training goal. For shoulder pain or poor thoracic extension, pick a seated or landmine press to reduce cervical/low‑back strain; cue a neutral spine and avoid excessive cervical extension. If you need strength carryover, use a push press to train explosive drive and heavier loads, initiate with a quick hip dip and transfer force through the hips into the bar. For unilateral balance or hypertrophy, choose single‑arm dumbbell or landmine presses and focus on full scapular upward rotation and controlled eccentric tempo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Standing Military Press work?

The Standing Military Press primarily targets the anterior and medial deltoids, with secondary loading of the triceps, upper trapezius, and serratus anterior. It also recruits stabilizers in the rotator cuff and core for upright posture and scapular upward rotation during lockout.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Standing Military Press?

Pike push‑ups and handstand push‑ups are the best bodyweight substitutes; they maintain a vertical pressing line and high deltoid activation. For pike push‑ups, set hips high, tuck chin slightly, and drive the crown of your head toward the floor to emphasize anterior and lateral delt loading.

Can I build muscle without doing Standing Military Press?

Yes. You can build shoulder muscle using presses that maintain similar loading and range of motion, dumbbell presses, push presses, landmine variations, and high‑angle bodyweight presses all work. Prioritize progressive overload, consistent volume, and precise technique to preserve deltoid activation without the barbell military press.

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