French bench press technique. French bench press behind the head video

Big hands- the goal of any man. But to make them really big, you need to try. Typically, beginners pay a lot of attention to the biceps and much less to the triceps. This is the wrong approach, because the triceps take on more than 60% of the arm's volume. In addition, even a very pumped up biceps will not stand out if it is not “supported” by the triceps. So let's develop harmoniously and work out all the muscles! Today we will talk about the most common and effective

general characteristics

An exercise like the French with dumbbells allows you to effectively work out all three heads of the triceps. The movement involves only one joint (elbow) and a minimum number of auxiliary muscles, so the exercise is classified as isolating. It is useful and effective for athletes of any level, but especially for beginners. If you are a beginner and want to feel the work of the arm extensor, then choose the French bench press with dumbbells.

The base for the triceps is represented by exercises such as dips and close-grip bench press. These exercises work multiple joints and a large number of different muscle fibers.

When to Perform the French Bench Press with Dumbbells

Since the exercise is isolating, it must be performed either at the beginning of the lesson or at the end. It all depends on your training method. For example, if you practice using the pre-fatigue method, then you need to do this exercise before the basic ones. And if your workout follows the usual plan, then it is better to leave the French bench press with dumbbells for the end of the session, when all the base is done.

Differences from the analogue with a barbell

Unlike a similar press with dumbbells, it is not so traumatic. Dumbbells allow you to increase the range of motion of your arms and make the exercise safer for your elbow joints. Additionally, to some extent, muscles are involved in the work shoulder girdle and breasts. But the main burden falls on long head arm extensor Another advantage of the dumbbell press is that there is no bar, which means nothing will fall on your head.

But it won’t be without its downsides either. As with any exercise, dumbbells are harder to lift than a barbell of the same weight. The fact is that when working with dumbbells you need to constantly monitor coordination and correct amplitude of the arms. If you relax even a little, they will definitely be pulled to the side, and this can be extremely dangerous for the joints. In this case the main task When performing the exercise, the athlete should keep his elbows in one position, parallel to each other. This is difficult to do, especially when the muscles are already tired and the chest and shoulder are trying to get involved. But if you can perform the movements as controlled as possible, you will not only protect your joints, but also work out your triceps perfectly.

1. So, first, prepare two dumbbells and place them near the bench. Sitting on the edge of a bench, take dumbbells and place them on your knees. Now you will be able to lie down comfortably. Lie down on a horizontal bench and lift the dumbbells up. Hands should be shoulder-width apart and at right angles to the body. The palms look at each other. Remember this position, as it is the starting position.

2. With an inhalation, smoothly lower the dumbbells to your head until they are Bottom part will not be approximately level with the ears. When lowering, your elbows and shoulders should be motionless. Only the elbow joints and forearm work.

3. Pausing literally for a split second at the bottom, as you exhale, smoothly lift the dumbbells to the starting position. Your arms should be fully extended so that the triceps contract as much as possible.

4. All that remains is to do the exercise 8-12 times. To ensure that the arm extensor is well tired at the end of the approach, you need to correctly select the weight of the dumbbells. Don't be lazy to spend a couple of approaches on this.

Notes

1. A little more about weight. Don't try to take too heavy shells. With the right technique, less weight will be enough. Too much heavy weight can lead to unpleasant consequences - sprained ligaments and tendons and injuries.

2. If you have problems with the elbow joint, it is better to replace the French bench press with dumbbells with another exercise where the load on the elbows is not so great. It could be basic exercise, for example, bench press with a narrow grip.

3. If you find it difficult to follow both hands, you can perform the movement alternately. Another option that will help you cope with your arms trying to move to the side is to use one dumbbell. In this case, the dumbbell should be heavier than for one hand. You should take it in the same way as shown in the photo.

4. If you want your triceps to contract even more efficiently, that’s no question. Simply rotate your hands outward at the top point so that your palms face forward. Then return your hands to their original position and continue moving.

5. The main priority is close control of the elbows and shoulders. Only the elbow joint works!

6. It is important to monitor the range of motion and ensure that the muscle contracts well at the top and stretches at the bottom.

7. To slightly increase the range of motion and help the triceps stretch well in the lower position, you can slightly tilt your arms towards your head.

8. To protect yourself from dumbbells falling, you can use straps. This measure will also help relieve the muscles of the forearm, which are responsible for and after a good workout constantly remind you of themselves, distracting you from the target muscles.

Home workout

If you're working out at home and don't have a bench, don't worry. This exercise Can also be done on the floor. Moreover, the French bench press on the floor with dumbbells is no less effective than on a bench.

In addition to the French press, you can do a regular triceps press. It differs only in the position of the forearm - turned perpendicular to the body. This exercise is done for each arm separately and allows you to achieve good amplitude even on the floor.

Conclusion

Today we figured out how to work out using the French press. Do not neglect the triceps, because in our body all muscles are important, and even the most beautiful biceps You won't look good without triceps! French press Lying down with dumbbells is just as relevant for girls as it is for men. It is no different in terms of technique. But girls usually don’t do it to pump up their triceps. And just to tighten up your arms.

