Seated Barbell Bradford Rocky Press

Setup

1. 01Sit on an upright bench inside a rack with the bar at shoulder height.
2. 02Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width.
3. 03Unrack to the front rack position at the collarbones.
4. 04Sit tall with the trunk braced and feet planted.

Execution

1. 01Press the bar just high enough to clear the top of the head.
2. 02Pass it back and lower to the base of the neck behind the head.
3. 03Press it back over the head and lower to the collarbones in front.
4. 04Continue alternating front to back; one full front-and-back cycle is one rep.

Checkpoints

• -The bar barely clears the head; elbows never reach lockout.
• -The head shifts subtly forward and back to make room, staying neutral.
• -Tempo stays smooth and continuous with no resting position.
• -Torso stays upright on the seat through the whole set.

Common mistakes

• -Pressing to full lockout, which turns it into a regular press and gives the delts a rest.
• -Loading too heavy to keep the bar moving continuously.
• -Ducking the head aggressively instead of moving the bar.
• -Losing the upright torso as fatigue builds.