French press: how to perform it.
The French press (skull crusher, if you're into that kind of thrill) is the most productive isolation exercise for triceps: you extend the elbow under load with the muscle stretched, something pressing movements never fully achieve. Its only flaw: rush it with press-level loads and your elbows will send you the bill.
Starting position
- Lie on a flat bench, grip the barbell (EZ bar preferred) with a close grip, arms extended above your shoulders.
- Tilt your arms slightly back toward your head (10-15°): this keeps tension on the triceps even when your arms are fully extended.
- Feet on the floor, shoulder blades pinned to the bench: the platform is stable, only your elbows move.
Proper form
- Bend your elbows, lowering the bar toward your forehead (or just behind your head), over 2-3 seconds.
- Your elbows stay fixed in space, shoulder-width apart: they don't flare and they don't chase the bar.
- Go down to the deepest controllable flexion: the further back behind your head you go, the more the long head works in a stretched position.
- Extend your elbows to bring the bar back up, without turning the movement into a close-grip bench press.
- Finish with arms extended, keeping that slight backward tilt toward your head: tension never switches off.
When to inhale, when to exhale
Inhale as the bar lowers toward your forehead, exhale as you extend. Controlled tempo: the slow descent is half the value of this exercise.
Mistakes to avoid
When your elbows spread wide, your chest takes over and your triceps check out. Keep them shoulder-width apart, pointing at the ceiling: if you can't manage that, the load is too heavy.
If your elbow travels toward your feet and back, you're doing a hybrid with the close-grip bench press: legitimate movement, but it's not a French press. The elbow is a fixed hinge, only the forearm moves.
The elbow is a small joint under concentrated load: train the French press with moderate reps (8-15) and gradual progressions, not heavy singles. Elbow pain isn't "the pump."
DAWT tip. If your elbows flare up despite clean technique, shift the descent BEHIND your head instead of to your forehead, and use the EZ bar: same payoff for the long head, much gentler on the joint.
Variations and alternatives
Quick answers
French press to the forehead or behind the head?
Behind the head stretches the long head (the biggest of the three heads) more and is often easier on the elbows. To the forehead is the classic version. Try both and stick with whichever your elbows approve of.
French press or pushdown, which is better?
They work the triceps at different points in the range: the French press in the stretched position, the pushdown in the shortened position. Pairing French press + pushdown covers the full range and is a staple of well-built programs.
Related exercises
How much should you load on this exercise?
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