French press: variations with barbell and dumbbells, lying, sitting and standing. French standing press with a barbell: what muscles work, technique, effectiveness of the exercise French standing dumbbell press from behind the head

Not a single bodybuilding professional has ever done without the French press exercise. This exercise helps to work all the triceps bundles. It is the triceps that forms the main volume and shape of the arm, since it occupies a larger part and has one more bundle than the biceps. The correct technique for the French bench press and its variations will help to evenly distribute the load across the entire muscle and increase its volume.

What muscles work during the French press?

This exercise is isolating and works the triceps brachii muscle (long, medial and lateral heads). Also, the elbow muscle is often included in the triceps assistants. Various variations of the exercise affect one or another head to a greater extent, sometimes without the help of the forearms. In some cases, for example, standing or sitting, stabilization of the torso is necessary, in which the abdominal muscles and serratus anterior muscles are activated.

Pros of exercise

• Helps to work out all the bundles of the triceps brachii muscle, developing them evenly.
• Forms the volume of the hands and also emphasizes the relief.
• The exercise can be performed either independently (on blocks or with special racks for the French bench press), or with an assistant who will support free weight during the last repetitions.
• The exercise can be performed at home; it is enough to have at least one dumbbell or barbell.
• Grip options will help reduce pain in the wrist or elbow joints, which makes the execution accessible and more effective.

Important! Due to morphological features, not everyone will be comfortable performing the press technique. If pain occurs, you should change the grip width to a narrower one, or move your elbows a little to the sides.

How to do a French press correctly: execution options

French barbell press

The technique of performing the French bench press with a barbell is aimed at working all the heads of the triceps brachii muscle.

• When lowering the barbell to the forehead, the medial and lateral heads are subjected to greater load.
• When placing the bar behind the head, the head is long. It can be performed with either a straight bar or a curved bar.

The choice of bar will depend on the sensations in the joints; to relieve stress on the wrist joints, place your palms closer to each other.

1. Place the bar on special French press racks, or hold the bar on your chest, place your palms on the bar shoulder-width apart, and slowly lie down on your back. At the bottom point, lift the barbell up, fully straightening your elbows.
2. Press your lower back against the bench; if this is not possible, place your feet on the bench, thus removing the deflection of the lumbar region.
3. Hold the barbell above your shoulders without throwing your elbows out to the sides.
4. As you inhale, lower the barbell to your forehead, but without touching it. Movement occurs only at the elbow joint.
5. As you exhale, straighten your elbows to the end, without moving them as you lift them to the sides.

Execution options. If you experience discomfort in the elbow joints, move your elbows slightly to the sides from your shoulders, stabilizing the position. Also, the French bench press can be performed with an ez-bar, choosing a comfortable grip width.

French press with dumbbells

This technique is performed with two dumbbells; the exercise works the entire triceps, evenly distributing the load on all muscle heads. The elbow muscle is also involved. A comfortable neutral grip on dumbbells will reduce stress on your hands.

1. Take light dumbbells in your hands.
2. Lie slowly on your back and raise your arms straight above your shoulders to a vertical position.
3. Hold your hands with a neutral grip and the dumbbells parallel to each other.
4. As you inhale, lower the dumbbells parallel, working in the same plane, without moving your elbows to the sides.
5. As you exhale, straighten your elbows completely.

Seated French press with ez bar

Performing a bench press while sitting on a bench with a low back will help stabilize the position of the lower back, preventing the body from swaying, and making the technique easier. This exercise can also be performed standing, the main thing is not to sway and hold your torso, tensing the abdominal and lower back muscles. The exercise technique develops the triceps, but to a greater extent the long and lateral heads.

1. Place your palms on the curved bar in a narrow overhand grip position.
2. Sit on a bench, press your lower back to the back.
3. Raise the bar above your head, keep your arms straight.
4. Without twisting your hand, while inhaling, lower the bar behind your head, keeping the shoulder and elbow joints motionless. The shoulders remain on the sides of the head, only the forearms are lowered.
5. As you exhale, straighten your elbows and return the bar above your head.

Seated French press with two hands

This French press technique is also performed while standing. Holding 1 dumbbell with both hands, you can get a load on the long head of the triceps, thanks to the vertical position of your arms. The additional muscle is the olecranon.

