10 Best Supine Chest Throw Alternatives When You Lack a Medicine Ball

The Supine Chest Throw is done lying on your back with a medicine ball. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Dumbbell Floor Press, the Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press and the Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press. A harder version, the Medicine Ball Supine Chest Throw, is listed below as a progression rather than a swap.

Supine Chest Throw

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Supine Chest Throw

The steps for the Supine Chest Throw itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Triceps, with chest, shoulders · Medicine-ball · Intermediate · Compound

  1. This drill is great for chest passes when you lack a partner or a wall of sufficient strength. Lay on the ground on your back with your knees bent.
  2. Begin with the ball on your chest, held with both hands on the bottom.
  3. Explode up, extending through the elbow to throw the ball directly above you as high as possible.
  4. Catch the ball with both hands as it comes down.

The 10 Best Supine Chest Throw Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Supine Chest Throw on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Dumbbell Floor Press

    1. Dumbbell Floor Press

    94% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the triceps.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lay on the floor holding dumbbells in your hands. Your knees can be bent. Begin with the weights fully extended above you.
    2. Lower the weights until your upper arm comes in contact with the floor. You can tuck your elbows to emphasize triceps size and strength, or to focus on your chest angle your arms to the side.
    3. Pause at the bottom, and then bring the weight together at the top by extending through the elbows.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Supine Chest Throw
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Supine Chest Throw
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Supine Chest Throw
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Supine Chest Throw
  2. Medicine Ball Supine Chest ThrowPlay demonstration

    Progression

    2. Medicine Ball Supine Chest Throw

    98% match

    Triceps · Intermediate · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the triceps.

    • Medicine-ball
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on your back on a bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Hold the medicine ball with both hands, extending your arms straight up above your chest.
    3. Lower the medicine ball towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    4. Explosively push the medicine ball upwards, extending your arms fully and throwing the ball as high as possible.
    5. Catch the medicine ball and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: triceps, the same as the Supine Chest Throw
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Supine Chest Throw
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Supine Chest Throw

Supine Chest Throw FAQ

What muscles does Supine Chest Throw work?

The Supine Chest Throw primarily targets the triceps through rapid elbow extension, with secondary activation of the pecs and anterior deltoids for stabilization. It also recruits the serratus and scapular stabilizers during the throwing phase to transfer force from the torso to the upper limb.

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