Z Press (Barbell)
Sit on the floor with the legs straight out and press a barbell overhead, with nothing to lean against. Also called Z Press.
- Pattern
- Press overhead
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Works
- Front delt, side delt, triceps, abs
- Loads
- Shoulders, elbows, wrists, lower back
If something hurts
Not medical advice. Sharp pain, numbness or swelling needs someone qualified to look at it.
Each swap below spares one joint.
Shoulder Landmine PressTry it if it feels okay
Angled press, no overhead shoulder position and no wrist load.
Elbow Front Raise (Dumbbell)
A raise's elbow stays fixed, so no elbow bend loads it.
Wrist Landmine Press
Angled press, no overhead shoulder position and no wrist load.
Lower back Seated Shoulder Press (Machine)
Back supported, so the spine and wrist are out of it.
When it stalls, these usually help
Direct work for your side delts, which this lift also depends on.
Direct work for your triceps, which this lift also depends on.
How Swolver coaches it
This lift is read from your own sessions. When it goes flat for four weeks, Swolver names the likely cause in plain words, such as weekly sets that dropped, and the one change to make. The rules are all on the method page.