Barbell Floor Chest Press

The Barbell Floor Chest Press targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. This exercise is performed lying on the floor, which limits the range of motion and reduces shoulder strain.

  1. Lie on your back on the floor with a barbell held above your chest.
  2. Lower the barbell until your upper arms touch the floor.
  3. Press the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  4. Keep your feet flat on the floor and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.

How to perform the Barbell Floor Chest Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Floor Chest Press using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your deltoids.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your deltoids rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Barbell Floor Chest Press

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