Z press
- Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front or in a V-shape, holding the barbell at collarbone height.
- Press the bar straight overhead while keeping your torso upright and your core braced.
- Fully lock out your arms at the top, ensuring your back remains straight.
- Lower the bar with control back to the starting position at around collarbone height.
Tips
- Before pressing, sit tall with your hips anchored and your lower back in a neutral position, as the floor removes any leg drive and forces your torso to stay upright throughout the lift.
- Press the bar in a straight vertical path directly overhead, finishing with your arms fully locked out and your ears visible just in front of your upper arms.
- Lower the bar with deliberate control so that your torso does not shift backward as the weight descends.
Common mistakes
- Leaning the torso backward as the bar is pressed up, which turns the movement into an incline press rather than a vertical overhead press.
- Allowing the hips to rock or the legs to lift off the floor during the press, which destabilizes the base and disrupts the upright torso position the exercise requires.
- Starting with the bar held too far forward or too low, so the initial press path angles outward rather than straight up.
Make Every Set Count.
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