Barbell Larsen Press
What Is the Barbell Larsen Press?
Barbell Larsen Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest and also engages the front shoulders, triceps and the muscles of the trunk. It is an intermediate-level movement: a flat barbell bench press performed with the legs held straight out and the feet off the floor, so the legs cannot drive into the ground to help the bar up.
The variation is named after powerlifter Adrian Larsen, who popularized it, and it is used mainly as a bench press accessory. Taking the legs out of the lift leaves the chest, shoulders and triceps to produce all of the force, so the same weight feels heavier without adding plates, bands or chains. Without the floor to push against, it is also harder to hold a big arch, which usually means a slightly longer bar path and more work at the bottom of the press. Powerlifting rules require the feet to stay on the floor, so the Larsen press is a training tool rather than a competition lift.
Its other value is feedback. With nothing below the hips to brace against, the upper back has to stay tight on its own and the trunk has to keep the body from shifting or rocking on the bench, so a loose setup or a wandering bar path shows up quickly. That makes it useful for lifters who lose their shoulder-blade position as the bar comes down, who rely on leg drive to cover weak spots off the chest, or who want extra pressing volume on a day they want to keep the legs and hips fresh. Compared with the Barbell Floor Press and the Barbell Pin Press, which shorten the range or start each rep from a dead stop, the Larsen press keeps the full range of the Barbell Bench Press and simply removes the help from the lower body.
It suits lifters who already bench with a steady setup and a consistent touch point. Expect to use less weight than on your regular bench press and treat it as a controlled accessory, not a lift to max out. Newer lifters should first learn the setup, bar path and leg drive of the standard Barbell Bench Press, or build pressing strength with the Dumbbell Bench Press, before taking the feet off the floor.
Muscles Worked
- Pectoralis Major
- Primary
- Deltoid
- High
- Serratus Anterior
- Medium
Instructions
- Lie on a flat bench with your eyes about under the bar. If you train alone, set safety arms just below chest height.
- Grip the bar overhand with your thumbs wrapped around it, slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench and keep your head, upper back and hips on the pad.
- With your feet on the floor, unrack the bar and hold it on straight arms directly over your shoulders.
- Lift your feet off the floor and extend your legs straight out in line with the bench, keeping your hips down and your core braced.
- Take a breath and lower the bar under control to your lower chest, with your forearms vertical and your elbows slightly tucked.
- Touch the chest without bouncing, then press the bar up and slightly back until your arms are straight and the bar is over your shoulders.
- Keep your legs still and off the floor for every rep.
- After the last rep, hold the bar at lockout, put your feet back on the floor and rack the bar.
Common Mistakes
Skipping the normal setup
Lifting the legs before the shoulder blades are pulled back and the upper back is tight leaves you pressing from a loose position, so set up exactly as for a regular bench first.
Losing upper-back tightness
Letting the shoulder blades slide apart as the bar comes down rolls the shoulders forward and makes the press start from a weaker, less stable position.
Over-arching the lower back
Raising the chest by cranking the lower back into a big arch while the legs are straight strains the spine and defeats the reduced-arch intent of the variation.
Touching down with the feet
Dropping the feet to the floor or swinging the legs to get the bar moving brings back the leg drive the exercise is meant to remove.
Bouncing or lifting the hips
Bouncing the bar off the chest or lifting the hips off the bench to break the bar off the chest replaces upper-body strength with momentum.
Using regular bench weights
Loading the bar as for a feet-down bench press costs control and balance, so use a lighter weight you can press smoothly with a steady body.
Injuries
Barbell Larsen Press is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. As on any barbell bench press, the front of the shoulder and the pectoral tendon take the most stress, especially at the bottom where the chest is stretched under load. Pectoral tears most often happen during heavy bench pressing while the bar is being lowered. The Larsen press adds a balance demand: with the feet off the floor, the body can shift or tip on the bench, and a loss of position under a heavy bar can quickly become a loss of control. Some lifters also find that straight legs tilt the pelvis and pull the lower back into an excessive arch.
Use lighter loads than on your regular bench, lower the bar under control, and keep the shoulder blades pulled back and down throughout the set. Keep the hips and upper back on the bench and brace the trunk so the lower back does not over-arch. Unrack the bar with your feet on the floor if you have no spotter, and press inside a rack with safety arms set just below chest height, or with a spotter, for any challenging set. If straight legs strain your lower back, rest your heels on a low box or plates instead of hovering them.
If you cannot stay balanced or keep the bar path steady, go back to the Barbell Bench Press with the feet planted, or use the Smith Machine Bench Press, which removes the balance demand on the bar. If the bottom position bothers your shoulder, the Barbell Floor Press shortens the range. To progress, add load in small steps or add a brief pause on the chest.
Stop the set if you feel a pinching pain at the front of the shoulder or pain in the lower back, and stop immediately for a sudden sharp pain or a pop in the chest, armpit or front of the shoulder, then get it checked promptly. Bruising or a change in the shape of the chest or armpit after a set also needs medical attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Is the Larsen press the same as a feet-up bench press?
Not quite, although some people use the names loosely. In a feet-up bench press the knees are bent and the feet rest on the bench, while in the Larsen press the legs are straight and the feet hover off the floor, which asks more of the trunk to keep you steady.
- Q: How much weight should I use compared with my regular bench press?
Less than on your regular bench, because the legs no longer help drive the bar and you have to stay balanced. How much less varies from lifter to lifter, so start light and judge progress against your own previous Larsen press sessions rather than your bench numbers.
- Q: Can my heels touch the floor?
No, the feet stay off the floor for the whole set, otherwise you can push through them and the leg drive returns. If straight, hovering legs strain your lower back, resting the heels on a low box or plates is a reasonable compromise.
- Q: Is the Larsen press good for beginners?
Usually not as a first bench variation. Beginners get more from learning the setup, bar path and leg drive of the Barbell Bench Press first, then adding the Larsen press once that technique is consistent.
- Q: Where does the Larsen press fit in a workout?
Most lifters use it as an accessory after their main bench work, for 3 to 4 sets of moderate weight with controlled reps. It can also replace the main bench for a training block when the goal is upper-back control and pressing strength without leg drive.