1. Sitting on a bench, rest your lower back against the back.
2. Place your hands under the dumbbell plate from below.
3. Raise your arms above your head to a vertical position, keeping your elbows close to your head.
4. As you inhale, lower the dumbbell to the back of your head without moving your elbows and shoulders.
5. Exhale and extend the dumbbell overhead.

Option #2. One-arm extension (press) with a dumbbell

This exercise can replace the French press. Performed in both sitting and standing positions. One-arm extension will work the triceps and anconeus muscles. The vertical position of the arms contributes to a greater load on the long head of the triceps muscle.

1. While sitting or standing, hold a dumbbell with one hand, raise your arm straight up and stabilize your shoulder position.
2. As you inhale, lower the dumbbell behind your head without moving your elbow to the side. Tighten your abdominal muscles to maintain your lower back position.
3. Exhale and extend your arm.
4. The same movement is performed on the other side.

French press in the lower block of the Crossover

This modification of the press is performed while lying on a horizontal bench. The triceps and forearms are worked by extending the straight handle attached to the lower block of the Crossover. By lowering the handle to the forehead, the lateral and medial heads are activated. When placed behind the head, it is long. Working in a block allows you to strengthen the work of the triceps, since the muscle is constantly under load with resistance, as the lower block pulls your arms back.

• Lie down on a horizontal bench, placed with one edge closer to the lower block.
• Grasp the handle, placing your hands with an overhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
• Raise your arms to a vertical position, keeping your elbows at one point.
• As you inhale, lower the handle to your forehead, do not spread your elbows to the sides. Hold the handle without allowing the block to overhang.
• Exhale and straighten your arms.

Option #2. Press (extension) from the lower block from behind the head

This option can replace the overhead bar press (standing or seated). In addition to the triceps and forearm muscles, the serratus anterior and abdominal muscles work, maintaining the position of the lower back. The long head of the triceps is subjected to greater load in the vertical position of the arms. The exercise can also be performed with ropes.

• Grasp the handle of the lower block with an overhand grip shoulder-width apart.
• Turn your back to the Crossover, extending your arms straight above your head. The cable is stretched as much as possible; your hands should hold the handle, not allowing the counterweight to tilt your body backwards.
• As you inhale, lower the handle behind your head, keeping your elbows in place.
• As you exhale, fully extend your arms above your head.

Conclusion

Variations and modifications of the French press technique allow you to periodically change the load on different triceps bundles, or act on the muscle as a whole. Changing bench press options from program to program will not allow you to get used to the same type of load. The main thing is to choose a grip that is comfortable for you, taking into account the individual characteristics of morphology. It is important to feel the triceps working; concentrate on the sensations in the muscle. The French press will be much more beneficial if you do not perform the exercise with heavy weight, but focus on technique.

French bench press in video format

French press with dumbbell standing in video format

French press– one of the best exercises for developing triceps. Every athlete wants to have massive arms, most of which are triceps. This muscle group works in any press, so its development is very important for an athlete. There are many variations of this exercise, but we will talk about the French press.

The standing French press is a very effective exercise in terms of human anatomy. It isolates the target muscle group, which allows you to more effectively work out the lagging triceps bundles, namely the internal bundle. Also, the light weight of the barbell stretches the muscles and does not put pressure on the joints, which makes the exercise safer. The standing press allows you to swing the weight on the apparatus, so you can finish off the triceps on the final reps with a little cheating. Also, this version of the triceps press does not limit you to the size of the bench or other conditions; you can choose the most comfortable position and grip for doing it.

Technique for performing a standing French press

• Hold the barbell at waist level, feet shoulder-width apart;
• Bend your knees slightly and throw the barbell over your chest, then you will need to press it above your head, as when performing a standing barbell press, this will be the starting position;
• Place your elbows parallel, bend slightly;
• Start slowly lowering the barbell, but do not hold it at the lowest point;
• Having lowered the apparatus and feeling the stretch, begin to lift the barbell or dumbbell and gradually return to the starting position.

