Chest pressing from floor

RobAMerc

Was watching some telly there recently about Connacht rugby and I noticed in training they all Chest pressed the barbell from the floor rather than using a bench and I think also with the BD's too.

What are the benefits of this does anyone know ?

PauloConn

I thought it was to fix your range of motion on the exercise. Similar could be for flye's as well.
Not sure if its better for muscles but i know it means consistent ranges in reps.

xgtdec

i think pressing from the floor gives you more explosive power when you go back to the bench, i remember a bit back i was struggling on the last rep of my bench and it felt like i was missing the needed power for about an inch or so on the way up. I started to add in pressing from the floor and it helped a lot when back on the regular bench.

Frank Bullitt

Have been doing this the past few months and have found it a huge help. Big improvement in my power, size and general stability for the free bench, highly recommend it.

RobAMerc

Gintonious wrote: »

Big improvement in my power, size and general stability for the free bench

How do you mean ? Do you do 50/50 bench and floor or should that have read "Big improvement in my power, size and general stability from the free bench"

Hanley

RobAMerc wrote: »

How do you mean ? Do you do 50/50 bench and floor or should that have read "Big improvement in my power, size and general stability from the free bench"

Since I'm the one making him do it, I'll jump in...

Floor pressing is an immensely beneficial assistance exercise for your bench. Have a look at where the bar sits in relation to your chest when you do them - probably an inch below your sticking point on normal benches. By eliminating leg drive, set up trickery and all that, you really on pure pressing strength in/around your weakest range. Theory being, get stronger there and you can push thru the sticking point better.

The better your set up, the more carryover floor pressing will have to your regular bench.

Ginto, throw in anything I've missed there

Hanley

And from a coaching perspective in groups, it's a far easier lift to teach, coach and progress in a safe manner than regular bench pressing since you limit the potential to f*ck up ones shoulders.

Frank Bullitt

Hanley wrote: »

Since I'm the one making him do it, I'll jump in...

Floor pressing is an immensely beneficial assistance exercise for your bench. Have a look at where the bar sits in relation to your chest when you do them - probably an inch below your sticking point on normal benches. By eliminating leg drive, set up trickery and all that, you really on pure pressing strength in/around your weakest range. Theory being, get stronger there and you can push thru the sticking point better.

The better your set up, the more carryover floor pressing will have to your regular bench.

Ginto, throw in anything I've missed there

I find it helps my stability on pushing up as well, so the "drive" part of your bench will benefit from floor pressing, also the pump is magic.

Hanley

Gintonious wrote: »

I find it helps my stability on pushing up as well, so the "drive" part of your bench will benefit from floor pressing, also the pump is magic.

Most people don't realise how much floor pressing brings your chest into play tbh. They all consider it a top end/tricep exercise.

It almost totally eliminates and deltoid involvement and forces all the stress onto your pecs initially, and triceps after.

Also - don't discount the scap stabilisation work we've been doing as being the MAJOR game changer in your stability. That stuff is literally magic.

Frank Bullitt

Hanley wrote: »

Most people don't realise how much floor pressing brings your chest into play tbh. They all consider it a top end/tricep exercise.

It almost totally eliminates and deltoid involvement and forces all the stress onto your pecs initially, and triceps after.

Also - don't discount the scap stabilisation work we've been doing as being the MAJOR game changer in your stability. That stuff is literally magic.

This is also true. I will say anyway that my upper chest is much fuller, and the inner part as well has increased. In general I have found it as a revelation, its very easy to do but the benefits are amazing.

It's a worth addition to any program for upper body strength.

RobAMerc

thanks lads - will give it a go.

btw - can it be used for DB presses too ? I always thought you needed to get the DB right in the arm pits to be doing it right - something i imagine is impossible on the floor ?

Hanley

RobAMerc wrote: »

thanks lads - will give it a go.

btw - can it be used for DB presses too ? I always thought you needed to get the DB right in the arm pits to be doing it right - something i imagine is impossible on the floor ?

You can do it with DBs, but it's harder to get them into place.

And no, ignore all that "stretching the muscle" boll0x. You heard what Ginto said there - it's a killer chest exercise

JJayoo

Although less overall Rom is used, time under tension,for the average bencher, increases as the negative part of the lift is slower and more controlled. The urge to drop the bar as quick as possible and bounce it of your chest is gone as it will break your wrists and elbows

Hanley

JJayoo wrote: »

Although less overall Rom is used, time under tension,for the average bencher, increases as the negative part of the lift is slower and more controlled. The urge to drop the bar as quick as possible and bounce it of your chest is gone as it will break your wrists and elbows

That's an exceptionally good point.

first rate

Another safety tip when doing this exercise is TRY to use the larger 20kg weight disks instead of numerous smaller disks. This is because if you are used to the standard bench press then you already know that you can easily move your elbows forwards or backwards at anytime to maintain the perpendicular motion, but if you don't maintain this almost perfectly on the negative phase of floor presses, when your elbows connect with the ground and the bar is learning toward your head, or you let your wrists move back, you won't be able to freely move you elbows and the bar may fall back on your face causing server injuries. If you use small disks at least have props (even books) to ensure the bar won't ever get a chance to hit you or start off doing them light for a few workouts.

