Barbell Floor Press

Setup

1. 01Lie on the floor under a rack or spotter arms with the bar set just above reach.
2. 02Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and plant the feet flat or extend the legs.
3. 03Unrack the bar and hold it over the lower chest with wrists stacked over elbows.

Execution

1. 01Lower the bar under control until the upper arms rest gently on the floor.
2. 02Pause briefly with the triceps on the ground without relaxing the tension.
3. 03Press the bar back up to full lockout.
4. 04Keep the shoulder blades pinched throughout.

Checkpoints

• -Upper arms touch the floor softly — no bouncing.
• -Forearms stay vertical at the bottom position.
• -Hips stay on the ground rather than bridging to help the press.

Common mistakes

• -Crashing the elbows into the floor and bouncing out of the bottom.
• -Flaring the elbows to 90 degrees from the torso.
• -Lifting the hips off the floor to press more weight.
• -Losing upper-back tightness during the pause.