Chest
Floor Press
The Floor Press is a strength exercise with a barbell for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: mid chest 34%, front delts 14% and lower chest 12%.
Also known as: barbell floor press
How to do it
- Lie on the floor inside a rack with the bar set low enough to reach with bent arms.
- Bend your knees or straighten your legs, and grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Unrack the bar and hold it over your shoulders with straight arms.
- Lower the bar until the backs of your upper arms rest on the floor.
- Pause briefly, then press the bar back up to straight arms.
Tips
- Keep the grip and upper back tight during the pause on the floor.
- Press from a dead stop to build strength in the top half of the bench press.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing the elbows off the floor.
- Relaxing the whole body during the pause.
- Letting the bar drift toward the face.
Muscles worked by the Floor Press
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.
Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.
Floor Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Easier
No equipment
Make it harder
Make it easier
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Floor Press work?
Mainly the mid chest and lower chest. The front delts, upper chest, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Floor Press good for beginners?
The Floor Press is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Band Chest Press first and build up from there.
What is a good alternative to the Floor Press?
For example the Band Chest Press, Cable Chest Press and Bench Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Floor Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cambered Bar Bench Press and Spoto Press.
Sources
- Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
- Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
- Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)
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