Barbell Z Press
The Z press is a strict overhead press performed sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front, pressing a barbell from your shoulders to straight arms with no backrest and no leg drive. It works the shoulders and triceps, and your trunk has to hold you upright under the bar, which makes it a demanding test of strict pressing strength and seated posture.
Also called: Z-Press, Seated Floor Press, Zydrunas Press, Floor Press Overhead · Equipment: barbell · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Set the hooks or safety arms of a rack so the bar sits at about shoulder height when you are seated on the floor beneath it.
- Sit on the floor under the bar with your legs straight out in front, about hip-width apart or wider, and sit tall with your chest up.
- Take an overhand grip just outside your shoulders, with your wrists stacked over your elbows.
- Brace your trunk hard and lift the bar off the hooks so it rests at the front of your shoulders, with your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the bar straight up, tipping your head back slightly to let it pass, then bring your head through once the bar clears your face.
- Lock out with your arms straight and the bar over the middle of your head, torso still upright.
- Bring the bar back down under control to the front of your shoulders, re-brace and press again.
- After the last rep, bring the bar down to your shoulders and set it back on the hooks.
- Sit tall before you press
- Brace hard, your trunk is the backrest
- Bar straight up, elbows under the bar
- Head through at the top
- Lock out over the middle of your head
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anterior deltoid: anterior | Prime mover | C |
| Lateral deltoid: lateral | Secondary | C |
| Triceps brachii: lateral head | Secondary | C |
| Trapezius: upper | Secondary | D |
| Pectoralis major: clavicular (upper) | Secondary | D |
| Rectus abdominis | Stabiliser | D |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | D |
| Serratus anterior | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Back rounding in the seated position
Fix: Widen your legs or sit on a low plate until you can sit tall and upright.
Leaning back to press
Fix: Brace your abs and keep your ribs down as you press.
Bar travelling forward
Fix: Press straight up and bring your head through once the bar clears it.
Elbows behind the bar at the start
Fix: Start with your elbows under or slightly in front of the bar.
Soft lockout in front of the head
Fix: Straighten your arms fully with the bar over the middle of your head.
Wrists bent back
Fix: Set the bar low in your palm over the forearm bones, wrists stacked.
What the research says
StrengthMuscle growthGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Stability and load — Research on shoulder presses found the least stable set-ups raised shoulder muscle activity but cut the load that could be lifted. The Z press removes leg drive and back support, so lifters typically press less weight than standing.
- Load by goal — Research comparing loads finds maximal strength favours heavier loads (about 8 reps or fewer per set), while muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure.
- Effort — Studies show sets that finish a few reps short of failure capture most of the size and strength benefit, and strength gains appear largely insensitive to how close to failure you train.
- Volume — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns. Counting all overhead pressing together gives a clearer weekly total.
- Research gap — There is no direct research on the Z press itself. It is commonly used as an accessory to a standing press, especially in strongman training.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the barbell z press in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.