15 Best Floor Press Alternatives (For Massive Triceps)

1. Barbell Bench Press 

The barbell bench press is considered one of the vital exercises for people of all abilities and the closest floor press variation.

It is one of the most effective compound lifts that targets your chest, triceps, and deltoids and helps you build muscle mass across your whole chest.

A barbell bench press also strengthens your upper back and shoulders so that your whole body becomes more functional and promotes better posture.

Barbell bench press variations include a decline bench press and an incline bench press.

benefits:

• The best compound exercise for improving pressing strength.
• Can be loaded with heavier weight.
• One of the most effective exercises for increasing upper body strength.

How To Do a Barbell Bench Press:

1. Start by laying down with your back flat on the bench. 
2. Grip the barbell with your hands slightly over shoulder-width apart, and slowly lower it down to your chest.
3. Pause for a second at the bottom, and then push it back up to the starting position.
4. Try to keep the barbell level with your chest throughout the movement and keep the barbell motion controlled to maximize the benefits.
5. This exercise is a great floor press alternative that will help you build strength more quickly.  

Related Article - Dumbbell Vs Barbell Bench Press

2. Dumbbell Press 

The dumbbell press is an excellent alternative to a floor press because it gives you a greater range of motion. 

Using dumbbells lets you bring your arms together above your chest and contract your pectorals more, which helps to stimulate more muscle growth.

Many people prefer the dumbbell bench press to the barbell bench press because you can train one side at a time, and it’s easier to keep going until failure without injuring yourself. 

Benefits:

• Improves muscular endurance.
• Helps balance out the two sides of the body.
• Allows for full range of motion.

How To Do A Dumbbell Press:

1. Start by lying with your back on the bench and a dumbbell in each hand. 
2. Slowly raise the dumbbells up in the air in line with your chest, pause for a second at the top, and then lower them back down to your chest.
3. Try to focus on engaging your pectorals throughout the movement and move your arms straight up and down.
4. Start with 8-12 reps per set, but if you feel you can comfortably do more reps, then you should look to increase the weight.

3. Dumbbell Flys 

Dumbbell flys are an effective floor press alternative because they involve a more comprehensive range of movement and really stretch your pectorals. 

This opens up your chest to help you build muscle mass while also increasing your overall flexibility.

Many athletes use dumbbell flys as their go-to chest exercise because they help increase strength and mobility in your upper body which is a win-win!

If you don't have the necessary equipment to perform this exercise, or you might want to try something else, you can check out chest fly alternatives.

Benefits:

• Helps open up the chest but stretching the pec muscles when arms are reached out.
• Isolates the upper pec muscle. 
• Strong chest muscles help support the shoulder joint which plays a role in lifting and every day movement.

How To Do A Dumbbell Fly:

1. You’ll need dumbbells and a bench for this exercise. 
2. Start by laying down with your back on the bench and a dumbbell in each hand, in a neutral grip (palms facing towards each other).
3. Hold them up above your chest and bend your elbows slightly.
4. Move your shoulders so that the dumbbells move out to either side of you and keep going until they're parallel to the floor.
5. Pause for a second when you arms are extended, and then move them back into the center.
6. You can perform this exercise with very low weight to improve flexibility or high weights to stimulate muscle growth.

4. Cable Chest Fly 

Cable chest flys use the exact same movement as a dumbbell fly to target the pectorals in the same way. 

The advantage of using a cable machine is that there's consistent tension throughout the movement, and your chest has to work harder to perform each rep.

You only need light weight when doing a fly exercise. 

Benefits:

• Using the cables provides more time under tension which increases muscle size.
• Improves posture.
• Good for muscular imbalances.

How To Do A Cable Chest Fly:

1. Start by setting the pulleys on the cable machine to a medium/low height.
2. Stand in front of the machine and grab a handle in each hand.
3. Take a step away from the machine, so there's tension in the cable, and slightly bend your elbows. 
4. Lean slightly forwards and move your arms forward and pull the cable away from the machine until your arms are in front of your chest.
5. Pause for a second with your arms extended, and then lower back towards the machine. 
6. Repeat for 10-12 reps. 

Related Article - Best Cable Crossover Machines

5. Sliding Push-Ups 

Sliding push ups are an effective full-body exercise and a good way to challenge yourself if regular push ups are becoming too easy.

They work your pectorals, shoulders, triceps, core, hip flexors, glutes, and hamstrings in one movement, so they're pretty much as compound as you can get.

They require a level of coordination at first, so they may not be suitable for beginners. You won’t need any equipment for this exercise, but you will need some old books or dish cloths to use as sliders. 

Press alternatives such as this one are great for challenging balance and core strength.

