Exercises to Replace Benching

The barbell bench press, often simply known as benching, provides an effective chest, shoulder and triceps exercise and measure of strength. The bench press is the second lift contested in powerlifting competitions and an avidly studied event at the NFL Scouting Combine. While the bench press is undoubtedly effective, it is not without risks. Failing to complete a repetition can result in getting pinned across the chest by a heavy barbell -- an injury waiting to happen. If you train alone or at home where you do not have access to the right equipment required to bench press, you can perform alternative exercises instead.

  1. Pushups

    • Pushups entail a somewhat related action to the bench press and, subsequently, target the same major muscles. Where bench presses are usually performed with heavy weights, the pushups employ your body weight, usually for moderate to high repetitions. This will develop endurance as opposed to strength. To make the pushup more strength-specific, perform it with your feet elevated on an exercise bench or while wearing a weighted vest. You can also perform your pushups with your hands in gymnastic rings or using a suspension trainer such as a TRX.

    Floor Presses

    • This old-school strength-training exercise does not require a bench or a spotter. The floor limits your range of movement and that can help reduce stress on your shoulder joint. Lie on the floor underneath a barbell with large-diameter weight plates. The bar should be just above your chest. You may need to raise the barbell on a stack of weight plates or gym steps to get the right height. Grasp the bar with an overhand, slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Push the bar up to arms' length and lower it to the floor.

    Dumbbell Presses

    • If you get into difficulty with barbell bench presses, you can end up pinned beneath the bar. If, however, you use dumbbells, it is much easier to simply drop the weights out to the side to avoid such an incident. Lie on an exercise bench with a dumbbell in each hand and held over your shoulders. You palms should be turned and facing down your body. Bend your arms and lower the dumbbells to your armpits and then push back up. You can also perform this exercise using one arm at a time to add extra challenge to your balance and core strength.

    Parallel Bar Dips

    • A challenging body-weight exercise, parallel bar dips offer a suitable alternative to bench presses. Harder than pushups, dips can be made even harder by wearing a weighted vest or tying a weight around your waist. Place your hands on the dip bars and support your weight on extended arms. Bend your legs, lift your chest and arch your lower back slightly. Bend your arms until your elbows are just past 90 degrees. Push back up and repeat.