11+ Best Hammer Strength Chest Press Alternatives in 2024

Your shoulder and back muscles play numerous roles in your day-to-day life which includes providing strength and maintaining healthy postures.

They also help in generating a lot of energy and power when you perform exercises and work out in a gym 

Standard bench press and dumbbell bench press are excellent exercises for building up your chest, but if done excessively, they can put undue strain on your shoulders, which you definitely don’t want to do if you intend to return to the gym soon.

If you have a strain on your shoulders but still want to work on your chest and triceps, the decent substitute for the traditional bench press is the hammer press. 

You can relieve shoulder strain by switching your hold to a neutral grip, in which your palms are facing each other. The exercise also shifts some of the attention away from the chest muscles and toward the triceps, but don’t worry—your pecs still receive a great pump.

You can additionally spot any strength disparities in your body by performing chest presses with dumbbells rather than a barbell, and then addressing any imbalances. 

Benefits Of Doing Hammer Strength Chest Press

Here are the benefits of doing hammer strength chest press:

1. Able to concentrate on muscle contraction and pump

Although the bench press seems straightforward at first, any experienced lifter will tell you that as you continue to add weight to the bar, your form starts to become more and more crucial.

If you look up how to bench press, you’ll find 10 different videos, each claiming to understand the proper technique and claiming that their technique is the best.

When you try to bench press, you end up focussing more on different cues that you end up neglecting taking care of your chest and working on your chest muscles. 

When you do that, a large portion of the activity is carried out by your shoulders and arms, which reduces how effective the workout is.

All of your form-related worries disappear when you perform the hammer strength chest press, allowing you to concentrate only on your pecs.

Faster chest gains are possible if your mind and muscles work well together.

2. Able to work one pec at a time

Complex movements present a significant challenge because most people end up becoming imbalanced because we all have a dominant side. It results in some of us doing more bench presses than squats. 

In order to get the balance back between the two, it is recommended that you do both squat and bench press in the same number. 

There aren’t many things as unpleasant as uneven pecs, even if it isn’t immediately apparent to the human eye. And it is very tough to repair that.

By exercising each pec separately while performing the hammer strength chest press, you may fully avoid this. This is possible since the arms can move independently of one another.

By doing so, you may avoid seeming unbalanced and ensure that both sides are under an equal amount of force.

3. Targets Different Areas Of The Chest Muscle With Different Angles Of Impact

With the hammer strength chest press machine, you can look at your pecs from several perspectives. As opposed to the bench press, you are not limited to a single angle.

You can move around and exercise various muscle groups. To strengthen your inner chest even more, by moving your body toward the side on which you are working, you can achieve this.

4. You can replace your triceps exercise with this

The type of machine you have may make a difference, but the majority of hammer strength chest press machines I’ve seen can also be used to target your triceps.

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This is made possible by the frequently present oversized grips on plate-loaded chest press machines. You can perform a close grip bench if you grasp the handles with your fists as close to one another as you can.

The triceps make up one-third of your arms, so this compound lift is excellent for building your muscles. Far greater than your biceps. 

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12 Best Hammer Strength Chest Press Alternatives

The hammer strength chest press is basically an upper body workout for building bicep, chest, and shoulder strength and muscle.

But if your Gym fails to offer you a strength row machine or if you have set up a home gym with basic equipment, then you need to consider an alternative to train for your chest press. 

Let’s get into the details of each of these exercises along with the equipment required and how you can do it.

1. Inverted Row 

It is one of the best alternatives that you can actually perform even when you are working out at home. 

Equipment Required 

• Barbell 
• Squat Rack 

How to do Inverted Row?

• A barbell should be placed in a squat rack at about waist level. The bar should be aligned with the top of your tummy when you lay under it, facing up.
• Straighten your arms as you take an overhand grip on the bar.
• Pull your chest toward the bar by bending your arms while keeping your abs and core engaged. Throughout the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line.
• Lower yourself down until your arms are straight.
• Perform about 10-12 reps for better results 

Things to keep in mind

• As you lift and lower yourself back down, you might notice that the bar is shifting back and forth on the J-cups. To prevent this, you can secure the bar with resistance bands. This will help keep the bar in place.

• Put the band around the barbell and then put it on the rack. Make sure that it is in a figure 8 pattern. You will be able to do this by wrapping it around the back of the post. Make sure that you have a lot of loops on it before you start lifting weights. On the other side, repeat the process

• As a result, the bar won’t move about too much, which will increase your sense of stability.

2. Bent Over Row 

It is most popularly known as Barbell Bent over exercise which targets the upper muscles at the back. The weight machine can be used as an alternative to the hammer strength machine. This will create a variation in your routine.

Equipment Required 

• Barbells 

How to do Barbell Bent over Row?

