11 Best Overhead Press Alternatives For Shoulder Pain

1. Incline Barbell Bench Press 

The incline barbell bench press is an exercise that many will do during their chest day routine.

This is another compound lift and trains many of the same muscles as the overhead press, including the triceps, pec major, and deltoids.

Performed at an incline angle, you will activate more of your delts and triceps compared to a regular bench press, making it a perfect alternative to the overhead press. The incline bench can be trained at high weight and high volume, making it perfect for hypertrophy and building mass and strength. 

Training incline bench is the perfect way to improve pressing strength and overhead strength, and by changing the angle of your lift, you can really target specific muscles for progressive overload.

How to perform this exercise 

To perform the incline bench press, position yourself on a bench with an angle set between 30 and 45 degrees. Next, you should lie back on the bench, grounding your feet into the floor as if you were trying to scoot your body up the bench. 

Now, grab the bar with a grip around shoulder-width wide, palms facing up and neutral. Lift the bar from the rack and extend your arms until they are locked; this is your starting position. Lower the bar to your chest; we like to aim for our nipples. Pause for a second at the bottom of the lift before lifting back to the starting position, keeping your body braced and feet secure. 

Read Also - 7 Incline Bench Press Alternatives

2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press 

For many people who have a problem doing the traditional barbell overhead press, the problem isn’t always pain or injury.

Some people have less range of motion in their shoulders or wrists, making it difficult to perform the exercise with a barbell, which is where dumbbells come in.

If this sounds familiar, then a great alternative to try is the dumbbell shoulder press. This is done exactly the same way, but you utilize a dumbbell in each hand instead of a barbell. Without the fixed hand positions, you can tweak how you hold the dumbbell to make sure you don't aggravate whatever the barbell was aggravating.

This is also the perfect way to train imbalances. Naturally, we have an affinity for a particular hand and side. When not corrected, this can lead to your left side being stronger than your right, or vice versa. Training with individual dumbbells corrects this as both sides have to work equally hard, and one side cannot compensate for the other.

How to perform this exercise 

To perform the dumbbell shoulder press, start either standing or on an upright bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forwards. Keep your elbows to the side and bent, creating a 90-degree angle.

Brace your core, inhale and lift the weights in a slow controlled manner until your arms are fully extended above. Hold for a second before returning to the 90-degree position, breathing out on the way down.

Related Article - Dumbbell Vs Barbell Shoulder Press

3. Landmine Press 

Another common alternative to the overhead press is the landmine press. This is performed by lifting a barbell at one end with weight on the top. The other end is connected to a piece of equipment specifically designed for the landmine press and keeps it fixed to the floor.

The standard landmine press requires you to lift the barbell from your chest over your head and utilizes many of the same muscles as the overhead press. However, with the grip being much more central, it requires less mobility in the shoulder and will allow you to focus on lifting heavier.

This is a great one for those who struggle with the wider grip necessary for the overhead press.

How to perform this exercise 

To perform the landmine press, start in front of the landmine press barbell, holding the end with the plates on it in both hands just in front of your chest. Your feet should be squared and at a width in line with your shoulders; press them into the floor to brace.

Once braced, inhale as you push upwards with both hands until your arms are extended over your head. Hold this position for a second before bringing the bar back down in a controlled manner, exhaling until you are in your starting position.

One-Handed variant 

You can do the one-handed landmine press for a great variation of this move. Simply follow the same steps but use one hand and a lower weight to train specific sides of your body. This can really help if you feel one side is weaker or you are training after an injury.

4. Military Press 

If you are looking for a more challenging alternative to the overhead press, you should consider implementing the military press, which is the stricter version of the standing overhead press. To be considered a military press, your heels must be close together during the lift, which makes it much more complex and isolating. 

The military press develops almost every single muscle in the body and is a staple of many advanced lifters' shoulder day routines. If you want to create huge hypertrophy and develop an insanely strong and powerful upper body, you should definitely make use of the military press. 

How to perform this exercise 

The military press is performed exactly the same way as the overhead press; you simply change your footwork so your heels are together. To perform the military and the overhead press, start with your body upright, bracing your core, and keeping your gaze ahead and neutral. We recommend doing this in a power or squat rack so you can put the weight down safer in between lifts.

Put the bar on the upper part of your chest and use a grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Inhale and press the bar overhead until your arms are extended. Keep your feet together, and don't tilt your hips. Hold the bar up for a second before lowering it down in a controlled manner to the starting position. 

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5. Z-Press 

The Z press, or the Zydrunas press, is an overhead press variation that involves zero leg drive and isolates the shoulders and core. It is performed while seated, removing the legs from the equation.  

To do the Z press, you will require a good level of hip mobility and core strength, so this may be one for the more advanced lifters.

During the Z press, you will need a lot more engagement of your stabilization muscles like your scapulae, obliques, and erector because the control of the movement requires a strict form. As you press overhead, your scapula rotates upwards and swings down during the descent. 

How to perform this exercise 

The easiest way to perform the Z-press is to set up a squat rack so that when you place the bar on the lower rack arms, the bar sits just above your shoulder height when you are sitting down.

Once the bar is in position, sit under it. Extend your body, so you are sat up as much as possible without overarching your back. Place your hands just wider than shoulder-width on the bar. Brace your core and inhale, pressing the bar above your head until your arms are extended, hold for a second, then lower in a controlled way to the starting position.

