Table of Contents
| Exercise Name | Barbell Z-Press |
| Also Called | Big Z Press, Zydrunas Press, Savickas Press |
| Primary Muscles | Anterior Deltoid |
| Secondary Muscles | Lateral Deltoid, Posterior Deltoid, Abs, Rhomboids, Triceps, Serratus Anterior, Lower Traps, Middle Traps |
| Function | Strength |
| Mechanics | Compound |
| Force | Push |
| Required Equipment | Barbell, Power rack (or squat rack) with safeties |
| Optional Equipment | Wrist Wraps, Weightlifting Belt, Chalk |
| Experience | Intermediate |
| Rep Range | 3-10 |
| Tempo | 0-0-x-1 |
| Variations | Seated on Bench, One Arm Z Press, Dumbbell Z Press |
| Alternatives | Military Press, Push Press, Bradford Press |
Instructions with Pictures
1. Starting Position
- While seated on the floor and inside of a power rack, extend both legs flat on the ground and straight out in front of you, set up the safety arms of the rack in order to set a barbell somewhere between the top of the clavicles and level with your eyes.
- Wedge your body under the bar with an actively braced and rigid posture.
- Make sure your head and neck are held in a retracted position in order for the bar to clear.
- Tuck the elbows and flare the lats to build a “shelf” to push off of.
- Hands should be in the same position you use for a military press and a thumb over or a thumbless grip can be used.
2. Concentric Movement
- Drive through the palms of the hands, pushing the bar in a straight line overhead.
- Once the bar clears the head, in one fluid motion, aggressively protract the head forward while flaring the elbows outward and over the shoulders.
- While the elbows are extending, retract the shoulder blades and squeeze the bar tightly.
3. Midpoint
- Once the elbows are completely extended, allow time for the bar to settle and be motionless before moving on to the next phase of the lift.
4. Eccentric Movement
- Initiate the downward movement with a slight elbow tuck while simultaneously driving the head back out of the path of the bar.
- Return the bar to the start and let it settle before the next rep. DON’T BOUNCE IT OFF THE SAFETIES!
5. Repeat
- Repeat each rep from a “dead stop” on the safeties.
Common Barbell Z-Press Errors to Avoid
| Mistake: | Solution: |
|---|---|
| Bouncing off the Safety Pins | Return the bar to the safeties and be sure the bar as completely settled before moving on to the next rep. |
| Extending the back | Actively brace the core by forcing the hips into a posterior pelvic tilt. This will ensure the shoulder and its mobility is doing the brunt of the work. It will also limit unnecessary extension. |
| Pressing Away from the Body/Pressing in Front of the Body | Be sure to flare the elbows hard once the bar passes the head. Also protract the head forward at this point to keep the bar over the shoulder capsules. |
| Soft Lock Out/Incomplete Extension | At the lock out, try to imagine “pulling the bar in half.” This will set the shoulder further back and down in the capsule and create a more stable lockout. |
Barbell Z-Press Tips
- Think SPEED. The bar is starting from a dead stop. You must generate as much force as you can in as short a time as possible.
- Actively squeeze the bar as tight as you can throughout the lift and imagine trying to “pull the bar in half” at the lockout.
- Keep the core actively braced and tilt the hips under your torso the keep trunk hyperextension to a minimum.
- Don’t forget to flare the elbows and protract the head once the bar clears your body on the concentric phase. Similarly, tuck the elbows and retract the head during the eccentric phase.
Is the Barbell Z-Press Right for You?
The Barbell Z Press is a brutally humbling exercise. Even very strong, experienced pressers will struggle. Make sure you have excellent core stability, shoulder mobility, and hamstring flexibility before attempting this lift.
