Exercise Substitutions: What to Do When Equipment Isn't Available

The bench press station is taken. The squat rack has a line. The gym is out of 40-pound dumbbells again. We've all been there—staring at our program, wondering what to do when the planned exercise isn't possible.

Knowing good substitutions isn't just convenient—it keeps your training on track regardless of circumstances. Whether you're in a crowded gym, traveling, or building a home setup, understanding exercise equivalents helps you never miss a productive workout.

Understanding Substitutions

Movement Pattern First

The best substitutions match the movement pattern, not just the muscle group. A squat is a knee-dominant push. A deadlift is a hip hinge. A row is a horizontal pull. Find exercises that replicate the pattern.

Muscle Emphasis Second

Within a movement pattern, exercises can emphasize different muscles. Front squats and back squats are both squats, but front squats emphasize quads more. Keep this in mind when substituting.

Equipment Constraints Third

Consider what you actually have access to. A dumbbell substitute won't help if you don't have dumbbells either.

Lower Body Substitutions

For Barbell Back Squat

Best alternatives:

• Front squat (more quad emphasis)
• Goblet squat (lighter load, excellent form)
• Leg press (machine-based, less total body)
• Bulgarian split squat (unilateral, demanding)
• Safety squat bar squat (different loading, easier on shoulders)

Bodyweight options:

• Pistol squats (advanced)
• Shrimp squats (advanced)
• Bodyweight squats with slow tempo

Why these work: They all involve knee flexion with external load, training the quads, glutes, and core.

For Barbell Deadlift

Best alternatives:

• Trap bar deadlift (easier on lower back)
• Sumo deadlift (different stance, same muscles)
• Romanian deadlift (more hamstring focus)
• Dumbbell deadlift (lighter, good for higher reps)
• Kettlebell deadlift

Without free weights:

• Cable pull-through (excellent hip hinge)
• Band-resisted hip hinge
• Good mornings (bodyweight or loaded)
• Glute-ham raises

Why these work: They all train the hip hinge pattern—hamstrings, glutes, and back working together.

For Leg Press

Best alternatives:

• Hack squat machine
• Barbell squat (actually better, if mobility allows)
• Dumbbell Bulgarian split squat
• Goblet squat (for higher reps)
• Belt squat (if available)

Why these work: They load the quads and glutes through knee and hip extension.

For Leg Curl

Best alternatives:

• Nordic curl (bodyweight, extremely challenging)
• Dumbbell leg curl (lying on bench)
• Swiss ball leg curl
• Slider/towel leg curl
• Glute-ham raise
• Cable leg curl

Why these work: They all isolate knee flexion, targeting the hamstrings.

For Leg Extension

Best alternatives:

• Sissy squat (challenging)
• Reverse Nordic curl
• Terminal knee extension with band
• Wall sit (isometric)
• Step-ups focusing on quad drive

Why these work: They emphasize knee extension against resistance.

Upper Body Push Substitutions

For Barbell Bench Press

Best alternatives:

• Dumbbell bench press (better range of motion)
• Incline bench press (more upper chest)
• Floor press (shorter range, tricep emphasis)
• Cable chest press
• Machine chest press
• Decline bench press

Bodyweight options:

• Push-ups (standard and variations)
• Dip (forward lean for chest emphasis)

Why these work: They all involve horizontal pushing, targeting chest, shoulders, and triceps.

For Overhead Press

Best alternatives:

• Dumbbell shoulder press (seated or standing)
• Arnold press (rotation through movement)
• Landmine press (angled pressing)
• Machine shoulder press
• Pike push-ups (bodyweight)
• Handstand push-ups (advanced bodyweight)

Why these work: They all involve vertical pushing, targeting shoulders and triceps.

For Dips

Best alternatives:

• Close-grip bench press
• Decline bench press
• Cable chest fly with downward angle
• Push-up with feet elevated
• Bench dips (less effective but accessible)

Why these work: They target the lower chest and triceps with a similar pushing angle.

Upper Body Pull Substitutions

For Barbell Row

Best alternatives:

• Dumbbell row (single-arm or supported)
• Cable row (seated or standing)
• T-bar row
• Chest-supported row
• Landmine row
• Inverted row (bodyweight)
• Machine row

Why these work: They all involve horizontal pulling, targeting the lats, rhomboids, and rear delts.

For Pull-Ups

Best alternatives:

• Lat pulldown (cable machine)
• Assisted pull-up machine
• Band-assisted pull-ups
• Negative pull-ups (eccentric only)
• Dumbbell pullover (different angle, same muscles)
• Straight-arm pulldown

Why these work: They involve vertical pulling or lat-focused movements.

For Face Pulls

Best alternatives:

• Band pull-aparts
• Reverse fly (dumbbell or cable)
• Rear delt machine fly
• Prone Y-raises
• High row to face

Why these work: They all target the rear delts and upper back muscles important for shoulder health.

Arm Substitutions

For Barbell Curl

Best alternatives:

• Dumbbell curl (various grips)
• Cable curl (constant tension)
• EZ bar curl (easier on wrists)
• Hammer curl (different grip)
• Concentration curl
• Incline dumbbell curl

For Tricep Pushdown

Best alternatives:

• Overhead tricep extension (dumbbell or cable)
• Close-grip bench press
• Skull crushers
• Dips
• Diamond push-ups
• Tricep kickback

Core Substitutions

For Cable Crunch

Best alternatives:

• Ab wheel rollout
• Hanging leg raise
• Weighted sit-up
• Decline sit-up
• Dead bug

For Plank

Best alternatives:

• Dead bug
• Bird dog
• Hollow body hold
• Pallof press (anti-rotation)
• Ab wheel (more challenging)

Quick Reference Guide

When Substitutions Aren't Equivalent

Be honest about limitations:

• Squats vs. leg press: Leg press doesn't train core stability
• Pull-ups vs. pulldowns: Pull-ups demand more total body coordination
• Barbell vs. dumbbell: You can't load dumbbells as heavy
• Free weights vs. machines: Machines remove stabilizer work

Substitutions get you close but rarely are perfectly equivalent. That's okay—close is enough to maintain progress.

Programming Substitutions

Short-Term (One Session)

Just swap in the substitute with similar sets/reps. Don't overthink it.

Medium-Term (Few Weeks)

If equipment will be unavailable for a while, adjust weights and volumes for the substitute. You might need more sets of a lighter dumbbell movement to match the stimulus of a heavy barbell exercise.

Long-Term (New Normal)

If you're changing gyms or equipment access, rebuild your program around what you have. Don't force substitutions that don't fit naturally.

The Bottom Line

Flexibility in exercise selection keeps your training consistent regardless of circumstances. A crowded gym, a poorly equipped hotel, or a home setup—none of these has to derail your progress.

Know your substitution options before you need them. Understand why exercises are substitutable (same movement pattern, similar muscles). When the planned exercise isn't available, seamlessly move to your backup option.

The best workout is the one you actually do. Master substitutions and you'll never have an excuse to skip training.