# Barbell Floor Press

A barbell press performed lying on the floor targeting the chest, triceps, and front delts. Useful for building strength at the top of the press with a shortened range.

- Intermediate · Compound
- Equipment: Barbell
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/barbell-floor-chest-press/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/floor-press-barbell/

## Muscles worked

- Mid chest: 8/10
- Triceps: 8/10
- Front delts: 6/10

## How to do the Barbell Floor Press

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight and the bar over your shoulders.
2. Grip the bar a bit wider than your shoulders, and press your shoulder blades down.
3. Slowly lower the bar until your upper arms touch the floor, then pause briefly.
4. Push the bar up, straightening your arms fully and keeping your shoulders still.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Set the bar in a rack low enough to unrack safely while lying flat on the floor.
2. Lie under the bar with your legs straight on the floor and eyes positioned just behind it.
3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and pull your shoulder blades down and back.
4. Unrack the bar and hold it over your shoulders with elbows extended and wrists straight.
5. Inhale, tighten your stomach, and lower the bar until your upper arms contact the floor under control.
6. Pause briefly with the triceps resting lightly on the floor, not bouncing off it.
7. Press the bar straight up until elbows are extended while keeping your shoulder blades down and back.

## Common mistakes

- Letting elbows slam the floor
- Bar drifting toward the abdomen
- Wrists bending behind the bar
- Shoulders rolling forward at the top

## Form cues

- Pause on the floor
- Keep forearms vertical
- Keep shoulders down and back
- Press from full stop

## How much to do

- **Strength** (best fit): 4–5 sets of 3–6 reps · rest 3 min · 1–2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-push-up/), [Resistance Band Chest Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-chest-press/)
- **Machine**: [Machine Chest Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/machine-chest-press/), [Smith Machine Bench Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/smith-machine-bench-press/)
- **Medicine ball**: [Lying Medicine Ball Chest Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-medicine-ball-chest-press/)
- **No equipment**: [Close Grip Knee Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/close-grip-knee-push-up/), [Outdoor Chest Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/outdoor-chest-press/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Push-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/push-up/) — 64% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Dumbbell Bench Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-bench-press/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Barbell Floor Press — Intermediate**
- Harder: [Barbell Bench Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-bench-press/) — Intermediate
- Harder: [Barbell Larsen Press](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-larsen-press/) — Advanced

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Barbell Floor Press work?

Primary: Mid chest 8/10. Also works: Triceps 8/10, Front delts 6/10.

### When should I do the Barbell Floor Press in a workout?

Second big lift. Goes after the main lift, while there is still energy for heavy work. ≈ 10 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Barbell Floor Press?

Strength: 4–5 sets of 3–6 reps, rest 3 min, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Barbell Floor Press?

Resistance bands: Resistance Band Push-Up, Resistance Band Chest Press. Machine: Machine Chest Press, Smith Machine Bench Press. Medicine ball: Lying Medicine Ball Chest Press. No equipment: Close Grip Knee Push-Up, Outdoor Chest Press.

### What is an easier version of the Barbell Floor Press?

Dumbbell Bench Press (Beginner), Push-Up (64% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Barbell Floor Press?

Barbell Bench Press (Intermediate), Barbell Larsen Press (Advanced).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/