This is long overdue, and for that I apologize, but here’s the Ultimate Exercise Substitutions List.

Feel free to add your suggestions or follow up questions below, and we’ll keep building this out as a  great resource.

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Exercise Substitutions

For Squats –> You can do split squats, lunges, step-ups, reaching lunges, 1-leg deadlifts, or 1-leg hip extensions

For DB Incline Press –> You can do DB Chest Press, DB Floor Press, DB Standing 1-Arm Shoulder Press, Dips with Knee-ups

For DB Chest Supported Row -> You can do DB Row, BB Row, Seated Row, DB Renegade Rows, DB Rear Deltoid Raise

For Dips with Knees-up –> Any version of close-grip pushup, DB Floor Press, DB Close-grip Press, DB Close-grip Floor press

For DB Chest Presses (of any kind) -> You can do one of these:

- pushups
- close-grip pushups
- decline pushup
- elevated pushups
- off-set pushups
- pushups with your feet on the ball
- pushups with your hands on the ball
- spiderman pushups
- pike pushups
- or possibly the hardest two hand pushup of them all, decline close-grip spiderman pushups

For DB Split Squats -> You can do:

- 1-leg lying hip extensions for beginners
- high-rep Bulgarian split squats for advanced
- high-rep split squats with your front foot elevated 4-6 inches for intermediate
- 1-leg deadlifts
- 1-leg squats onto bench
- 1-leg squats standing on the bench
- deepstep-ups
- reaching lunges

For DB Rows -> Using the smith machine, you can do…
- inverted rows
- underhand inverted rows
- inverted rows with your feet on the ball
- inverted rows holding the ends of a towel hung over the bar (advanced grip strength there!)

For DB Rows -> Using the pullup bar, you can do…
- eccentric pull-ups
- regular pull-ups
- sternum pull-ups
- chinups
- side to side pull-ups

Not strong enough for Stability Ball Leg Curls -> You can do:
- Lying hip extensions and 1-leg hip extensions
- Then progress into hip extensions with feet on the ball.

If you have pain during squats & Lunges -> You can do:
- lying 1-leg hip extensions

For Step-Ups -> You can do:
- 1-leg hip extensions

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Have other ideas or questions?

Please comment below.

To your success,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training