To keep your triceps in great shape, you need to train them. One of the most effective exercises will help you with this - the French bench press, as well as options for performing this exercise while sitting and standing.
The secret of powerful hands
When newbies join the gym, the first thing many people want to do is build up their biceps. They do not know that most of the volume of the arms is formed by the muscle that straightens the arm - the triceps. It is located on the back of the hand.
But the biceps are a different story - if you focus only on it, your arms will be thin, and your physical achievements will be reduced to nothing - the thickness of your arms will not increase much. One round bicep does not matter when the arm behind is flat and thin, without any hint of relief.
So let's pump up our triceps! To do this, let's get acquainted with such an exercise as the French bench press. There are a lot of variations in execution - it would be correct to do it with one hand, or with two, and with dumbbells, and with an EZ bar.
The technique is approximately the same, except for the starting positions. There is a seated French press, a standing French press and a lying French press. Sometimes it is called lying barbell lift, seated barbell lift, but this is incorrect. If we are talking about dumbbells, then the exercise is called a dumbbell row from behind the head, or a dumbbell press from behind the head.
Let's look in order at how certain versions of the French press are made.
French presses from different positions
Bench press
The French bench press is performed using the following technique:
- We are looking for a horizontal bench. A slanted one will also work if you straighten it completely. It is advisable to place a towel or T-shirt under your head.
- It is more convenient to take an EZ bar. It has a special curved shape that allows you to rotate your arms in a certain way, pumping either the outer or inner parts of the triceps. Most often, the bar is grabbed with a narrow grip.
- We put the bar on our knees, lie down and take it behind our head.
- Slightly bent arms at the elbows go behind the head so that the elbows are at forehead level. This is the starting position for this exercise.
- Let's clarify the grip: hands are located on the sides of the central loop of the EZ bar, with palms facing away from you (direct grip).
- We bend our arms so that the bar is near the top of the head (almost touching).
- We slowly extend our arms, but do not straighten them completely; it is not recommended to “snap” the elbow joints.
- We do 10 warm-up repetitions. Then we lower the barbell onto our belt, sit down and put it on the floor. If you have a partner, they can help you grab the barbell and lower it to the floor.
Exercise technique (GIF). The French bench press with dumbbells is done in exactly the same way, only the arms are turned a little differently: you grab the handles of the dumbbells so that they are parallel to each other.
Important technical details:
- You should try to move your elbows as close as possible. When they spread to the sides, the load moves from the rear triceps to the lateral, or generally to the latissimus dorsi muscles.
- If your wrists hurt (this may be because they bend significantly during the French press), you need to wear wristbands or wrap your wrists in bandages.
The French bench press with dumbbells makes sense to do when all the bars are occupied.
Seated press
The seated French press is performed on an incline bench, the back of which is set at a right angle.
To do the exercise correctly, it is best to take dumbbells.
The difficulty of performing with the bar is the awkward position of the hands. When doing a seated French press with a barbell, it is difficult to get your arms in such a position that your shoulders are perpendicular to the floor. Usually they are slightly tipped forward, and the exercise begins to resemble a seated barbell press.
If you decide to use a straight or EZ bar, it is better to do it lying down; if you do it while sitting, take dumbbells.
Option with two dumbbells
- Take 2 dumbbells, rotate them so that the weights are in front and behind, your hands should be oriented with your palms facing each other.
- Raise your arms with dumbbells slightly bent at the elbows above your head. Try to set the angle of your shoulder to the floor at 90 degrees.
- Bend your elbows so that your shoulder does not move to the sides. Move the dumbbells behind your head to an acute angle at the elbow.
- Lift the weight back to the original position.
Do 10 warm-up reps with a light weight, then pick up a work rep and perform 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps. Make sure that your elbows do not move out to the sides.
If you rotate your arms differently, the dumbbell plates will prevent you from lowering the weights to a sufficient angle behind your head. Therefore, the hands are oriented exactly as noted above.
Option with one dumbbell
With one dumbbell you should do a French press while standing or sitting on a bench.
The technique is like this:
- Take the dumbbell in your right hand. We bring it up, the shoulder is strictly perpendicular to the floor.
- We turn the arm so that when bending the dumbbell goes towards the head, and not strictly back.
- We support our right hand with our left hand so that it does not move to the sides during the exercise.
- We do 10 warm-up repetitions for each arm, take the working weight and perform 3 sets of 10 times until failure.
The weights here are light, but since this exercise is the last one on triceps day, you will have little strength. We do it through the burning sensation, through fatigue. If necessary, reduce the weight each approach, or ask a partner to help you return the dumbbell to the starting position above your head.
