French press

change of angle french press

Training the triceps along with the biceps is one of the most common habits in gyms. Although most prioritize the biceps, it is the triceps that makes the overall arm look bigger. Therefore, we must train it with the same frequency and intensity with which we train the biceps. In this case, I bring you today a very good exercise to isolate the triceps well and concentrate a lot of effort on it. Its about French press.

If you do not know the French press and want to know how to do it correctly, what aspects to take into account, what are its benefits, etc. Here we explain everything to you.

What is the French press

french press

The French press is a basic isolated exercise that helps a lot to improve the muscles in our arms. Fundamentally, does work on the triceps. It is done on a flat bench to be able to concentrate our efforts on this muscle that we want to work. It is an exercise with which we can work both with the bar and with dumbbells. It is an exercise that, at first, may cost something to do but, once it begins, it is quite simple.

As we always warn in other bodybuilding and fitness posts, it is important to prioritize technique over weight. Many people do this exercise poorly because they do not adjust the load to their capacities. We must now leave the ego of the gym to be stronger to lift more kilos.

Let's see the main aspects of the French press:

  • It is one of the best exercises to develop the triceps muscles. Therefore, if we do not feel it while we are doing the exercise, we are probably not doing it correctly. Being an isolated work, we must notice this muscle very quickly. We can feel it in the entire range of motion.
  • It is not considered a multi-joint exercise although it also works some secondary muscles such as the stabilizers of the trunk.
  • There are people who prefer to do it with dumbbells because they can handle less weight and feel the muscle better.

How to do it

We are going to tell you step by step how this exercise should be properly and effectively worked. We will give you some tips so that the technique is the best possible. It is important that these tips are strictly followed so that you carry out the exercise well. If from the beginning we catch vices or hobbies when doing some type of exercise, then we realize that it will be more difficult to get rid of this habit and we will reduce the effectiveness with which we work.

These are the main steps to do the French press:

  • We stand on a flat bench and grasp the bar with a prone grip. We put the forearms flexed and the arms vertical.
  • We take the air and make a tension of the elbows, reaching the bar to the forehead, but without actually touching it. In the old school, this exercise was known as the "face breaker."
  • As you lower the bar to your forehead, avoid spreading your elbows, as you will lose recruitment of triceps fibers. Focus on bringing both elbows together at the head.

This exercise has the variants with the dumbbells to better individualize the arm. Many people have exaggeratedly more strength in one arm than the other. This means that the weak arm is limiting the development of symmetry. So if we're pursuing both an aesthetic and a performance goal, there are times when working unilaterally is better.

Another variant is to work with pulleys. You stand on the straight bench lying down and use the pulley instead of the bar.

Tips for doing the French press well

French press variant

As this exercise can be somewhat cumbersome at first, it is important to get to the technique as soon as possible. As always, I repeat that it is better to do the exercise correctly than to lift more weight. It is important to train heavy to generate adaptations, but do not become obsessed with your marks. Unless you want to be a powerlifter, of course.

We are going to list some of the best tips for doing the French press:

  • When you lie down on the flat bench, Position your back well on the bench to avoid injuring yourself. The head cannot be too high or too low. When we take the bar, it is possible that we do not control the weight well and we go to the sides.
  • When flexing the bar to position it almost to the forehead, try to bring it as straight as possible. Do not swing it at any time, or arch your back. It is not at all advisable to lower the bar quickly, since we will really know why they call it a front-breaker. Also, the shoulder can easily be injured.
  • If you have any doubts, it is much better to notify someone who knows or the same monitor to see you while you do it and correct you as necessary.
  • If you want to work the short head and middle of the triceps more, then bring the bar up to the height of the forehead. Conversely, if you want to put more emphasis on the long head, bring the bar down to the back of your head.
  • Breathing is important in exercises and many people do not take it into account. It must be adequate. That is, we expel the air when we raise the weights and we catch the air when we make the downward movement of the bar to the forehead.

Personal Trainer Tips

how to do french press

As a personal trainer, I recommend that you notice your triceps while working on this exercise. If you don't notice it, you are not doing it correctly. Push the bar up with your triceps only. Otherwise, you will be involving other muscles and we can injure ourselves.

Stick your elbows as close to your body as possible to focus your effort on your triceps. If you want to learn, I advise you to do exercises with the variations above the forehead and behind the head. In this way, you will be able to know the technique and on top of that you will work the three portions of the triceps.

I hope that with these tips you can learn to do the French press well.


Be the first to comment

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.