Video clip that will answer all questions regarding the technique of performing the standing French press

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When performing the French bench press, you need to follow some principles:

• During execution, your back should be straight, your shoulder blades should be brought together, your feet should be shoulder-width apart - this is necessary for better weight distribution and stability.
• Try to turn off the work of your shoulders to focus more on the triceps.
• Look straight ahead for better coordination, do not move your head to the sides so as not to lose your breath.
• Ask your partner to back you up, as you may not be able to hold the barbell during the last reps of the standing French press.
• Bend your knees slightly for better stability.
• The weight on the apparatus should not be too large so that the technique does not suffer. It is better to focus on the triceps and do it correctly from a technical point of view, than to cheat, jump, and increase the likelihood of injury with heavy weights.

Standing Press Variations

You can perform a standing French press with a barbell or dumbbells. We recommend using dumbbells alternately and here's why:

• The likelihood of spinal injury is reduced (although it is already minimal when performing this exercise) due to the reduction in weight on the apparatus;
• It’s more convenient to work with dumbbells; you can choose a comfortable position and angle;
• By doing a standing French press with dumbbells, you increase the range of motion;
• The dumbbell press puts more stress on the long head of the triceps than the barbell press.

The standing French press will be more effective if you combine it with some other exercises. We recommend starting triceps training with basic exercises, such as close-grip bench press or dips. After this, you should perform our standing French press, and then arm extension in the simulator. This combination of exercises will fully load your triceps, which will definitely make them bigger. By the way, on our forum there is

It is best performed with a dumbbell, since a dumbbell will best load the triceps, and the exercise can be performed with both two and one hands. By performing a French press while seated with one arm, you will be able to work your muscles much more intensely, since it will be easier for you to mentally concentrate on the work of the muscles and it will be more convenient for you to lower the dumbbell down, which will also allow you to stretch your triceps.

If you prefer to perform exercises with a barbell, then you should prefer the standing technique of performing this exercise, since the body position will not be so constrained, which will allow you to better control your elbows. It is the lower neuroconnectivity that forces you to perform the French press while sitting at a slow pace, which, of course, is good for pumping up the triceps, but, in this case, we are talking exclusively about building its quality, not mass.

Work of muscles and joints

The position created by the seated French press allows you to work out the inner triceps bundle in the most accentuated manner, which is very important in bodybuilding, since this bundle is the shortest and weakest, which, accordingly, forces you to put in more effort to ensure its hypertrophy. It is also important that the athlete manages to stretch the triceps by lowering the dumbbell lower than usual, especially when the exercise is performed with one hand.

This technique of performing a seated French press allows you to work the triceps at the lowest point, which is the least traumatic and harmful to the elbow joint. Therefore, this exercise is also used as a warm-up before close-grip bench press, but perform the exercise in only one approach, doing 30-35 repetitions. By the way, such preliminary fatigue of the triceps allows you to pump it up much better, since the “failure” of the triceps occurs faster than the failure of all other muscle groups.

Seated French press - diagram

1) Adjust the bench so that the back is slightly tilted back, you can also raise the seat, but the most important thing is to put a tray under your feet that you can rest on.
2) Sit down, placing the dumbbell on your leg, and then lift it onto your shoulder, then straighten your arms to the starting position with it, or ask your partner to give you the dumbbell.
3) Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head without changing the position of your elbow.
4) Feeling the dumbbell spring at the bottom point, return it to its original position with a powerful push.

Seated French Press - Notes

1) Always keep your head level, otherwise you may interfere with blood circulation in the neck, which will cause dizziness.
2) The elbow should not be fully extended, which will remove the load from the elbow joint, although it will not allow the triceps to reach its peak contraction.
3) The hand should be fixed and not dangled; it also touches the elbow joint and shoulder girdle.
4) The exercise should be performed in the range of 12-15 repetitions, which will help you better focus on technique, provide sufficient time for the muscles under load and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Anatomy

Since the triceps is the triceps muscle of the arm, then, accordingly, to pump up the triceps you should put more effort than when training the biceps. The seated French press allows you to pump up the weakest triceps bundle, for which, of course, you should put in the most effort, since in all exercises the stronger bundles will “steal” the load. That is why there is no point in trying to take a larger dumbbell, neglecting it, since in this case the entire load on the internal triceps bundle will simply be “stolen” by its stronger bundles.

On the other hand, the seated French press is safer for the joints, since it is performed with a dumbbell, which does not allow the use of as much weight as when performing the exercise while standing, and, in addition, due to the fact that the dumbbell is lowered deeper than the barbell, the athlete time works in the lower phase of the movement, which also has a beneficial effect on the elbows, since the load is always accumulated in the muscles and not in the joints.