Another way to work with one dumbbell, but with two hands:
- The exercise will resemble a seated pullover. We grasp the dumbbell with both hands by the plate, passing it between the index and thumb of each hand.
- We lift the dumbbell over our heads, trying to keep our elbows closer to our ears and not turn them outward.
- Bend your arms, lowering the dumbbell behind your head. We raise. Do this 10 times to warm up if you haven’t warmed up yet. With the working weight you need to do 10 repetitions in 3 approaches.
You can do a French press with dumbbells while standing.
Standing press technique
The standing French press can also be performed with a barbell or dumbbells, but the latter option is more convenient. Since the technique with dumbbells was discussed in the previous case, here we will analyze the barbell.
The technique is as follows:
- Grab a barbell and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Straighten your shoulders, move your pelvis back.
- Look forward, do not tilt your head!
- Raise the barbell so that your elbows point up and your shoulder forms a right angle with the floor.
- Elbows do not need to be spread apart or brought together. They must be parallel to each other.
- You shouldn't straighten your arms completely either. Lower the weight behind your head as far as possible. Bring it back.
- If you haven't warmed up, do 10 reps with an empty bar (for girls) or a light weight. Next, set the working weight and perform 3 sets of 10 reps.
The standing French press is not the most common variation of this exercise. It is inconvenient because the spine receives extra load. It should be done when there is little space in the gym or all the benches are occupied.
Which option to do and when?
The French press on an incline bench (back at an angle of 90 degrees), standing or lying down is done after basic exercises, for example, after the bench press or parallel bars. Finally, you should perform an overhead extension with a dumbbell.
At the end of the workout, you should feel like your triceps can no longer squeeze anything. If so, the training went correctly and successfully!
Mistakes and how to avoid them
Breath
The breathing technique is the same in all exercises. For some reason, some athletes get confused when to inhale and when to exhale. Apparently, the fact that different exercises are performed differently misleads them. It's actually simple.
When you lift, push, press, you exhale through your mouth. This is the effort at which exhalation is made.
When you return the weight back, that is, in those moments when maximum effort is not required from your muscles, inhale air through your nose. It's simple!
Elbow position
Elbows placed to the side make it easier to perform. To get the most out of the exercise, keep your elbows close to each other (tuck them toward your head).
Wrong sequence of exercises
Both the standing and seated French press are very similar. There is no point in exhausting yourself on one exercise and then trying another.
If you decide to do both exercises in one workout, distribute the load so that you have enough for both exercises. For example, 2 sets of bench press and 3 sets of extension, or vice versa.
Sore joints
The exercise is considered dangerous for the elbows. This is true. If you have vulnerable elbows, we recommend using medium-hard elbow braces (purchased at orthopedic stores) or elastic bandages.
The standing French dumbbell press is one of the exercises aimed at developing the triceps, or triceps muscle. The actual purpose of this muscle is to extend the elbow. It occupies a fairly large part (up to 2/3) of the shoulder, so its development directly affects the proportionality and shape of the arms.
Execution technique
Pumping the triceps is most effective if the exercise involves three heads at once, that is, the long, lateral and medial muscles, which together make up the triceps brachii muscle. The development of individual bundles will be appropriate when the athlete reaches a certain level and strives to balance the development of the arms and reduce the gap between one muscle and another. In other cases, it is recommended to perform exercises aimed at the general development of the triceps.
One of the exercises aimed at developing the triceps as a whole is the standing French press. As in the case of performing the French bench press, the athlete should proceed to the exercise only after a thorough warm-up and study of the theoretical nuances, each of which is applied depending on the goals, experience and level of training of the athlete.
The general technique for performing a standing French press is as follows:
- The athlete takes a standing position. It is recommended to place your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointed straight or slightly to the sides.
- The spotter hands the athlete a barbell or dumbbell, and the arms are straightened to a position above the head. The grip is straight. To begin with, it is better to use a light weight to avoid injury, only gradually increasing it as you master the correct technique.
- As you inhale, bend your elbows, but your elbows should not move to the sides.
- When the projectile reaches the bottom point, it is necessary to exhale and begin to move upward, straightening your arms at the elbows (but not all the way, the elbows should be slightly soft).
- After completing the required number of repetitions, the belayer takes the apparatus.
French press with dumbbell
Performing a French press with a dumbbell will allow you to train not only the triceps muscle, but also the anterior deltoid (the front of the shoulder) and the elbow muscle, but the main load will still fall on the triceps. There are different opinions regarding the risk of injury of the exercise, but, in general, if you follow the technique and use progression in the load and proper warm-up, the exercise is considered safe.
