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Floor Press

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ Intermediatepush

Home Setup

Lie on the floor between two sturdy chairs or benches positioned at shoulder width to hold a barbell or broomstick weighted with backpacks, water jugs, or other household items

Two sturdy chairsBroomstick or PVC pipeBackpacks with booksWater jugsYoga mat or towel

💡 Pro tip: Place pillows under your head for comfort and ensure your elbows fully contact the floor on each rep to maintain consistent range of motion

Gym Setup

Set up inside a power rack with safety pins at appropriate height, or use a dedicated floor press station; position barbell at chest level for easy unracking

Safety: Always use collars on the barbell and consider using a spotter for heavy attempts; set up safety pins or have a clear bail-out plan since you're pressing from the floor

💪 Muscles Worked

TricepsPectoralis MajorAnterior DeltoidsSerratus AnteriorUpper Back (stabilizers)

⭐ Why This Exercise?

The floor press is a powerlifting-specific accessory that builds lockout strength for the bench press by eliminating leg drive and shortening the range of motion. It places greater emphasis on triceps strength and teaches proper elbow positioning while providing a safer pressing option for those with shoulder issues, making it invaluable for breaking through bench press sticking points.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Dumbbell Floor Press

dumbbells

Easier to control and bail out safely, allows for independent arm movement and reduced loading

2. Push-Up from Knees

none

Bodyweight variation that teaches pressing mechanics with reduced load and similar horizontal pressing pattern

3. Board Press from Floor

barbell + weight plates + pressing boards

Further reduces range of motion by adding boards on chest, making lockout portion even shorter

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Floor Press with Chains

barbell + weight plates + chains

Adds accommodating resistance that increases load at lockout, further overloading the triceps-dominant portion

2. Floor Press with Bands

barbell + weight plates + resistance bands

Creates maximum tension at lockout position, building explosive lockout strength and speed

3. Dead Stop Floor Press

barbell + weight plates

Requires complete pause with relaxed muscles on floor, eliminating stretch reflex and building pure concentric strength

↕️ Similar Movements

Bench Press
Primary movement that floor press directly supports by building lockout strength and triceps power
Close-Grip Bench Press
Similar triceps emphasis with full range of motion, complementary accessory for lockout development
Board Press
Another partial range pressing variation that targets lockout strength from the bench position
Pin Press
Dead stop pressing from pins in power rack, similar concentric-only strength development
JM Press
Hybrid skull crusher/close-grip press that targets triceps in similar elbow extension pattern

Form Checklist

✓Lie flat with shoulder blades retracted and legs either bent with feet flat or straight out
✓Lower the bar under control until elbows fully contact the floor, creating a brief pause
✓Keep elbows at 45-degree angle to torso, not flared out wide
✓Drive the bar straight up explosively while keeping shoulder blades pinned to the floor
✓Lock out completely at the top with elbows fully extended and bar over shoulders

Common Mistakes

  • •Bouncing elbows off the floor instead of achieving a complete dead stop with relaxed arms
  • •Flaring elbows out too wide, which reduces triceps engagement and increases shoulder strain
  • •Losing shoulder blade retraction and allowing shoulders to roll forward during the press
  • •Using leg drive or bridging hips off the floor, which defeats the purpose of the exercise
  • •Inconsistent elbow contact depth, making each rep a different range of motion

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can complete 3 sets of 5 reps with a 2-second pause on the floor while maintaining perfect form, or when your floor press reaches 85-90% of your competition bench press weight, indicating sufficient lockout strength development