• Before you grab the bar, you should have your feet in line with your hips and a tiny bend in your knees. Pull your belly button in the direction of your ribs.
• Put your feet on the ground and hold the bar with your hands overhand, bringing it to below your knees. Your arms ought to be outstretched.
• Send your elbows back and bring the bar into your midsection. Reverse the process by lowering the bar to just below your knees.
• Perform about 8-10 reps for better results

Things to keep in mind 

• First off, this unilateral workout simply requires one piece of equipment. The key advantage of this exercise is that it targets the major muscle groups in the upper part of your posterior chain and uses a range of motion similar to lat pulldowns, which promotes muscle building.
• Your lower back may tire more quickly than your upper back due to the prolonged bent-over position. If you feel stress in your lower back, you might need to do fewer reps. Additionally, I advise against performing bent-over rows on the same day as deadlifts.

3. Pull–Ups 

Pull-ups are a useful bodyweight exercise that is excellent for developing upper-body strength. They have a reputation for being challenging for beginners and difficult to master because it works several muscles at once. 

Equipment Required

• Bar or Pull Up Bar 

How to do Pull- Ups? 

• Grab the bar with both hands, palms facing away from you, roughly in line with your shoulders, or a little wider.
• Hold on to the bar while extending your arms fully. If your feet are on the floor, bend your knees and pull them close to your bottom.
• Bring your chin up to the bar by pulling yourself up.
• Repeat by lowering yourself back down safely.
• Perform about 8-10 reps for better results

Things to keep in mind 

• Throughout, keep your shoulders back and your core active. N ext pull up.
• Pay attention to using every muscle in your upper body to support your upward movement. 
• Slowly raise your chin above the bar. Then slowly lower your arms until they are fully extended.
• Use resistance bands or an assisted pull-up machine to increase your strength if you’re having trouble performing pull-ups. Or, hang from a bar without lifting yourself up to start.

4. Seated Cable Row

In the seated cable row, the weight is pulled in a straight line. One powerful exercise for a robust and wide back is the seated cable row. It strikes your trapezius or traps, giving your back the width and thickness that signify strength and power.

Equipment Required

• Cable Row Machine 

Simple Guide to using Seated Cable Row 

• Place your feet on the adjustable bench or seat and bend your knees to a 45-degree angle. Grasp the handle of the weight with both hands.
• Pull the weight toward your chest, while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Hold this position for a brief period of time, then controllably extend your arms to return to the starting position.
• Perform about 12-15 reps for better results

Things to keep in mind 

• Avoid letting your weight drag you too far forward when you stretch your arms since this will put all the focus on your back muscles. 
• Additionally, try not to sag too far back as you draw the weight toward you. (You shouldn’t appear to be using a rowing machine)

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5. Dumbbell Reverse Fly 

Dumbbell Reverse fly is one of the substitutes for the hammer chest press because it works the muscles which are in front of your body i.e. chest muscles, shoulder muscles, and biceps. 

Equipment Required

• Dumbbells 

Simple Guide to perform Dumbbell Reverse Fly

• Holding a pair of dumbbells, lean forward while gently bending your knees. 
• When you hold the dumbbells in front of you, your palms should be facing each other. 
• Keep your arms extended but don’t lock them out. 
• Then, raise the dumbbells out to the side. Hold for a moment and then put them back in front of you
• Perform about 10-12 reps for better results

Things to keep in mind

• Choosing the proper beginning point is essential. Keep your chest open, your spine neutral, and your body at around a 45-degree angle during the whole range of motion.

6. Pulldowns 

The Lat pulldown is an exercise that is done to strengthen and development of back width.

Due to its benefits for strength and hypertrophy, it is a mainstay of most strength training regimens. It’s also among the top workouts to perform in order to assist you to complete your first pull-up.

Equipment Required

• Lat Pull down Machine 
• Pully Cables attachments 

Simple steps to perform Lat Pull Downs 

• Set the thigh pads and the seat height so that your thighs can fit comfortably there when you sit down.
• The machine’s weight should be adjusted.
• Sit down and take a wide overhand hold on the bar. The position of the biceps must be in front of your ears.
• Pull your shoulder blades back.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades as you pull the bar closer to your chest.
• Avoid bringing your elbows all the way back behind you or tilting your torso too far back. Instead of just bringing them back, consider bringing them down and back.
• Keep the feets flat on the ground and extend both arms.

Things to keep in mind

• The bar should be pulled as low as it will go.
• Make sure you stretch your arms fully and don’t stop before they are fully extended by working through the entire range of motion.

7. Push Ups 

Pushups are a fantastic, portable bodyweight workout.

Additionally, research suggests that bench presses and pushups activate muscles in a manner that is strikingly comparable, making pushups the greatest bench press substitute.

Equipment Required 

• Yoga Mat (Can be performed on the floor as well)

Simple Guide to perform Push Ups 

• Put your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and get on all fours.
• When you squat, keep your arms and legs straight.
• Squat down until your chest is close to the ground.
• After pausing, lift yourself back up.

