Exercise Guides: How To's and Comparisons

There’s a reason you can’t spell grow without ‘row.’ If you want to build a powerful, well-rounded back, you need to be doing rowing exercises. Pendlay rows are popular among powerlifting athletes and bodybuilders alike. They generate maximum power and strength in your back and lats.

But for some lifters, Pendlay rows are a source of frustration and discomfort. Pendlay rows are an advanced exercise requiring excellent hamstring mobility and strong spinal erectors. They can also be challenging to learn and require high technical skills to perform safely.

Fortunately, there are plenty of exercises that can serve the same purpose. Here is our list of the 9 best exercise alternatives to Pendlay rows for a bigger, stronger back. 

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The incline bench press is a classic bodybuilding exercise that builds size and strength in your upper chest muscles. Bench pressing on an incline bench emphasizes the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, the largest muscle in your chest. Building a fuller, rounder upper chest creates an impressive upper body physique. But not everyone has access to the equipment needed for incline bench presses, while others simply don’t enjoy the movement. Here is our list of the best alternative exercises to incline bench presses to build upper body strength and a bigger, fuller upper chest.

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Do you want to build strong, chiseled abs that look amazing and keep your core strong and stable? Then you should be incorporating anti-rotational core exercises like the Pallof press into your training split. Pallof presses involve stabilizing a stretched resistance band or cable while pressing it out from your chest. The force of the cable or band will pull your torso forward, forcing your abdominals to work to keep you stationary. 

If you want to build a better core, Pallof presses are just one way of achieving your goal. Here is our list of the best alternatives to the Pallof press to build the six-pack of your dreams.

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One thing that unites most gym goers is a desire for thicker, stronger upper arms. We all know that bicep curls are a great way to grow bigger arms, but which curl variety should you choose? 

One popular variation is the hammer curl which is performed with a neutral grip and emphasizes the brachialis and biceps brachii long head in your upper arm. Hammer curls are most often done using dumbbells, but you can also use cable machines, resistance bands, kettlebells, or weight plates. 

Hammer curls are a great option, but there are many benefits to varying your exercise selection to target your muscles from multiple angles and with different types of equipment. Here is our list of the best hammer curl alternatives to keep your workouts fresh and build bigger, stronger upper arms.

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If you want a stronger back, better posture, and more spinal stability, rowing exercises are a necessity. Rows are a fantastic way to work your lats, rhomboids, and biceps. The seated cable row (or cable row for short) is the most common and popular rowing variation. It is beginner-friendly, and offers a variety of grips to target your upper back muscles from different angles. 

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to a cable machine or a seated row station (even though the cable machine is a great machine for the back).

Whether you train from home, the cable station is always taken at your gym, or you want some new exercise options, here is our list of the best alternatives to cable rows.

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Have you been doing endless crunches without seeing the abdominal definition you hoped for? Visible abs largely come down to body fat and genetics, but some exercises can help. Regularly training your abdominals increases their size and fullness, helping them to pop out more visibly. 

Ab wheel rollouts are a challenging and effective core exercise that creates a great stretch and stimulates contraction. But not everyone has an ab wheel at their home or gym, and some may lack the technical skill or core strength for this exercise. Here is our list of the best ab rollout alternatives to strengthen your core and keep building that six pack. 

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Romanian deadlifts are a popular deadlift variation primarily used to build and strengthen the posterior chain, including the glutes and hamstrings.

However, there are several reasons why you may need an alternative. For example, you may not have access to a barbell, you want to isolate a specific muscle, you have a muscular imbalance, or are addressing an injury.

The good news is several exercises can serve as a substitute for the Romanian deadlift! Better yet, we’ve narrowed it down to the top 10 Romanian deadlift alternatives based on safety, equipment availability, effectiveness, and efficiency.

Keep reading to see which ones made our list and how to get the most out of them!

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The bent-over barbell row is among the best barbell pull exercises when it comes to building a strong, thick, and muscular back.

One of the major benefits of the bent-over row is that it trains nearly every muscle within the posterior chain, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, teres minor, and major, trapezius, erectors, infraspinatus, hamstrings, and glutes. It also engages the biceps, forearms, and core.

With that said, the bent-over barbell row has several drawbacks that may lead you to search for an alternative. One of the main drawbacks of the barbell row is the stress it places on the lumbar spine (lower back). As you lift heavier, it becomes more difficult to perform the movement with proper form, which increases injury risk.

Furthermore, it’s a barbell movement, so if you don’t have access to a barbell, you’re out of luck. Lastly, for those that have a muscular/strength imbalance, bilateral exercise isn’t ideal.

Luckily there are plenty of barbell row alternatives you can do to build and strengthen your back. We’ve put together our definitive list of the top 10 bent-over row alternatives below! Keep reading to find out why each one was included, how to perform them, and some tips to get the most out of the exercise.

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The overhead press is one of the best exercises you can perform to build and strengthen your shoulders. It’s a compound movement that recruits multiple muscles, including the front delt, lateral delt, upper traps, triceps, and upper chest. The overhead press is also conducive to progressive overload, which is crucial for muscle growth.

With that said, the overhead press is not the only way to develop your shoulders. There are plenty of overhead press alternatives that can be utilized. Whether you can’t perform an overhead press or want to try out something new, we’ve created a list of the top 10 overhead press alternatives for you to choose from!

The exercises below were selected based on safety, effectiveness, and efficiency. Not only do we explain why each exercise is included, but we explain how to perform them correctly and provide some tips to get the most out of the exercise. If you want boulder shoulders, you can’t go wrong with any of the exercises in this article!

