Bradford Press
Also known as: Barbell Bradford Press, Standing Bradford Press, Front-to-Back Press
Body region
Muscles
Main
Helps
Holds
Equipment
Technique
- Unrack a light barbell at the front of your shoulders, grip a little wider than shoulder width.
- Press the bar up just high enough to clear the top of your head.
- Lower it behind the head to the base of the neck.
- Press it up again just over the head and bring it back down to the front of the shoulders; that is one rep.
Cues
- Keep the bar moving without locking the elbows, so the shoulders stay loaded.
- Brace the abs and squeeze the glutes to keep the ribs down.
- Use a light weight; only do this if pressing behind the head is pain-free.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the bar hard onto the neck behind the head.
- Pushing the head forward too far or leaning back to clear the bar.
- Choosing a weight that forces a jerky motion.