- this is the most “basic” version of the French press, which allows you to work out the target muscle group in the most accentuated manner. Pump up your triceps This exercise is easiest because the elbows are in the most comfortable position, which provides better isolation of the triceps bundles, and also allows for better stretching of the muscle fibers. At the same time, the standing position allows you to swing the weight a little if the athlete is already ready for “cheating”, although the correct one, of course, is always better.

The standing French press is also good because a comfortable position of the joints provides not only better muscle pumping, but also wears out the joints themselves less, which, of course, is most important in the long term! Despite the fact that the exercise is performed standing, the spine is completely safe, because the athlete does not use very large training weights.

Here you should pay attention to the fact that the standing French press is an isolating exercise, although it is often performed as a “base”, which can cause injury to the elbow joint. In any case, the wear and tear on the elbow joint will greatly increase, so to avoid this, you should first do the bench press with a narrow grip, which will tire the triceps.

Work of muscles and joints

The standing French press, as noted above, provides a very comfortable position for the elbow joint, which makes it possible to very well emphasize the load on the triceps bundles. Also, since the entire load falls exclusively on the triceps, it is possible to use all its bundles, which is especially important for us, since it is usually difficult to load the internal bundle.

In addition to the effectiveness of the French standing press, there is also such a factor as safety, which is ensured by a number of things, but primarily by the fact that the bar does not press from above, but pulls the arms down, due to which the joints wear out less. But it is also important that it is much easier to maintain the position of your elbows while standing than lying down.

French bench press - diagram

1) Stand with the barbell, holding it at waist level, with your legs in a scissors position.
2) Squat down a little and throw the barbell over your shoulders, from where you should squeeze it out, as when doing a military press, this position is the starting point.
3) Turn your elbows parallel to each other so that they look forward and bend them slightly.
4) Exhaling, slowly lower the bar as low as possible, but do not linger at the bottom point.
5) Having reached the limit of muscle stretching, with a powerful push, while exhaling, straighten your arms to the starting position, but leave your elbows slightly bent.

French Press - Notes

1) During the exercise, the back should be slightly bent back and the shoulder blades should be brought together. This is necessary not so much to remove the load from the spine, since the weight of the bar is not large, but so that you better control the distribution of the load.
2) The previous technique completely allows you to isolate the triceps, but, nevertheless, you cannot apply force with your shoulders, so they should be fixed in one position.
3) Don’t move your neck, your head should look forward all the time so that you don’t lose your breath.
4) The standing French press should be performed in the 12-15 rep range, which can cause muscle failure, so ask your partner to back you up so you don't have to drop the barbell.
5) The knee joints should also be bent so that the load is distributed over the quadriceps, which, again, is important not for the safety of the joints, but for better stability.

Anatomy

From an anatomical point of view, the standing French press is a very convenient exercise. Firstly, it isolates the triceps from other muscle groups, which allows you to better load the lagging bundles, primarily the internal triceps bundle. Secondly, the weight of the barbell stretches the muscles and joints, rather than putting pressure on them from above, which provides greater safety and diversifies the load compared to other exercises. In addition, the standing position allows you to “swing” the weight and “finish off” the muscles in the last rep failure.

The joints also benefit because the French standing press allows you to choose the most comfortable body position without limiting the athlete to the size of the bench or anything else. Together with the light weight and other advantages, this exercise can be called the safest for the elbow joint, along with

What muscles work in the French dumbbell press exercise?

Main muscle group: long head of triceps
Additional group: forearm muscles
Type of exercise: Power
Equipment: Dumbbells
Difficulty level: Beginning

How to properly do overhead dumbbell extensions while sitting and standing

What does the French dumbbell press look like in motion?

The triceps make up two-thirds of the arm's volume. In order to achieve impressive results in pumping and definition of the upper limbs, it is necessary to pay as much attention to the triceps as to the biceps.

The triceps muscle works in any presses, but it is the French press that allows you to pump up individual bundles of the target muscle as efficiently as possible. The light weight of the barbell or dumbbell makes the French press safe and additionally stretches the muscles.

Technique

Weight. Dumbbell triceps press allows you to effectively pump the three heads of the triceps. This exercise is recommended for beginner athletes. However, only correct execution and an adequately selected weight load will allow you to achieve a lasting and good effect, as well as avoid injury or damage to the elbow joint.

