Barbell z-press
The barbell Z-press is a floor-seated overhead press that works your shoulders and the backs of your upper arms. It builds overhead strength while asking your middle and upper back to keep you steady, making it a useful choice when you are comfortable sitting upright with your legs extended.
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Seated on the floor with your legs out in front, you press a barbell overhead without help from a bench or back support. You should mainly feel the effort across your shoulders and the backs of your upper arms, with your stomach, sides and upper back working to hold your torso upright.
Adding a barbell to the Z-press provides added resistance and gives both hands one shared load to control. That makes the overhead effort more noticeable through your shoulders and arms, while your middle works to resist leaning or twisting. Choose this version when the unweighted Z-press feels familiar and you want to build strength with a fixed hand position.
This variation helps you build strength for reaching and pressing overhead while keeping your whole torso involved. Because you sit on the floor with no back support, it suits you if you are comfortable getting down to the floor, extending your legs and staying upright there. You will also want shoulders and elbows that feel comfortable bearing an overhead load.
It can fit into an upper-body session, preferably while you are fresh enough to stay steady without a backrest. If you do not have a barbell, the parent Z-press is the direct equipment-free alternative and keeps the same floor-seated position, though without the added resistance or shared bar position.
How to do it
Sit upright on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and slightly apart.
Hold the barbell at your upper chest with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
Point your elbows down and slightly forward beneath the barbell before beginning the press.
Tighten your middle to keep your upper body tall and steady.
Press the barbell overhead until your arms are straight and the bar is above your shoulders.
Lower the barbell back to your upper chest while maintaining your upright seated position.