The pike push-up is a unique exercise that is effective for strengthening the upper body. However, it is extremely unconventional, and you may want other options for building upper body strength.
Additionally, the pike push-up can be limited as far as progression and added intensity go, in which case I’d recommend more advanced exercises that can be loaded to a higher degree.
The 12 best pike push-up alternatives are:
- Barbell overhead press
- Incline bench press
- Push press
- Bottoms-up kettlebell press
- Incline dumbbell bench press
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press
- Barbell Z-press
- Push-ups
- Hammer strength shoulder press
- Banded shoulder press
- Seated dumbbell Arnold press
- Landmine press
These alternatives include a variety of barbell, machine, and bodyweight variations.
In this article, I will break down each exercise, including why it is a good alternative to the pike push-up, how to do it properly, and some tips to get the most out of the exercise.
Table of Contents
What Makes A Good Pike Push-Up Alternative?
A pike push-up alternative will target one of these muscle groups:
- Shoulders
- Serratus anterior (a muscle that lies deep underneath the pecs and shoulder blades)
- Upper back
- Triceps
A great pike push-up alternative will also involve pressing in a vertical motion to mimic the movement pattern of the pike push-up.
However, for the purpose of this guide, a pike push-up alternative will involve diagonal or vertical pressing to isolate pressing ability and the musculature of the upper torso.
Takeaway: A good pike push-up alternative will involve the shoulders, serratus anterior, upper back, and triceps while involving pressing in either the diagonal or vertical plane of motion.
Pike Push-up Alternatives: 12 Exercises
1. Barbell Overhead Press
The barbell overhead press is my favorite exercise for increasing pressing strength and is probably the best alternative to pike push-ups.
How To Do It
- Set the barbell height in a squat rack to align with the upper chest/shoulders.
- Set up directly under the bar with your elbows positioned in front of it.
- Tighten your grip around the bar while pushing your upper body into the bar.
- Stand up with the bar, and take three careful steps out.
- Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart.
- Press up and back while moving your head out of the way of the barbell path.
- In a controlled fashion, return the bar to the starting position to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
When incorporating the barbell overhead press to train for strength, you will typically aim for 3-5 reps. However, for hypertrophy, you will implement higher rep ranges from 6-12 reps to build size.
Furthermore, you should consider implementing a barbell overhead press if you have immobile shoulders. Regularly performing barbell overhead presses will strengthen and mobilize the shoulder joints.
If you have trouble progressing on your barbell overhead press, check out Why Is My Overhead Press So Weak? (7 Fixes That Work).
2. Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press positions the body to be somewhat similar to the pike push-up, while further strengthening pressing ability through the loaded barbell. This makes it a great strength-based pike push-up alternative.
How To Do It
- Adjust the seat of an incline bench, so the shoulders are aligned with the bar in the racked position.
- Hold the bar with a shoulder-width grip.
- Drive the base of your hand through the bar, and then wrap your thumb around it.
- Use the bar's weight to drive your shoulders into the bench while emphasizing a big open chest.
- Flare the elbows out until stacked under the bar to press out in the unrack.
- Bring the bar forward until it is lined up with the upper/mid-chest line.
- Row the bar down towards the upper/mid-chest line until you make contact with the upper chest.
- At contact, press out to return to the starting position to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
Controlling and slowing the lowering phase will produce greater time under tension, leading to greater shoulder muscular development. To program tempo reps with the incline bench press, we would aim to do 3-4 sets of 3-5 repetitions while lowering the bar to a count of 3 seconds.
Learn more about tempo bench presses in The Best Bench Press Tempo (How Fast Should You Bring The Bar Down).
3. Push Press
The push press is perfect for developing shoulder strength and developing full-body power output. This makes it a great next step to the overhead press and an even better pike push-up substitute.
How To
- Set the barbell height to be in line with the upper chest/shoulders.
- Set up directly under the bar with your elbows positioned in front of it.
- Tighten your grip around the bar while pushing your upper body into the bar.
- Stand up with the bar, and take three careful steps out.
- Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart.
- Bend the hips and knees while creating tension throughout the body's entire musculature.
- Drive through the midfoot to press the bar up and overhead until the hips, knees, and elbows are completely extended.
- In a controlled fashion, return the bar to the starting position to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
The push press is a great exercise for building upper body power and strength. To effectively program this exercise, you would implement lower reps ranging from 3-5 for 1-5 sets.
4. Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Press
The bottoms-up kettlebell press is commonly programmed in the clinical setting due to the increased demand placed on stabilizing the shoulder and holding the kettlebell in an upright position. This makes it a great rehabilitative or functional pike push-up alternative.
How To
- Hold a single kettlebell with the bottom facing up towards the ceiling.
- Press the kettlebell up and overhead until the elbow is completely extended while maintaining the positioning of the weight.
- Bending at the elbow, return the weight to the starting position to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
To modify the difficulty of this exercise, you can perform the kettlebell bottoms-up press in the half-kneeling, full-kneeling, or standing positions.
Performing the half-kneeling bottoms-up press will further isolate the shoulder joint while removing the full body stabilization required from the standing position.
Furthermore, this exercise is most effective when performed for 3-4 sets at 10-20 repetitions.
5. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
The incline dumbbell bench press is a great pike push-up alternative due to its similar position in the incline, its ability to increase upper body pressing strength, and its ability to build muscle in the shoulders and chest.
How To Do It
- Set the incline of the bench to be at about 30-45 degrees.
- Grab the dumbbells you’re going to use for your set and rest them on your thighs.
- As you initiate the set, kick the dumbbells up to your shoulders, lie back on the bench, and push the dumbbells directly over your shoulders.
- Bring the dumbbells down until they are in line with the upper chest.
- Push the dumbbells away from your torso until your elbows are at complete extension.
Pro Tip
To focus more on your chest/triceps, you can perform this exercise with your palms facing in. Otherwise, a more conventional grip with your palms facing more toward the front will place greater emphasis on the chest/shoulder muscles.
Mess around with the positioning of your hands and the direction in which your palms face to find the most comfortable position.
6. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Similar to the pike push-up, the seated dumbbell shoulder press targets the shoulders and strengthens the upper torso, making it a great muscle hypertrophy alternative.
How To Do It
- Set up an adjustable bench to a vertical incline or a seat.
- Sit upright with a proud chest and shoulder blades squeezed together.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at about ear level.
- Press the two dumbbells overhead until the elbows are at complete extension.
- Return the dumbbells to the starting position to end the rep.
Pro Tip
Similar to the bottoms-up shoulder press, changing the body position can change the nature in which the muscles are recruited.
Performing the dumbbell shoulder press in the standing position will place greater demand on the total body musculature to maintain stability. In contrast, the seated position will allow you to isolate the shoulders and push more weight.
7. Barbell Z Press
The barbell Z press requires a great deal of core stability to remain upright, but it improves vertical pressing strength in a similar way to the pike push-up. This makes it a great alternative for upper body development.
How To Do It
- Set up the safeties in a squat rack to align with the upper chest or just above shoulder level when you are sitting.
- Sit under the bar in an upright postural position and your legs completely extended in front of you.
- Place your hands on the bar wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Ensure the elbows are cocked in front of the bar to assist with driving the bar into the end position.
- Maintain a nice upright posture and think about breaking the bar in half with your hands to increase the tension of your back muscles.
- Create a big brace by taking a breath through your abdomen to increase pressure and rigidity through the spine.
- Press up until the elbows are completely extended. The bar position should be just over the shoulder joint and in line with the knot in the back of your head.
- Return the bar down to the safeties to end the repetition.
Pro Tip
There are several barbell Z press variations you can perform for different goals. For example, you can implement a dumbbell or kettlebell variation if you want to increase the complexity of the exercise while aiming to enhance shoulder stability and mobility.
Furthermore, you can program the barbell Z press for 3-4 sets ranging from 6-12 repetitions for building muscle. If you want to focus on strength, you can program 3-4 sets of 3-5 reps.
8. Push-Ups
Regular push-ups are equally as effective as the pike push-up at improving upper body pressing strength. However, they change the emphasis from the shoulders to the chest/triceps.
How To Do It
- Place your hands on the ground about shoulder-width apart under your lower chest/upper abdomen.
- Lying face down, push the ground away from you until your elbows are at complete extension.
- Bend the elbows until they are at about 90 degrees to be at the bottom position of a push-up.
- Press away until elbows are at full extension to complete the repetition.
- During the course of this exercise, make sure your hips don’t drop or shift excessively.