And finally, it’s worth reminding once again that safety comes first, and health is much more important than beauty!

Technique for performing the exercise;
Typical beginner mistakes;
What can replace this exercise?

What muscles does the French barbell press work?

The French bench press is an exercise that puts the greatest load on the long triceps, which for most athletes responds most heavily to strength training. It's all about the correct range of motion: here we can stretch and shorten the long head of the triceps as much as possible. For the greatest stretch of the triceps in the negative phase of the movement, some athletes perform this exercise with a barbell or dumbbell at incline bench at an angle of 30-45 degrees. The lateral and medial triceps bundles also receive a sufficient share of the load, due to which a colossal leap in the development of the arm muscles occurs.

In addition to the triceps, the anterior bundles are actively involved in the work deltoid muscles and muscles of the forearms. The core muscles are responsible for stabilizing our body, so they also carry a small static load.

Correct technique for performing a French press

Not only the volume and strength of your muscles, but also the condition of the joints and ligaments that work when performing the movement depends on how clearly you follow the correct technique for performing the French bench press. The French press is just one of those exercises where there is only one factor, if you pay due attention to it, you will certainly achieve success - technique.

And now attention: most gym goers do not have the slightest idea how to properly do a French bench press with a barbell. There are a huge number of mistakes: from the position of the elbows to the placement of the feet.

The French bench press with a barbell is an exercise that puts the greatest load on the long head of our triceps, which, as a rule, responds most heavily to training.

It's all about the correct range of motion: here we can stretch and shorten the long head of the triceps as much as possible. For maximum stretching, some athletes perform this exercise on an incline bench at an angle of 30-45 degrees. The lateral and medial triceps bundles also receive a sufficient share of the load, due to which a colossal leap in the development of the arm muscles occurs.

Initial position

First, place the barbell at the head of the bench at a comfortable level for you, or ask your training partner to hand it to you.
Bend your elbows, carefully grasp the bar with your palms at a distance symmetrical from the center and lift it up, fully straightening your elbows. This is our starting position. The width of your grip depends on what kind of bar you are working with, so in order to diversify the load, I recommend changing the bar from workout to workout: straight, EZ- or W-shaped, all of them are great for the French press.

Barbell bench press

If you want to make it more challenging, try doing the French press with a barbell while lying on an incline bench. Ask a gym buddy for help so that he can hand you a barbell; it’s not very convenient to lift it yourself.

The biomechanics of the French press on a horizontal and incline bench are the same, but the slight incline gives us the opportunity to stretch the triceps even more (and put even more stress on the elbow joints and ligaments, remember that too).

For this reason, the French incline press should not be approached with too much zeal or fanaticism, the weights should be moderate, and the movement technique should not be changed. When performing a French press with a barbell on an incline bench, you can slightly lift the back of your head from the bench and bring the barbell behind your head - this way you will add a few precious centimeters to the amplitude of the press and stretch the long head of the triceps even more.

Technique for performing the French bench press with a barbell on horizontal bench well demonstrated in this video:

Typical beginner mistakes

This is terribly unfair, but often the more effective the exercise, the more traumatic it is. The French press is no exception in this matter. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the technical errors listed below and try to never repeat them.

Elbows should be at the same level throughout the entire approach. Try to keep them still; any movement to the side (especially inward) significantly increases the risk of injury. To avoid this, start doing French presses with minimal weights, mentally concentrating as much as possible not only on stretching and contracting the triceps, but also on the position of the elbows.

Don't reinvent the wheel. I have repeatedly seen in gym the following picture - the athlete puts his feet on the bench during the approach of the French press, there is absolutely no point in this, the load on the muscles does not change at all, and maintaining a stable position on the bench becomes much more difficult.

Don't throw your head down. Often, many beginning athletes throw their heads down (below the level of the horizontal bench) while performing the French press, supposedly in order to better stretch the triceps. In fact, there is absolutely no difference where your head will be located, since the amplitude will be the same in both cases. But if you lower your head down, your intracranial pressure increases, which we do not need at all during strength training.

Pay due attention to warm-up. You shouldn't even start doing this exercise without properly stretching your elbows, shoulders and hands. If you neglect to warm up, sooner or later you will definitely get injured, and you will also not be able to work out your triceps well - it is much more difficult to “feel” the movement on cold joints and muscles.

What alternatives are there to the barbell French press?

Probably no triceps exercise gives such a powerful impetus to growth as the French bench press does. However, for some athletes this exercise will seem too difficult from a technical point of view - indeed, it is quite difficult to concentrate on the work we need muscle group and keep an eye on correct position elbows. For some, it may be contraindicated for individual reasons: degenerative changes in the elbow joint, ligament damage, recovery from an injury, etc.

