Barbell Z Press

How to do it

1. Set a barbell in a rack at about shoulder height when you sit on the floor.
2. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front and slightly apart, and unrack the bar onto the front of your shoulders.
3. Sit tall with no back support, core braced and chest up.
4. Press the bar straight up until the arms are straight overhead.
5. Lower it under control to the front of your shoulders.

Tips

• Pull the toes back and push the heels into the floor to stay upright.
• Start light: without a backrest or leg drive, loads drop a lot.

Common mistakes

• Rounding the lower back as the bar goes up.
• Leaning back to press.
• Pressing the bar out in front instead of over the head.

Muscles worked by the Barbell Z Press

• Front delts Primary33%
• Side delts Secondary17%
• Triceps (lateral head) Secondary11%
• Triceps (long head) Secondary8%
• Upper traps Minor7%
• Triceps (medial head) Secondary6%
• Serratus anterior Minor6%
• Upper chest Minor5%
• Rotator cuff Stabilizer3%
• Upper abs Stabilizer2%
• Rear delts Stabilizer2%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Seated removes most of the trunk demand. Pressing overhead is shoulder flexion and abduction with elbow extension: the front delt leads, the lateral delt and triceps assist, and the upper traps and serratus rotate the shoulder blade up.

Barbell Z Press alternatives

Same equipment

• Z PressBarbell

Different equipment

• Dumbbell Z PressDumbbell
• Arnold PressDumbbell

Easier

• Seated Barbell Overhead PressBarbell
• Seated Dumbbell Overhead PressDumbbell

No equipment

• Handstand Push UpBodyweight

Make it easier

• Seated Barbell Overhead PressBarbell
• Dumbbell Z PressDumbbell
• Overhead PressBarbell
• Arnold PressDumbbell

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Barbell Z Press work?

Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.

Is the Barbell Z Press good for beginners?

The Barbell Z Press is rated advanced. If you are new, learn the Seated Barbell Overhead Press first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Barbell Z Press?

For example the Seated Barbell Overhead Press, Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press and Z Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

Sources

• Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)

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