The reason this exercise can be effective is because it's a "partial rep" exercise which means you can (after you are used to it) lift more weight through a shorter ROM, this triggers more muscle growth when combined with the standard bench press because it can prime you for heavier full ROM lifting also.

Best of luck.

Lago

Hmmm, I'm intrigued by this thread now. Just two questions though

1. Does it have to be on the floor? I have a mat that's like an inch off the ground and I don't want to lie on the hard floor.

2. What is the story on weight? I mean should you lift less with floor presses? And a lot less or just a bit.

3. And finally, are the deltoids not brought into it at all in this exercise?

first rate

Lago wrote: »

Hmmm, I'm intrigued by this thread now. Just two questions though

1. Does it have to be on the floor? I have a mat that's like an inch off the ground and I don't want to lie on the hard floor.

2. What is the story on weight? I mean should you lift less with floor presses? And a lot less or just a bit.

3. And finally, are the deltoids not brought into it at all in this exercise?

1. Usually floor presses involve having the area your elbows touch and the area you're lying on at the same level, but a slight difference wouldn't matter at all provided it feels comfortable for lifting on.


2. Less in the beginning definitely! Because you have to get used to the differences between floor presses and bench press, after this you can go full weight for whatever rep range.


3. They are, but no where near as much, emphases is switched to triceps.

Lago

first rate wrote: »

3. They are, but no where near as much, emphases is switched to triceps.

So I should do a shoulder exercise to make up for it? And if so, what would you recommend?

first rate

Lago wrote: »

So I should do a shoulder exercise to make up for it? And if so, what would you recommend?

1. Upright rows - Great for building muscle, may lead to injuries if movement lacks control, going much too heavy or if not 100% warm.

2. Barbell presses - Good for building shoulders also, much less for width, more front delts, safer than upright rows.

Always do one dumbbell exercise if you can at all, great for stabliser muscles and injury prevention down the road.

Dtp79

Hanley wrote: »

You can do it with DBs, but it's harder to get them into place.

And no, ignore all that "stretching the muscle" boll0x. You heard what Ginto said there - it's a killer chest exercise

When it's from the floor does that mean your elbows touch the floor on the lower and then you push

RobAMerc

Lago wrote: »

3. And finally, are the deltoids not brought into it at all in this exercise?

Lago wrote: »

So I should do a shoulder exercise to make up for it? And if so, what would you recommend?

Forgive me if I am wrong but I have always been under the impression you want to activate as little of the shoulders as possible when barbell or dumbell pressing - keep the shoulders for shoulder exercises ?

Hanley

first rate wrote: »

The reason this exercise can be effective is because it's a "partial rep" exercise which means you can (after you are used to it) lift more weight through a shorter ROM, this triggers more muscle growth when combined with the standard bench press because it can prime you for heavier full ROM lifting also.

Best of luck.

It's ONE of the reasons but there's a lot of others.

I don't understand this part tho...

"this triggers more muscle growth when combined with the standard bench press because it can prime you for heavier full ROM lifting also."

Maybe you could expand?

Lago wrote: »

Hmmm, I'm intrigued by this thread now. Just two questions though

1. Does it have to be on the floor? I have a mat that's like an inch off the ground and I don't want to lie on the hard floor.

2. What is the story on weight? I mean should you lift less with floor presses? And a lot less or just a bit.

3. And finally, are the deltoids not brought into it at all in this exercise?

1) HTFU, but if you must - make sure you've a mat under your elbows too

2) it depends on where you're weak, probably in line with normal bench numbers

3) everything's always working to some degree, the delts are just doing a lot less than normal

Lago wrote: »

So I should do a shoulder exercise to make up for it? And if so, what would you recommend?

Most people overwork their shoulders anyway. Why are you benching for shoulder development? (that would be the only reason you'd be looking to sub in a shoulder movement?!)

first rate wrote: »

1. Upright rows - Great for building muscle, may lead to injuries if movement lacks control, going much too heavy or if not 100% warm.

Way safer and less dangerous exercises. I don't think there's any reason anyone should use an upright over something else pretty much ever.

Always do one dumbbell exercise if you can at all, great for stabliser muscles and injury prevention down the road.

That's just not correct.

Dtp79 wrote: »

When it's from the floor does that mean your elbows touch the floor on the lower and then you push

I wouldn't actively try to touch the floor with your elbows because it'll rotate your forearms forward and kick you out of the groove, but you're thinking along the right lines.

RobAMerc wrote: »

Forgive me if I am wrong but I have always been under the impression you want to activate as little of the shoulders as possible when barbell or dumbell pressing - keep the shoulders for shoulder exercises ?

Yes and no...

Chest growth - yes.

Max bench numbers - no.

Lago

Hanley wrote: »

Most people overwork their shoulders anyway. Why are you benching for shoulder development? (that would be the only reason you'd be looking to sub in a shoulder movement?!)

To be honest, because I'm lazy and want to hit all muscle groups in as few exercises as possible. As you can probably tell, I've ridiculously weak shoulders.

May start hitting the Overhead Press