Things to keep in mind

• Examine your alignment. Keep your body in a straight line, with your shoulders above your wrists.
• To protect your wrists, open your palms wide and contract your fingers. To more effectively target your triceps, gently inward-turn your fingertips. Or, to target your pecs, slightly open your hands.
• To activate your core, bring your navel close to your spine. It prevents lower back strain in addition to toning your abdomen.
• To make it easier, link your breathing to your motions. When you straighten your arms and raise your chest, exhale. Inhale when you bend your elbows out to the sides and lower your torso.

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8. Barbell Floor Press 

If you do not have access to a flat bench, you can still do a barbell bench press by lying on the floor.

Equipment Required 

• Barbell 

Simple guide to do Barbell Floor Press 

• A spot on the floor in front of a power cage should be found.
• Put the pins in place so that you may lie on the floor and remove the barbell from the rack.
• Keep your feet flat on the ground and your legs straight.
• As you typically would, perform the bench press movement, but try to avoid tucking your elbows in too far.

Things to keep in mind while doing Barbell Floor Press 

• You can use dumbbells to do the identical action if you don’t have access to a power cage to set up the barbell version of this workout.
• To maximize chest activity, make sure your elbows are squarely underneath your wrists at a 90-degree angle.

9. Dumbbell Bench Press 

The dumbbell bench press is a similar exercise to the barbell bench press. 

The dumbbell bench press has the advantage of making you more stable, which will make you stronger and help you in other exercises.

Equipment Required 

• Dumbbell 

Simple Guide to do Dumbbell Bench Press 

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, bring it to your chest. The dumbbells should be by your chest, in the bottom position.
• By holding the dumbbells on your chest with your hands facing away from you and your elbows at 90 degrees to your torso, you can increase pec activation.

Things to keep in mind while doing Dumbbell Bench Press 

• If you want to engage your triceps more, you can think about using a neutral hold (palms facing each other).
• If you want to concentrate more on your shoulders, you can also incline the bench by 45 degrees.
• In order to put more strain on my chest muscles, I like to pause the dumbbells on my chest for two to three seconds between each rep.

10. Single Arm Landmine Press 

If you want to work on making your right and left sides more equal, the single-arm landmine press is a great exercise to use instead of the bench press.

Equipment Required 

• Barbell

Simple guide to do Single Arm Landmine Press 

• Put one end of the barbell in a wall corner.
• Place one hand on the barbell’s nose as you stand facing the wall.
• Extend your arm straight up, keeping your elbow close to your body. Your hand should be level with your brow at the top of the range of motion.
• Equally work your right and left sides.

Things to keep in mind while doing Single Arm Landmine Press 

• You can try both standing and kneeling as a position.
• To maintain balance, you should execute the same amount of reps on both sides.

11. Dips 

Dips are excellent for gradual load because, once you’ve mastered the technique, you can perform them with just your body weight, a weighted vest, or a dip belt.

Equipment Required 

• Dips Bar 

Simple guide to perform dips 

• Put your hands on a bench or a solid seat so that the arms are straight but not locked.
• Maintaining straight legs that are parallel to the floor, slowly drop yourself as low as you can while maintaining your weight with both arms.
• Pause for a second and then go back to the starting position.
• For best results, perform 8–12 reps over three-four sets.

Things to keep in mind while doing Dips 

• By changing your body position, you may easily adapt them to target different muscles.
• If you don’t have access to the dip machine, bench, or parallel bars, you can still perform them easily with just a few pieces of basic equipment like a strong chair or box.
• Do this exercise first in your routine to get the greatest benefit from it.

12. TRX Row 

The lats, rhomboids, and traps, as well as the shoulders and the core, are all worked out by the TRX row.

Equipment Required 

• TRX Bar 

Simple Guide to perform TRX Row 

• Step away from the anchor point while holding the TRX handles in each hand.
• When the TRX straps are firm and your arms are stretched, shuffle your feet forward and tilt your torso backward at a 30 to 60-degree angle. Holding the grips with your arms outstretched and keeping your torso upright are the appropriate positions.
• Your feet should still be on the ground while you bend your elbows and raise your chest while keeping your hands facing inward.
• Reverse the motion by descending once again.
• For best results, perform 12-15 reps over three-four sets.

Things to keep in mind while doing TRX Row 

• Throughout the entire movement, maintain a straight back and a neutral head position. Keep your back straight.

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Conclusion

Your lats will get a terrific workout, comparable to the Hammer Strength lat pulldown, even if you only incorporate a few of the exercises on this list into your training routine.

These superior hammer strength chest press alternative workouts are often referred to as compound exercises since they engage many muscle groups simultaneously and can perform tasks that the lat pulldown cannot.