Pro Tip
Depending on the hand or hip position, you can place greater emphasis on a different set of muscles. A wider hand position will emphasize the chest/shoulders, while a closer hand position will shift the focus to the chest/triceps.
Furthermore, raising the hips will increase the incline in which you press and shift the focus from the middle of the chest to the upper chest and shoulders.
9. Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
The Hammer Strength shoulder press is one of my favorite exercises to swap the pike push-up for. I like to use it to “burn out,” and isolate the shoulder muscles and increase pressing strength in the vertical plane of motion.
How To Do It
- Set the seat height to where the handles are just above the shoulders.
- Tightly wrap your hands around both of the handles with the elbows positioned in front.
- Take a deep breath to engage the core while pulling the traps down and squeezing the shoulder blades together.
- Press up and above the head until the elbows are at complete extension.
- Slowly control the handles to return to the starting position to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
Performing 3-4 sets for 10-20 reps for the Hammer Strength shoulder press is great for developing shoulder mass and strength.
10. Banded Shoulder Press
You can perform banded shoulder presses on the road or at home with minimal equipment. They are a great pike push-up option for those who don’t have access to a gym or equipment.
How To Do It
- Stand over the middle of a band, and hold both ends as handles.
- Hold the two handles just above the shoulders with the elbows positioned in front of the body.
- Drive arms up and back overhead until the elbows are at complete extension.
- Bend your elbows back down to the starting position to complete the repetition.
Pro Tip
To increase the difficulty of this exercise, you can double up in bands or increase the thickness of the band you use.
As well, the banded shoulder press is most effective when performed to complete exhaustion for a complete burnout set (performing as many reps as possible until failure) or 3-4 high rep (15-30 repetition) sets.
11. Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press
The seated dumbbell Arnold press is a dynamic pike push-up substitute that involves vertical pressing and moves the shoulder through all of its actions and complete range of motion.
How To Do It
- Set up an adjustable bench to a vertical incline or a seat.
- Sit upright with a proud chest and shoulder blades squeezed together.
- Start with both dumbbells in front of your face with the palms facing the body.
- Press up while rotating the dumbbells until the palms face away from the body.
- As you bring the dumbbells down to return to the starting position, rotate the palms to face you again.
Pro Tip
You can perform the Arnold press with either 2-arm or 1-arm variations or use seated or standing positions. To achieve the greatest amount of total body muscular growth, the standing single-arm Arnold press is the most effective. To completely isolate the shoulders, the seated 2-arm variation is best.
The seated dumbbell Arnold press is also most effective when programmed for 2-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions for each arm.
If you’re looking for even more variety to add to your program, check out these Arnold press alternatives.
12. Landmine Press
When compared to a traditional shoulder press, the landmine shoulder press places less stress on the lower back and shoulders while having similar shoulder-strengthening benefits. This makes it an excellent pike push-up alternative.
Additional benefits from landmine press implementation include increased shoulder stability and mobility.
How To Do It
- Anchor the barbell to the corner of a squat rack or landmine attachment.
- Maintain a neutral stance with the feet hip-width apart.
- Hold the head of the barbell in the heel of your hand.
- Initiate this exercise by driving forward with the elbow.
- Press out until you achieve complete extension by stacking the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints.
- To complete the repetition, control the bar's weight back into the starting position.
Pro Tip
Due to the upright body position, the landmine press is great for sports performance. Baseball players, strength, and Olympic weightlifting athletes can benefit from landmine press implementation by programming for power and rate of force development.
The landmine press is most effective when programmed for 3-4 sets of 3-6 reps, with the goal of explosive, quick repetitions.
Final Thoughts
The pike push-up is a great bodyweight exercise for increased shoulder stability and strength. However, producing results from pike push-up implementation can be limited after a certain time, and other exercises become more effective for extending progress.
The barbell overhead press, barbell Z press, and landmine press are my favorite alternatives to the pike push-up, especially due to their loading potential and shoulder-strengthening benefits.
About The Author
Javad Bakhshinejad was born and raised in the Washington Area. Currently, he is a student at Seattle University where he’s been pursuing an MS in Kinesiology, and has been a Strength Coach in the athletic department. He was a competitive bodybuilder for 8 years where he later transitioned to competitive powerlifting for 4 years. Currently, He has his own personal coaching business, where he works with powerlifters and bodybuilders.