To complete the exercise you must do the following:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower, holding one dumbbell. The first approach should always be a warm-up, using minimal weight.
- Next, the dumbbell is grasped at the base with both hands. The bar is located between the palms.
- As you exhale, the projectile rises above your head with outstretched arms.
- As you inhale, bend your elbows.
The exercise has some features that may be of interest to athletes:
- To perform the exercise, you can use not only a dumbbell, but also a weight plate, preferably a small one, 2.5 or 5 kg. This option is especially suitable for beginners.
- It is recommended to work in full amplitude, that is, bend and straighten your arms as much as possible, with the exception of the top point - here the elbows should remain “soft”.
- Elbows should be motionless.
- Movements should be smooth, especially bending.
Taking these features into account will provide greater benefits and minimize the risk of injury.
With a barbell
Performing this exercise with a barbell is considered a classic option. The athlete stands in a standard position (feet shoulder-width apart, back straight), the belayer delivers the barbell. The athlete lifts the apparatus above his head and flexes and extends his arms at the elbows.
You can perform the exercise with both a straight and curved bar, as well as use other variations. Using a barbell with a belayer reduces the risk of injury to a minimum. The exercise technique repeats the classical one, one condition is that the palms should be shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower.
On the bottom block
Exercises performed on simulators are considered the least traumatic. But most often they are more isolated, that is, they load a specific muscle, maximizing the load on the auxiliary muscles. This can be both a plus and a minus, it all depends on the goals and characteristics of the training.
The standing French press on a lower block is performed in almost the same way as the French standing press with a barbell, but instead of a barbell, a machine handle is used. The exercise is usually done at the end of a triceps workout, as a “finisher”.
You can use either a straight handle or other options, including a rope.
One hand standing
Another option for performing the exercise is the one-arm press. It is best to use a dumbbell for this, with a minimum weight to begin with. Weight should be increased gradually.
The exercise is considered effective, it allows you to significantly load the triceps and eliminate muscle asymmetry, if any.
To complete the exercise, you must perform several sequential steps:
- Stand straight, feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
- The dumbbell is taken with one hand in the middle, by the bar. The hand rises above the head, the second hand holds the working one by the triceps area.
- As you inhale, the arm bends, then as you exhale, it extends.
- After the required number of repetitions, the exercise is performed with the other hand.
Features of the exercise are as follows:
- Can be performed independently, in the absence of a belayer, since the second free hand can belay and support the working one.
- The elbow should be motionless during the exercise.
- The elbow points to the side, not straight.
The French press is an excellent exercise for developing the triceps brachii muscle, but it will be even more effective if you take into account some recommendations:
- Beginners are recommended to do the French press with a barbell or dumbbell with both hands. These variations will allow you to evenly distribute the load on each part of the triceps.
- With heavy weights, the exercise should be performed with the help of a spotter. This will help reduce injuries as much as possible.
- If you experience pain in your elbows, you should stop doing the exercise. If the pain does not stop, either the exercise is completely eliminated or the working weight is reduced.
- Elbows and lower back should be fixed, do not allow inertial movements.
The French standing press is used by both beginners and more experienced athletes. As a rule, the triceps are trained either together with the pectoral muscles or with the biceps, that is, on a separate training day for the arms, but there can be much more variation. It all depends on the goals, capabilities and characteristics of a particular athlete.
The exercise is performed both during weight gain and during drying. Each situation has its own characteristics. Gaining mass requires fewer repetitions, from several to 12, depending on the features of the program, but during cutting, multi-repetition training is required, from 20 or more repetitions.
The number of sets will also vary depending on the training program. On average, 3 to 5 working approaches are recommended.
Watch a video that shows the technique of correctly performing a French press.
Video: Standing French press, technique
The standing French press is an excellent exercise suitable for athletes of varying levels of training and skill. When performed correctly and following safety precautions, the exercise will be of great benefit and will allow you to work the triceps brachii muscle properly. It is still better to start training with basic exercises, leaving the French press for “finishing” - the effectiveness of this approach will be the highest.
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.
The standing EZ-bar French press exercise pumps up the long (back) head of the triceps, especially its bottom, giving it detail. Formative exercise.
Seated French press EZ-bar Maximum isolates the load on the long head of the triceps, located on the back of the arm. As a result, this muscle bundle increases in thickness and takes on clear, expressive shapes, which visually expands the upper part of the arm when viewed from the side.
The strength of the triceps brachii muscle, which straightens the arm at the elbow joint, largely determines success in badminton (hitting the shuttlecock from behind the head), volleyball (serving the ball and hitting the ball from behind the head), pole vaulting (especially at the moment of take-off from pole), gymnastics (performing handstands and various exercises on the uneven bars), boxing (straight blows), karate (punching from the body to the side and from top to bottom).
French EZ-bar press sitting (standing) - triceps exercise 1. Place the back of the bench upright, sit on the seat and place your feet on the floor. The trapezoids are pressed against the back of the bench. The back is straight and slightly arched at the lower back.
2. Grab the EZ bar with a close overhand grip, preferably on the curved parts of the bar (palms slightly turned towards each other and the distance between them is less than shoulder width).
3. Raise the barbell up so that the bar is directly above the top of your head. The arms and torso are fully straightened and are in the same vertical plane passing through the sides of the body. The chin is parallel to the floor or slightly raised up. This is the starting position.
4. Take a fairly deep breath and, holding your breath, bend your elbows and lower the bar behind your head.
5. Please note: throughout the entire set, the upper arms (from elbow to shoulder) and torso must remain motionless.
6. Lower the barbell behind your head until you feel your triceps stretch like strings. Then, without pausing, contract your triceps as hard as you can and lift the barbell back to the starting position.
7. Exhale only when the bar has passed the hardest part of the lift or when you have fully straightened your arms.
8. At the top of the exercise, take a short pause and tighten your triceps even more.
French press EZ-bar sitting (standing) - muscles 1. To avoid rounding your back, tighten your psoas muscles and maintain the natural, S-shaped curve of your spine.
2. Don't move your elbows! They should remain motionless throughout the entire exercise, as should your torso, shoulders and legs. All the movement that occurs is only flexion and extension of the arms at the elbow joint.
3. To achieve maximum contraction of the long head of the triceps and anconeus muscles (they are the focus of the load in this exercise), be sure to fully straighten your arms at the top of the exercise.
4. Compared to a straight bar, the EZ bar is much more comfortable, as it significantly reduces the load on the wrists due to the fact that the palms are turned towards each other.
6. Do not perform this exercise if your shoulder joints are not flexible enough and you find it difficult to bend and straighten your arms when your upper arms (elbow to shoulder) are straight up.
7. Do not lean your elbows forward during the exercise. This dangerously shifts the focus of the load from the triceps to the spine, which can lead to loss of balance.
8. If you find it difficult to keep the barbell balanced when doing the exercise while sitting, try doing it while standing. This will engage additional stabilizer muscles in the legs and torso, which will make it easier to hold the barbell overhead in balance.
Any gym goer wants to build up large and sculpted biceps. But not everyone knows that 2/3 of the volume of the arm falls on its antagonist - the triceps.
Many visitors to fitness centers are familiar with such an exercise as the French bench press with a barbell. What muscles work when performing it and what are the nuances of the technique? How to pump up big and strong arms, what types of French press are there and what can replace it? About this and more in this article.
The French press is one of the main exercises for training the triceps. To better understand the nuances of the technique of this wonderful exercise, you need to understand how it is carried out. Let's look at the main aspects related to the anatomy of the triceps.
The triceps brachii muscle (triceps) is located on the back of the humerus, being an antagonist to the biceps. As the name suggests, the muscle consists of three heads (bundles): long (internal), lateral (external) and medial (middle). The long head originates from the scapula, and the lateral and medial heads are attached to the humerus. All three heads form a single tendon that attaches to the ulna (upper part of the forearm).
As already noted, the triceps account for approximately 2/3 of the shoulder volume, so special attention should be paid to its development. Genetically, the triceps can be longer (with a short tendon) or shorter and more convex (with a long tendon). This feature is congenital and cannot be corrected through training.
Functions of the triceps
Thanks to three heads, one of which is attached to the scapula, the muscle performs several functions:
- forearm extension: straightening the arm at the elbow;
- shoulder extension: lowering the arm in front of you;
- shoulder adduction: lowering the arm to the side.
Let us immediately note that the main movement through which the triceps is trained is the extension of the forearm. The French bench press with a barbell, like other exercises for the triceps brachii muscle, is physiologically an extension of the arms at the elbow joint.
French press technique
The technique of performing the French press with a barbell while standing and sitting is based on the same principles. Let's take the standing option as a basis.
Progress:
- Take the barbell with a grip narrower than shoulder width (choose an individually comfortable grip width) and lift the barbell above your head with your arms almost straight (the elbow joint should always be included).
- As you inhale, smoothly lower the barbell behind your head, but no more than to a right angle between the forearm and the humerus: the movement is carried out exclusively in the elbow joint.
- As you exhale, with a powerful upward movement, almost completely straighten your arms at the elbow joint, keeping your tense shoulders motionless: the movement is carried out exclusively in the elbow joint, which always remains slightly engaged.
- If necessary, repeat steps 2 and 3 until the planned number of repetitions is completed or until the correct exercise technique begins to break down.
Important nuances
- For most people, it makes sense to use a curved bar: its design allows the movement to be performed without kinks in the wrists or hyperextension of the ligaments.
- Inertia should be avoided by performing the movement under control, without jerking.
- It is important to watch your elbows; your arms should not “spread” to the sides. If this happens, then you need to either reduce the weight of the weight or change the regular bar to an EZ (curved) one.
- The weight of the weight should not be allowed to be too large, as this will entail a violation of the technique of performing the exercise and the inability to do the specified number of repetitions without cheating.
- As already noted, the angle between the shoulder and forearm should always be greater than 90 degrees, i.e. don't become sharp.
- If you experience the slightest pain in the elbow or shoulder joints, you must immediately complete the exercise and understand the causes of the pain by contacting a specialist. This will help you stay healthy and avoid injury.
- The standing French press is the most traumatic form of this exercise. If there is the slightest discomfort or a feeling of hyperextension of any part of the body, it is advisable to replace the standing/sitting press with a lying option, which is biomechanically most comfortable.
It is recommended to do a French bench press with a barbell, as mentioned above, if discomfort or pain occurs when performing it while standing or sitting. In its classic form, it is performed on a horizontal bench.
Exercise technique:
- Lie with your back on a horizontal bench, having previously asked your partner or coach to place the pre-assembled barbell on your arms, which are almost straightened at the elbow joint (here the rule about constant engagement of the elbows also applies, as in the option described above).
- While inhaling, smoothly lower the barbell so that at the lowest point of the amplitude the bar is above the forehead; the movement is carried out mainly in the elbow joint.
- As you exhale, with a powerful upward movement, almost completely straighten your arms at the elbow joint, which always remains slightly engaged.
- If necessary, repeat steps 2 and 3 until the planned number of repetitions is completed or until the moment when there is no strength left to continue the exercise technically correctly.
Nuances of technology
- All recommendations that were given for the standing/sitting option must be followed.
- In order to shift the emphasis to the long head, you can move your arms back a little in the starting position - the shoulder will not be perpendicular to the body, but forms an angle of 45 degrees with it. Accordingly, in the lower part of the amplitude, the bar descends not to the forehead, but to the crown of the head.
- To shift the load onto the long head, you can perform the exercise not on a horizontal, but on an inclined (up) bench. In this case, the starting position already creates the necessary angle between the body and the shoulder.
Bench press
The barbell bench press is a basic exercise for developing the triceps, as this muscle plays a leading role in the upper part of the amplitude when squeezing the barbell from the chest. But if you use a narrow grip, i.e. If you take a barbell narrower than shoulder width, the load will fall almost entirely on the triceps brachii muscle.
The advantage of the barbell is its widespread availability and reasonable price when compared with the cost of exercise equipment. It is also one of the most versatile sports equipment. Today, many people prefer to purchase a barbell and exercise on their own, setting up a sports corner at home or in the garage.
Both the French and close-grip bench press are among the most effective triceps exercises at home, provided you have the appropriate equipment. But it’s worth considering that it’s always better to practice with a partner who can back you up at any time, which significantly reduces the risk of injury.
Dumbbells
You can perform French presses with dumbbells. You can do it sitting or standing, or lying down. With one dumbbell or two. Since almost everyone can afford to buy a pair of dumbbells, triceps exercises at home with them are practiced by many fitness and healthy lifestyle enthusiasts. Let's consider, as an example, performing this exercise while sitting with one dumbbell, because... This is the most common and safest option.
- Sitting on a bench, with your feet firmly planted on the floor, lift a dumbbell above your head with straightened arms, holding it with the palms of both hands at the top edge.
- While inhaling, slowly lower the weight behind your head until a right angle is formed at the elbow joint. It is necessary to ensure that the elbows do not “spread” to the sides.
- As you exhale, use a powerful triceps force to return the projectile to its original position.
- Repeat points 2 and 3 until the planned number of repetitions is completed or until the moment when there is no strength left to continue the exercise technically correctly.
Let's sum it up
The high effectiveness of the standing French press exercise with a barbell is undeniable. This is confirmed by many athletes. You can also perform the French press with dumbbells, which makes it extremely popular, including among those who prefer to exercise at home.
Most of the shoulder volume (two thirds) comes from the triceps muscle. A common mistake made by beginners is to over-train the biceps, since they are half the size of their antagonist. You should always remember that the main thing on the path to physical perfection is to preserve, or better yet strengthen and increase your health. A good warm-up and proper exercise technique will help with this.
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