Benefits:

• Builds stronger and more stable shoulders.
• Slides are cheap and you can do this exercise easily from home.
• Works you core muscles. 

How To Do A Sliding Push-Up:

1. Start in the push up position with two small sliders  (magazines, books, dishcloths, etc.) underneath your hands. 
2. As you lower your torso to the floor, slide your hands out to either side of you.
3. Pause at the bottom, and then reverse the movement to bring your torso up to starting position and your hands into the middle on the floor. 

Related Article - Push Ups Vs Bench Press

6. Resistance Band Chest Press 

Resistance bands are a cheap and effective piece of equipment that anyone can fit in their home gym. 

Regularly performing resistance band chest press exercises will work as well as floor presses, and they’re great for beginners because they’ll help you improve your press movement.  

Benefits:

• Resistance bands are cheap and accessible for everyone.
• Great exercise for beginners.
• Improves posture. 

How To Do A Resistance Band Chest Press:

1. Start by securing your resistance bands in place; usually, the best way to do this is to shut one end in a door. Face away from the door, and grab a resistance band in each hand.
2. Take a step forward, so there's some tension, and then press your arms forward around chest height.
3. Pause at the top, and then slowly let them come back to starting position.
4. Repeat this for 10-14 reps. 

Read Also - Resistance Band Chest Workouts

7. Incline Bench Press 

An incline bench press is one of the best floor press alternatives because it really pushes your upper chest muscles.

It engages your pectorals, deltoids, and triceps in a single movement and helps your chest look visibly bigger. 

All you'll need is an adjustable bench and a barbell which most home gym owners have access to.  However, if you don't have access to this equipment, you can try incline bench press alternatives.

Benefits:

• Builds strength and size to the chest.
• Can go much heavier with the barbell than dumbbells.
• Increases shoulder strength.

How To Do An Incline Bench Press:

1. Start by angling the bench at 45 degrees. 
2. Lay back onto the bench and grip the barbell in two hands roughly shoulder-width apart and just below shoulder height.
3. Slowly lower the bar to your chest, pause for a second, and then push it back up to starting position.
4. Make sure you keep your feet firmly planted on the floor throughout the movement and focus on your pectorals.
5. Aim for 8-12 reps per set, but lower the reps if you’re lifting heavier.

Related Article - Best Adjustable Weight Benches

8. Resistance Band Flys 

Many people who work out at home won't have any weights, but for this alternative, you only need a couple of resistance bands. 

This is all about functional strength and flexibility rather than muscle gain and is a good floor press substitute for beginners. 

This floor press alternative exercise will help with your overall fitness and offers many benefits to your core and lower back.

Benefits:

• Can be done at home or when traveling.
• You can easily modify the resistance.
• Great choice for beginners or as a rehab exercise. 

How To Do A Resistance Band Fly:

1. Start by anchoring your resistance bands. The easiest way to do this is to shut them in a door.
2. Stand facing the opposite way and hold a resistance band in each hand.
3. Bend your arms slightly at the elbow and push forward, pulling the resistance band past your body and in towards your chest.
4. Pause for a second, and then slowly let your arms go back to starting position.
5. Make sure to keep a bend in your arm throughout the movement, so it’s a fly and not a press motion.

See Also - Can You Build Muscle With Resistance Bands?

9. Breakdance Push Up 

This can be a little tricky to get right at first, so here’s a video so you can see it in action:

A breakdance push up requires a combination of balance, flexibility, and dynamic strength to perform. 

It's an effective way to engage your entire body in the movement and build functional strength, which you can then use for your breakdancing if that’s what you love to do! 

You don't need any equipment, so it's great for those working out at home.

Benefits:

• Improves balance, coordination and body awareness.
• Full body workout.
• Fun and challenging way to get stronger.

How To Do A Breakdance Push Up:

1. Start in the plank position on the floor and perform a push up. 
2. Then, move your left arm across your torso and right leg under your body, so you go into a crab walk position. 
3. Hold for a second, and then reverse it, so you're back to the starting position.
4. Repeat with the other side of your body.  

10. Wide Grip Push Up 

Wide grip push ups target the outer part of your chest muscles in a very similar way to floor presses. 

Performing them regularly will help your pectorals look more well-rounded and give you a much broader chest.

You don't need any equipment for this exercise, so it's perfect for those working out at home or on the road.  

Benefits:

• Effectively strengthens the chest, shoulders and upper arms.
• Strengthens your core.
• Accessible to anyone and can be modified to suit beginners by doing it from a raised position.

How To Do A Wide Grip Push Up:

1. Start in the push up position with your arms at shoulder height and out as wide as possible.
2. Next, slowly lower your body down until your nose touches the floor, and then push through your chest to raise your torso back up again.
3. Keep the movement slow and controlled throughout the exercise to maximize the benefits to your chest and triceps.

