EZ-Barbell Anti-Gravity Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Set an incline bench to a 45 to 60-degree angle.
2. Lie face-down (prone) on the bench with your chest firmly against the pad and your feet securely planted on the floor for stability.
3. Grasp the EZ-bar with a shoulder-width grip on the outer knurling.
4. Pull the bar up toward your collarbone to reach the starting position, keeping your elbows tucked.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you press the bar straight up and slightly forward, following the angle of the bench until your arms are fully extended.
2. At the top of the movement, squeeze your shoulders and upper traps for a brief second.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the bar back to the starting position near your upper chest/chin.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-1-2-0 tempo (2 seconds up, 1 second pause, 2 seconds down).

Form checklist

• Keep your chest in constant contact with the bench pad to prevent using momentum.
• Maintain a neutral neck position by looking slightly down or straight ahead, not up.
• Ensure your elbows stay directly under your wrists throughout the press.
• Avoid arching your back off the pad as the weight gets heavy.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'shrugging' the bar toward the ceiling at the very top of the rep to fully engage the trapezius and serratus anterior.
• Squeeze the EZ-bar as hard as possible to increase neural drive and shoulder stability through irradiation.

Make it harder

• Implement a 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension.
• Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of the rep, just off the chest, to eliminate the stretch reflex.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the ez-barbell anti-gravity press work?

The ez-barbell anti-gravity press primarily targets the pectorals and triceps, and also works the abs, deltoids, lats, obliques, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the ez-barbell anti-gravity press?

The ez-barbell anti-gravity press uses ez barbell and weight plate.

Is the ez-barbell anti-gravity press good for beginners?

The ez-barbell anti-gravity press is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

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• Baseball HitAdvanced · biceps, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, lats, obliques, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps