Muscles worked
What the barbell floor press trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set the rack low. Lie in the rack and set the J-hooks so the bar sits where your hands reach it with your arms almost straight. Set the safeties a little below where the bar sits when your upper arms are resting on the floor, so they never touch a good rep but catch the bar if you let it down.
- 02
Lie under the bar. Lie on your back with the racked bar roughly over your shoulders, so you only need to press it up clear of the hooks. Keep your head on the floor.
- 03
Feet and knees. Bend your knees and plant your feet flat on the floor about hip width apart, or keep your legs straight if you prefer. Keep your hips on the floor either way; the legs hold you steady, they don't drive the bar.
- 04
Grip. Take a full grip, thumbs wrapped, with your hands a little wider than shoulder width, about where you would hold a bench press.
- 05
Shoulder blades back. Pull your shoulder blades together and down into the floor before you unrack, and keep them there for the whole set.
Step by step
How to do the barbell floor press
- 01
Unrack. Take a breath, press the bar up off the J-hooks, clear the hooks and hold it over your shoulders with your arms straight.
- 02
Lower. Lower the bar under control toward your lower chest, with your elbows tucked to about 45 degrees from your body.
- 03
Pause on the floor. Let the backs of your upper arms settle onto the floor and pause for a moment. Stay tight; do not let your arms go slack or bounce off the floor.
- 04
Press. Press the bar straight back up until your elbows are locked and the bar is over your shoulders again.
- 05
Rack. After the last rep, lock your arms out and move the bar back onto the J-hooks before you bend your elbows.
Cues to say in your head
- Shoulders down and back
- Elbows at 45
- Settle, then press
- No bounce off floor
- Lock it out
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Bouncing the elbows off the floor
Lower with control and pause briefly with your upper arms on the floor. A bounce skips the dead stop that makes this lift useful and jars the elbows.
Elbows flared straight out to the sides
Tuck them to about 45 degrees, so they land on the floor a little out from your sides, not level with your shoulders.
Relaxing completely at the bottom
Keep your grip, back and shoulder blades tight during the pause. If you go loose, the press starts from a soft, unstable position.
Bar drifting toward your face or belly
Lower to your lower chest and press back to a finish over your shoulders. Lie so the racked bar is over your shoulders, not out past your head or down by your belly.
J-hooks set too high or too low
Set them so you unrack with your arms almost straight. Reaching up to a high bar or pressing out of a low one wastes strength before the first rep.
Bent-back wrists
Let the bar sit low in your palm, over your forearm bones, so your wrists stay stacked above your elbows.
Stay safe
Floor press inside a power rack, with the bar on low J-hooks and the safeties set a little below the bar's bottom position. If a rep stalls, lower the bar under control until your upper arms rest on the floor, then let it down the last inch onto the safeties and slide out. A spotter kneeling or standing behind your head works too. Use a full grip with your thumbs wrapped, and stop the set if you feel sharp pain in your shoulders, elbows or wrists; get it checked if it keeps coming back.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 3 to 6 | 80–90% 1RM | 2 to 4 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 6 to 12 | 65–80% 1RM | 1.5 to 3 min |
| Technique | 3 | 5 to 8 | 50–65% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
140–175lb
3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 3 min rest. Works well as a second press after bench or overhead press. Take sets close to failure with clean pauses.
Warm up to 160 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 10 + 2.5
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Barbell Floor Press questions
What muscles does the floor press work?
The chest is the main mover, with the front shoulders and triceps helping. Because the floor shortens the range, the triceps tend to do a bigger share of each rep than in a bench press.
Floor press vs bench press: what's the difference?
The floor press cuts off the bottom of the rep, since your upper arms stop on the floor, and your legs can't drive the way they do on a bench. Most people press a bit less on the floor and use it as a second press or as lockout work, while the bench press stays the main lift.
How do you do a dumbbell floor press?
Sit on the floor with a dumbbell standing on each thigh, lie back and bring them to your chest, then press them up over your shoulders with your palms facing your feet or each other. Lower until your upper arms touch the floor, pause, and press again. To finish, lower them to the bottom position and set them down on the floor at your sides with your elbows bent.
Is the floor press easier on the shoulders?
Many people find it more comfortable than a full bench press because the floor stops the upper arm before it goes behind the body. It is not a treatment, though: if a press hurts, stop and have it looked at.
Should my legs be straight or bent for the floor press?
Either works. Bent knees with feet flat are more comfortable for most people's lower back; straight legs take the legs out completely. Keep your hips on the floor either way, and use the same setup every session so your numbers compare.
How many sets and reps of floor press should I do?
For strength, 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps with a real pause on the floor. For muscle, 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps works well, often after your main press of the day.
Train in Protocol
Log your barbell floor press by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.