Larsen Press

The Larsen press is a bench press variation performed with the feet lifted off the floor and held in the air (or crossed on the bench) throughout the set, which removes any leg drive and forces the chest and triceps to generate the entire pressing force without help from the lower body. Lie on a bench, lift your feet off the ground and keep them there for the whole set, then press the bar exactly like a normal bench press. Because it eliminates the small but real contribution leg drive normally provides, it typically requires somewhat lighter loads than a standard bench press for the same reps.

1. Lie on a bench and lift your feet off the floor, holding them in the air or crossed
2. Keeping your feet up the entire set, unrack and lower the bar to your chest under control
3. Press the bar back to lockout using only the upper body, without any leg drive

• Letting the feet touch the floor mid-set, which defeats the purpose of the variation
• Using the same weight as a normal bench press before accounting for the loss of leg drive

• Feet-crossed-on-the-bench version instead of holding them in the air
• Pause version adding a brief chest pause for extra strictness