The exercise is not basic. It is advisable to choose a weight such that you can perform 10-12 repetitions in a smooth rhythm. Using dumbbells allows you to increase the load on the triceps due to a large range of motion.

Hand position. The elbow joints are fixed in a stationary position and pressed against the ears. The more loose the elbows are, and the more they diverge to the sides, the less percentage of the load falls on the triceps itself. To prevent injury, you need to lower the dumbbell smoothly. Otherwise, you can damage your joints and cervical spine.

The projectiles must be held with a direct grip. Straightened arms are raised up and behind the head at 45 degrees. This position maximizes the load on the triceps muscle at the top point.

Back. Since the exercise is an isolating exercise, arm extensions with dumbbells are done with a strictly straight back. During the load, the spine and lower back should not arch. Otherwise, the load will be distributed not only among the triceps bundles, but also among the lateral and latissimus dorsi muscles.

Shoulders and chest. During the French press with dumbbells, the shoulders should be separated and fixed. It is unacceptable to raise or lower your shoulders throughout the entire approach. The chest is turned out.

Low and high points. The dumbbell should fall under its own weight. There is no delay at the lowest point. The trajectory of movement is a straight line or a semicircle. Performing the exercise quickly can cause damage to the elbow joints or cervical spine. When lifting, you need to make an effort and fully extend your forearms to achieve the greatest load.

Sequence of the exercise

Variations of executions. The French press with dumbbells is performed while sitting or lying on a bench. You can perform the exercise on both arms at the same time or alternately work each triceps separately.

Seated French press with dumbbells

The exercise must be performed with a straight back. You can choose a bench with low support. It is permissible to lean against the back in order to isolate the back muscles as much as possible and perform the exercise only with the help of the triceps.

1. Sit on a bench.
2. Keep your back and shoulders in a strictly vertical position.
3. Fix your shoulders, only your elbow joints should work.
4. Grasp the projectile with your palms.
5. Place a weight on your chest and squeeze out on straight arms.
6. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head.
7. As you exhale, return to the starting position.
8. Perform 8-12 approaches.
9. If the exercise is performed with one hand, place the other on your belt.

French press with dumbbells standing

1. Starting position – standing, back straight and slightly arched at the lower back. Feet are shoulder-width apart and slightly bent at the knees.
2. Hold the dumbbell above your head with both outstretched arms. Place your thumbs on the handle and clasp the disc with the rest. Palms facing up. A slight posterior deflection of the projectile is acceptable.
3. As you inhale, lower the projectile behind your head.
4. Leave your shoulder and elbow joints motionless. The exercise is performed by bending the forearms.
5. As you exhale, return to the starting position.
6. Execute desired number of repetitions.

Hints

The French press with a dumbbell is considered an isolated exercise, therefore, when performing a load, the leading factors are considered to be the quality of execution, the low weight of the equipment and a multiple number of approaches (10-15).
The exercise is not recommended for people suffering from problems with the spine or shoulder joints.
When performing the exercise with one hand, the free limb becomes a body stabilizer, helping to support the shouldersfixedat one point. This eliminates the burden of additional muscles.
To prevent injuries to the shoulder girdle, it is necessary to stretch and warm up the ligaments before performing a French press from a standing or sitting position. Warming up will increase the elasticity of the ligaments and prepare them for increased load levels.
To maximize the volume and definition of the tricepsIt is recommended to perform the dumbbell overhead press while standing after basic exercises 8-10 times for 3-4 approaches.

Errors

No warm-up. Performing preparatory exercises can reduce the likelihood of injuries or other damage to the structures of the musculoskeletal system.
Raising your elbows to the sides. In the starting position, your elbows should be pointing up at the floor.Inadequate weight.

The light weight of the dumbbell will not provide the required degree of load on the triceps, and pWorking with heavy projectiles will damage joints and weak ligaments.

Alternatives

Bar press
Close grip barbell row
Arm extensions from the upper block
Push-ups on a medicine ball with narrow arms
Back push-ups

French press with dumbbells video exercise

Brief conclusions

The French press from a standing or sitting position allows you to choose the most comfortable position for performing the exercise. The load is placed on the long head of the triceps. Extending the arm with a dumbbell from behind the head, while observing the execution technique, increases the muscles and volume of the upper limb.