Learn More - Power Rack Vs Squat Rack

6. Arnold Dumbbell Press 

Developed by the legendary Mr. Olympia himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Arnold dumbbell press or Arnold press is an excellent variation of the traditional press. The reason why it is so effective is the engagement of all three deltoids that are required to perform the movement. 

You will need your anterior, lateral, and posterior deltoids firing on all cylinders to perfect the movement. This is what makes it more technical and difficult compared to the standard overhead press, which activates the anterior and lateral to a higher degree compared to the posterior delts. 

A bonus to this is the engagement of the forearms and triceps. If you are looking at building those show-stopping arms as well as huge hulking shoulders, this is one of the best exercises on the planet.  

How to perform this exercise 

To do the Arnold press, you should start seated on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. For this move, your palms will be facing you, different from most dumbbell exercises. Now, you spread your arms outwards, leading with your elbows; once you have extended laterally, twist your palms so they face forwards and press upwards like you would in a traditional dumbbell press.  

To finish, reverse the steps, lowering the weights down before bringing your elbows and arms back in with the dumbbell returning to a position with your palms facing you. 

Suggested Equipment - Best Affordable Adjustable Dumbbells

7. Bradford Press 

An oldie but a goodie, the Bradford Press is an old-school shoulder exercise that has seen criticism over the years due to the difficulty of getting it right.  

It builds an insane amount of mass through the tension and torsion applied to the shoulders when done correctly.

It is similar to an overhead press but with one variation. You bring the bar down behind your head instead of in front. 

This is another advanced lift, and we don't recommend it to beginners but if you are plateauing in shoulder growth, consider adding this variation to your routine. Make sure you find someone to show you how to do it properly as it has a higher chance of injury than the traditional press. It is a great finisher exercise for maximum glycogen depletion and burn. 

How to perform this exercise 

To perform the Bradford press, begin in the same position you would for an overhead press, with the barbell in front of you on your chest, hands slightly wider than your shoulders on the bar. 

Drive the bar up the same way you do with an overhead press, but when you lower it down, bring it behind your head until your elbows reach 90 degrees. Lift the bar back up and this time, bring it back down to your chest for a single rep. 

See Also - What Length Barbell Do I Need?

8. Machine Shoulder Press 

For a more beginner-friendly introduction to the world of shoulder day workouts, the machine shoulder press is similar to the traditional overhead press, but you perform it on a machine specifically designed for the exercise. This machine runs on tracks which adds safety and stability to your lift. 

While machines like this are great for those with injuries and beginners, you should progress to free weights when possible to avoid becoming too reliant on machines as they do not give you the same level of activation or mind to muscle connection. 

How to perform this exercise 

To perform this exercise, you will need a shoulder press machine. Sit down and adjust it so that the bars are around shoulder height. Push your back up to the pad and make sure your feet are flat on the floor.  

Grab the handles with an overhand grip and push the weight upwards. You don't need to worry too much about form here as the machine is on a track designed to put you in the proper position. Slowly lower the weight with lots of control and keep the tension between lifts. 

9. Single Arm Dumbbell Press 

Another great alternative to the overhead press is the single-arm dumbbell press. Many lifters will not work on their imbalances if they only work with barbells. By working on the left and right sides individually, you can correct any imbalances and work on improving both sides independently.

Naturally, it is very difficult not to compensate with one side or the other, and this means that while both sides may be growing, one will probably overtake the other, and this can become a problem later on down the line. 

How to perform this exercise 

Start sitting on an upright bench with your back pressed into the bench. Grab a dumbbell in one hand and bring it up, so your arm is at 90 degrees. Brace your core and press the dumbbell up above you. Hold for a second before lowering the dumbbell to the starting position with as much control as possible. 

Further Reading - 20 Single Dumbbell Exercises

10. Lateral Raise 

Lateral raises are a perfect exercise to implement to supplement your heavier compound lifts. They strengthen the shoulders and upper back and are a bit easier on the body. If you want to develop broader shoulders, this beginner-friendly move is perfect. 

They are easy to do, too; simply raise a lightish dumbbell in a T shape from your body while keeping your elbows locked. This activates all 3 deltoids and your traps as well. Perform these at the end of your routine for the maximum benefit and watch your compound lifts thrive. 

How to perform this exercise 

You can perform the lateral raise, either seated or standing. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and, keeping your back straight and your core braced, lift the weights on either side of you until your arms are roughly parallel to the ground. Keep your elbows slightly bent throughout. 

Lower them slowly and avoid shrugging or speeding up, as this will make it easier and reduce the effectiveness of your reps. To avoid shrugging, don't raise your shoulder blades during the lift. 

11. Front Plate Raise 

Another great supporting exercise for compound shoulder lifts the front plate raise requires you to hold a weight plate in both hands and raise them forward, keeping your elbows locked. This will increase your grip strength, forearm strength, and target your front deltoids to a high degree. 

Doing these at the end of your set will massively increase your potential in front press style movements. 

Suggested Equipment - Best Olympic Weight Plate Sets

How to perform this exercise 

While standing in an upright straight position, grab a barbell plate in both hands, holding the plate at a 3 and 9 position. Keep your palms facing each other and extend and lock your arms with a slight bend in the elbow joint. 

Brace your core and raise the plate slowly, exhaling on the way up until you have reached ap position level to your shoulders. Hold at this point for a second before lowering the plate, inhaling on the way down. Don't swing or allow your elbows to move, as this will reduce the tension on your muscles.