Anti-Gravity Press

Execution

1. Reach down and take the bar with a pronated grip slightly wider than shoulder width.
2. Bend your elbows and curl the bar up to your chest as if doing a reverse curl, keeping your torso pinned to the pad.
3. Exhale and press the bar away toward the foot of the bench, extending your arms under control.
4. Pause briefly with the arms nearly straight, without locking the elbows out hard.
5. Inhale and bend the elbows slowly to bring the bar back to your chest.
6. At the end of the set, lower the bar back to the floor under control — never drop it while you are lying face down high off the ground.

Quick cues

• Chest pinned to the pad the whole set.
• Curl to the chest first, then press.
• Elbows soft at full reach.
• Load lighter than your usual shoulder press.

Common faults

• Fault: The chest lifting off the pad while pressing

  Fix: Drop the weight and brace the core to pin the torso to the pad before pressing.

• Fault: Letting the arms free-fall as the bar returns to the chest

  Fix: Count 2 seconds on the way back so the shoulder works through the whole rep.

• Fault: Rounding the back while first reaching down for the bar off the floor

  Fix: Have a spotter hand you the bar, or use a load light enough to reach down for safely on your own.

• Fault: Pressing the bar out too far and losing shoulder control

  Fix: Stop just short of a full lockout so the shoulder stays in control of the bar's path.