Barbell Floor Press

Technique

Lie on the floor with knees bent and hold a barbell above your chest with a shoulder-width grip. Lower the bar until your upper arms touch the floor, then press it back up to full extension. The floor limits your range of motion, reducing shoulder strain and emphasizing lockout strength. Keep your wrists straight and shoulder blades pulled together throughout.

Steps

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet planted.
2. Grip the bar at shoulder width with straight wrists.
3. Pull your shoulder blades together and hold the bar above your chest.
4. Lower the bar under control until your upper arms touch the floor.
5. Press the bar to full extension while keeping your shoulders retracted.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the upper arms off the floor
• Allowing the wrists to bend backward
• Letting the elbows flare excessively
• Losing shoulder-blade retraction during the press

Variations

• Close-grip barbell floor press
• Paused barbell floor press
• Band-resisted barbell floor press
• Swiss-bar floor press

FAQ