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Front squats are a popular exercise that builds serious strength and size in your lower body. Compared to the traditional back squat, front squats place less stress on your knees and improve your core stability and quadricep engagement. Additionally, front squats protect and strengthen the lower back by encouraging an upright torso.

There are plenty of alternative exercises to the front squat if you find the front rack position uncomfortable, don’t have access to the right equipment, or simply want to vary your exercise selection. Here is our list of the 10 best alternative exercises to front squats for your next leg day.

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The bench press is a staple of many strength and hypertrophy programs for beginners and experienced weightlifters alike. The decline bench press variation involves lying on a bench with your hips higher than your head. Bench pressing from a declined position effectively activates your lower pecs and triceps while putting less strain on the lower back and anterior delts. 

If you don’t have access to a decline bench or a spotter or simply don’t like how decline bench presses feel, there are plenty of equally effective exercises. 

Here is our list of the best decline bench press alternatives for days when all the decline bench stations are taken, you have limited access to equipment, or are wanting to change up your exercise selection.

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Few exercises demonstrate brute strength better than the deadlift. The deadlift earned its title as the king of all lifts due to its potential for moving incredibly heavy weights and capacity to challenge your entire body.

However, this deceptively simple-looking exercise is a cause of frustration and discomfort for many lifters. Without precise technique, deadlifts can cause back pain or injuries. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives that offer many of the same benefits of the deadlift while being more protective of your spine. Here is our list of the 7 best deadlift alternatives and why you should consider incorporating them into your program.

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Plyometric exercises involve jumping or explosive movement. They are a popular way to build explosive strength, power, and agility. Of the plyometric exercises, box jumps are one of the most popular exercises for building fast-twitch muscles in the legs and glutes. They improve your muscle endurance, power, agility, core strength, and cardiovascular fitness. 

Unfortunately, box jumps can also be a common source of frustration, pain, and injury for some lifters. Lifters often report scraped shins, sore knees, or painfully failed reps when doing box jumps. If you aren’t quite ready for box jumps, are managing an injury, or don’t have a plyometric box available, here is our list of the best box jump alternatives.

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You’ve probably heard the phrase “you’ve gotta row to grow.” Rowing exercises are one of the best ways to target your upper posterior chain and build a broader, stronger back. Barbell rows are among the most popular rowing variations. 

Barbell rows load your lats and back muscles with heavy weights while strengthening your core and hamstrings. However, they may not be an appropriate choice for everyone. Bent-over barbell rows cause some lifters to experience lower back pain. Others lack the core stability or grip strength to get the most out of this exercise. 

If you are looking for an alternative to the bent-over row to avoid pain, manage an injury, make do with minimal equipment, or simply change things up, we have you covered. Here is our list of the best barbell row alternatives to help you build a strong, broad back.

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Most lifters strive to build strong, thick hamstrings on leg day. Well-developed hamstrings contribute to chiseled, sculpted legs. Your hamstrings also support functional activities like walking, running, kicking, and jumping. The lying leg curl is the most obvious and popular way to train your hamstrings, as it isolates the muscles as they move through a long range of motion.

Luckily, even if you don’t have access to a lying leg curl, there are plenty of equally effective exercises to build bigger hamstrings. Here is our list of the best lying leg curl alternatives.

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One of the most popular machine-based exercises for building bigger and stronger legs is none other than the hack squat. Unlike traditional back squats, the hack squat machine allows you to hammer your legs, especially the quads, safely train to failure, and reduce the amount of spinal loading.

With that said, there are several reasons why you may need a viable hack squat alternative. Maybe your gym doesn’t have a hack squat machine, you work out at home, or you’re traveling. On the other hand, if you’re an athlete that’s looking for a more functional exercise, then a hack squat probably won’t cut.

Regardless of the reason, we’ve put together our definitive list of the 10 best hack squat alternatives below! Keep reading to learn why each hack squat alternative was included, their differences and similarities to the hack squat machine, the best way to perform them, and which one is right for you!

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The gluteus maximus, more commonly referred to as the glutes or butt, is the largest muscle in the human body. In addition to the gluteus maximus, you also have two other glute muscles – the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Both play a crucial role in the movement and stabilization of your hips and pelvis.

Along with the glutes, the hamstrings help perform hip extension, so they are involved in many of the same exercises. One of the most popular exercises for targeting your glutes and hamstrings, also known as the posterior chain, is the glute bridge.

Although the glute bridge is an effective exercise, there are several reasons you may want to consider glute bridge alternatives. For instance, equipment limitations, injury or pain, plateaus, or a desire to isolate the glutes further. This article is all about those alternatives! 

Below you will find the top ten glute bridge alternatives that will keep you progressing no matter what. Keep reading to find out why each exercise was included, how to perform them properly, and some of our biggest training tips!

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Lat pulldowns are an effective exercise for building strength and adding size to the back. Although there are several muscles involved, the lat pulldown machine primarily targets the lats, also known as the latissimus dorsi.

The lat is a large muscle that’s responsible for adding width to the back. Arguably, the lat pulldown machine is the most popular lat exercise. However, there are several other exercises you can do to build the lats. Knowing what are the best lat pulldown alternatives is crucial for a number of reasons.

Whether you don’t have access to a lat pulldown machine, your progress has stalled, you’re dealing with an injury, or are looking for a new way to isolate the lats in a more functional way, there are a number of lat pulldown alternatives to explore! 

Keep reading to learn more!

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