Best Bench Press Alternatives to Supercharge Your Chest Day
Challenge your chest without needing to bench press!
When it comes to building a strong, muscular chest, the bench press is a classic. But sometimes, it’s great to switch things up with alternative exercises to hit the muscles from different angles and keep your workouts fresh. Whether you're looking to avoid plateauing, prevent injury, or just spice up your routine, these bench press alternatives will help you build chest strength and size without relying on the traditional press.
Here are some of the best bench press alternatives you can incorporate into your chest day routine:
1. Dumbbell Chest Press
The dumbbell chest press is similar to the bench press but allows for a greater range of motion and better muscle activation. Plus, it forces each arm to work independently, helping correct any muscle imbalances. You can do these on a flat bench, incline, or decline to target different parts of your chest.
How to do it:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie flat on a bench.
- Push the dumbbells up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the weights slowly, keeping control, until your elbows are at about a 90-degree angle, then press back up.
2. Push-Ups
Push-ups are a bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. While they’re not as intense as a bench press, they are still incredibly effective for building upper body strength. Plus, you can modify push-ups with variations like incline, decline, or even adding a clap to increase difficulty.
How to do it:
- Start in a plank position, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line.
- Lower yourself until your chest nearly touches the ground, then push back up.
3. Chest Dips
Dips are another powerful chest exercise that engages your triceps and shoulders, with a strong focus on the lower portion of your chest. The dip variation targets the chest more when you lean forward slightly while performing the exercise.
How to do it:
- Grab a dip bar and lift yourself up with your arms straight.
- Lean forward slightly as you lower your body, keeping your elbows slightly flared.
- Push back up until your arms are straight, focusing on squeezing your chest at the top.
4. Chest Flys
Chest flys, whether done with dumbbells or cables, are great for isolating the chest muscles. They offer a deep stretch and full contraction, which can help improve muscle definition and activation in the chest.
How to do it (Dumbbells):
- Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend your arms above you with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells out to your sides, maintaining the bend, then bring them back together by squeezing your chest.
5. Landmine Chest Press
The landmine chest press is an alternative that uses a landmine attachment, a unique piece of equipment that allows for a press movement that’s less stressful on the shoulders. It’s a great option if you want to reduce shoulder strain while still hitting the chest hard.
How to do it:
- Set a barbell in the landmine attachment and hold the end of the barbell with both hands.
- Press the bar up at an angle while keeping your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Focus on pushing the bar in a controlled manner, engaging your chest as you press upward.
6. Cable Chest Press
The cable chest press is a great alternative for hitting your chest from a different angle and providing constant tension throughout the movement. By adjusting the cables to different heights, you can target your upper, middle, and lower chest.
How to do it:
- Set the cables on a low or medium setting and grab the handles.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and press the handles forward as you squeeze your chest.
- Slowly bring the handles back to starting position, keeping tension on the cables.
Why Incorporate Bench Press Alternatives?
Switching to different exercises can offer several benefits:
- Prevent plateaus: Constantly switching up your movements can help keep your muscles challenged, leading to continued progress.
- Better muscle balance: Targeting your chest from different angles and using unilateral movements (like dumbbells) ensures both sides of your body are working equally.
- Injury prevention: Using different exercises can help prevent strain or overuse injuries that can occur when you do the same movements repeatedly.
Train Smarter with One Fitness
At One Fitness, we get it — variety is key. That’s why our goal-focused workout plans include bench press alternatives to help you push past plateaus and keep your gains coming. Whether you’re looking to build strength, tone up, or just mix things up, we’ve got you covered with options that fit your needs.
Start training smarter and get results with workouts designed for you with One Fitness.