Related Article - Punching Bag Substitute Exercises

11. Diamond Push Up 

Diamond push ups are an alternative that help to target your triceps. They also help to work your deltoids, upper back, and core as they stabilize you throughout the movement. 

This is another great substitute for a floor press for those working out from home because there’s no equipment needed and diamond push ups offer a range of benefits.

Benefits:

• Great for building strength in the triceps and upper arms.
• Overall strengthens the upper body.
• Can be done at home or whilst traveling. 

How To Do A Diamond Push Up:

1. Start in a push up on the floor but with your hands close together and crossed in a diamond shape.
2. Slowly lower your torso down as low to the floor as you can go.
3. Pause for a second at the bottom, and then push back upwards. 

12. Tate Press 

The Tate press focuses the energy on the lockout, which is the top 1/3 of the movement.

This puts the strain on your triceps rather than your chest, helping you to build much stronger arms than performing floor presses alone. 

Having stronger triceps will also make other bench press movements a lot easier to perform. You’ll need a bench and a set of dumbbells for this exercise.

Benefits:

• Develops strong triceps.
• Carry's over to better pressing strength.
• Allows for deeper range of motion. 

How To Do A Tate Press:

1. Start by lying with your back on the bench and a dumbbell in each hand. 
2. Raise them up above you, so your arms are almost fully outstretched, and then bend at the elbows, so the dumbbells go down towards your chest.
3. Once they touch your chest, pause for a second, and then raise them back upwards until your elbows are locked again.
4. Try to keep the movement consistent on both sides of your body so that you train both arms equally.
5. You should aim for 6-8 reps at first, increasing weight as you become comfortable with the movement.

Related Article - Best Tricep Kickback Alternatives

13. Standing Cable Chest Press 

The standing cable chest press is popular with lifters of all levels because it's simple but effective.

The cables provide constant tension on your pectorals throughout the movement so that they're under strain and working harder.

You do need a cable machine for this exercise, so it may not be suitable for those working out at home.  

Benefits:

• Isolates the chest muscles and build strength and size.
• Great for improving muscular imbalances. 
• Increased core engagement.

How To Do A Standing Cable Chest Press:

1. Start with the pulleys at shoulder level and stand facing away from the machine.
2. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, grab a handle in each hand, and take a step away from the machine to add tension to the cable.
3. Raise your elbows to shoulder level and press the cables forward, bringing them into the middle of your chest.
4.  Hold for a second, and then slowly move your arms back to starting position.

Suggested Equipment - XMark Functional Trainer Review

14. Alternating Exercise Ball Chest Press 

Exercise balls are typically used to improve your balance by forcing your core to constantly readjust to provide stability. 

This alternative exercise benefits your core and lower back as well as your chest to give you more benefits than a regular floor press. 

Alternating the dumbbell press also helps you target one side at a time for greater gains. 

Benefits:

• The stability ball promotes more core engagement.
• By doing this one side at a time, you can address weaknesses better because one side can't compensate. 
• Builds better posture and balance. 

How To Do An Alternating Exercise Ball Chest Press:

1. Start by lying with your back on the exercise ball and a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Keep your head, shoulders, and upper back on the ball, with your torso straight and feet on the floor.
3. Bend your arms at 90 degrees in line with your shoulders, and then push one arm straight upwards.
4. Pause at the top, and then lower the weights back down to chest height. 
5. Repeat the movement with the arm, so you work both sides evenly.  

15. Chest Dips 

One of the most effective functional exercises to develop a strong chest and triceps is the chest dip. 

It’s a compound movement that helps you to build muscle in your chest, arms, shoulders, and back, giving you a stronger physique.

They also help to improve your flexibility and lower any risk of injury.  

You’ll need some kind of bars on either side of you for this movement. Many commercial gyms will have a dip machine, but you can also use equipment in your local park, or buy a dips bar.

If you don't have the necessary equipment to do this exercise, you can try out chest dips alternatives.

Related Article - Best Dips Bars For Home Gyms

Benefits:

• Challenging bodyweight exercise that provide sense of achievement.
• Effective for building overall upper body strength. 
• Can be modified to make easier and progressed as you get stronger with this exercise. 

How To Do A Chest Dip:

1. Grab one bar with each hand and lift your whole weight, so it's being supported by your upper body. 
2. Slowly bend your elbows and lower yourself down until your chest gets to the height of the bar. Pause for a second, and then raise yourself back up until your arms are fully extended.  
3. This is a difficult movement that will be tough for beginners, and you may need to build up your strength before you try it.