Floor Presses: opinions, advice etc.

[bignate73]

i hit some floor presses tonight and all i can say is wow.

talk about getting some max tension there. i cant even tell what was more tired. it took alot out of my tris, chest shoulders everything.

i know bfold and them are familiar with these. actually would this be comparable to a "3 board press" or "5 board press" etc? the thing about this movement is that the shoulder seems more restricted so its pretty much a lockout movement. i minimized the negative and just worked on max explosion from the catches. i tried to keep my elbows in at about 45 deg. from my body. the natural tendency for me was to go out wide though. its strange to note how different it is with no leg drive. (ive been using it more and more and its useful)

any thoughts on how to make these more "fun"?

 

[p03t1c]

i'm way under the 45 degree angle and i can hit much more on the board presses than i can on the floor press. i make sure my arms come to a complete stop on the ground and then explode back up.

 

[CytoMel]

Floor presses are excellent for gaining strength in the bench pressing muscles.

If you have chains they work especially well with floor presses.

 

[b fold the truth]

I have tried them but could not come up with an effective way to do them in my gym. I hear that they work wonders for a lot of body parts...

B True

 

[bignate73]

I hear that they work wonders for a lot of body parts...

B True

ALRIGHT!!! i'll be hung like a horse in no time!

hehehehe.

oh wait.... you didnt mean that. Doh!

 

[spatts]

Bignate,

I regularly do floor presses, and find that it is BY FAR my weakest portion of the bench due to my shoulders. They are on the up and up though. I like to do mine inside the bench plane, and I know we've discussed this before, but for me that's elbows next to body, arm at 90 degrees, and down to the sternum. The shoulder and tricep workout from that is incredible, and keeping it inside helps me minimize shoudler rotation and move the focus elsewhere. Also, you can do these close, med, wide and extra wide, if your shoulders can dig that sort of thing. You're not kidding about leg drive! I forget how much I use my legs to bench until I don't have them.

Something else you can do to move the focus when you start to fatigiue is to put your head up as if you're looking at your sternum, or where ever the bar's going to land. This tends to transfer focus away from the front delt and pec tie-in.

 

[spatts]

B, are you kidding?

 

[The Shadow]

Nate - try close-grip benches lockouts with 3-5 boards.

 

[b fold the truth]

B, are you kidding?

Which B are you talking to?

I haven't figured out a way to rig them up in my gym yet..and hear that they are good for the triceps, shoulders, and chest...

B True

 

[spatts]

I'm confused as to why you wouldn't be able to rig them up. You don't have anything the right height to lay the bar across?