You can try to solve this problem by reducing the working weights in the French press or changing the barbell to dumbbells or block simulator. In any of the proposed options, the position of the elbows is slightly different, and perhaps in some of them you will not feel pain and discomfort, for example, in a standing French press from the lower block - the angle of the elbows in this version of the exercise is anatomically very convenient.

If this does not help, you should focus on other isolated exercises. Therefore, I advise all those for whom the French bench press with a barbell is not suitable to choose for themselves a couple of movements from the list below.

Close grip bench press

- this is a basic triceps exercise that mainly loads the lateral head of the triceps; the anterior deltoids and inner part pectoral muscles. Its advantage is that the degree of tensile load on the elbow joints is almost minimal, so performing it (with moderate weights, of course) will not harm your health. Moreover, many therapists advise performing the bench press with a close grip with minimal weights and for a high number of repetitions within exercise therapy complexes, since it is the best suited for pumping blood into the injured area and accelerating the healing of the injury.

Dips

You can well emphasize the load on the medal and lateral heads of the triceps if during the movement you do not spread your elbows to the sides, but keep them as close to the body as possible. To further increase blood flow to the triceps, I recommend doing dips on the uneven bars with a slightly shortened amplitude, trying not to completely straighten the elbow joints at the top point. An option for more advanced athletes is to do dips on parallel bars with additional weights.

Arm extensions from the upper block

This exercise is aimed more at working out and defining the triceps than at gaining muscle mass. If you comply correct technique and don’t try to perform extensions with maximum working weights, this exercise will only benefit your elbow joints and ligaments. The exercise can be performed with any suitable handle, one or two hands at the same time, I recommend alternating all possible variations from workout to workout.

Push-ups on a medicine ball with narrow arms

Biomechanically, this exercise is similar to a close-grip bench press, but here the task is complicated by the fact that we are working with own weight and independently regulate the trajectory of movement. The entire triceps array, the lower and inner parts of the chest and a huge number of stabilizer muscles work, in addition, due to prolonged static-dynamic load, the strength of the ligaments and tendons increases. A more simplified option is to perform push-ups with your hands close to the floor.

Back push-ups

Due to this exercise, the arm visually becomes more massive and voluminous. You need to rest your palms on a bench standing slightly behind you, stretch your legs forward, you can leave them on the floor or put them on an adjacent bench - it depends on the athlete’s level of training. Here you should work in the longest possible amplitude, trying to lower the buttocks down as low as possible, the load falls mainly on the medial triceps bundle. In addition to the triceps, the anterior deltoids and abdominal muscles also bear an indirect load in push-ups.

One-arm overhead extension with a dumbbell

This exercise is similar in biomechanics to the French press sitting with dumbbells with two hands - the largest part of the load falls on the long triceps bundle. The difference is that the movement does not go strictly down, but to the side, in the direction of the opposite shoulder, so the elbow joints experience significantly less tensile load.

Bent-over one-arm extensions from the lower block

An excellent tool for properly pumping blood and “finishing off” already tired triceps. The risk of injury to this exercise is minimal, and it can be performed by almost every athlete. However, this does not mean that you can run to do this exercise at breakneck speed, not caring about the correct technique and warm-up - it is important to understand that in such isolated exercises aimed at working out the muscles, we are talking about large scales doesn't even go.

It should be noted that the exercises listed above can not only be an alternative to the French barbell press, but also an excellent addition to high-volume triceps training. Most athletes will do no more than three triceps exercises in one workout, this way you will provide good volume and intensity, but will not overtrain your muscles, since the level of catabolic processes in the body will not be so high. And if you can safely do the French press without experiencing pain or discomfort, feel free to include a couple more exercises from the list above in your workout, so the load will be optimal.

If you want to understand the biomechanics and technique of performing the French press in more detail, watch this detailed video:

Inclusion in the training program

The French press is often included in complexes on triceps training day. Most often it is trained together with the chest:

Chest and triceps workout
Exercise	Sets x reps
Bench press	4x12,10,8,6
Incline Dumbbell Press	4x10
Dips	3x12
Incline Dumbbell Flyes	3x12
French bench press	4x12,12,10,10
Overhead one-arm dumbbell extensions	3x10

Another option is a separate arm day, which includes working on the triceps and biceps:

Hand training
Exercise	Sets x reps
Close grip bench press	4x12,10,8,6
French bench press	3х12,10,8
Kick back with dumbbell	3x10
Extension on upper block with rope	3x15
Standing biceps curl	4х15,12,10,8
Barbell curls on a Scott bench	3x10
Alternating dumbbell lifts while sitting on an incline bench	3x10
Reverse grip barbell curl	4x10

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In this article we will look at a very popular exercise in bodybuilding - the French bench press. This exercise specifically develops the triceps.

French bench press - execution technique

Due to complete isolation, the triceps brachii muscle receives effective stimulation, which is difficult to achieve in practical terms in other exercises.

French bench press: features of the exercise

Such triceps exercises are due to the inclusion of two or more joints in the work. It would seem that follow them and you will be happy. But when they are performed, part of the load is taken by the shoulder joint, the back and chest are worked on, as a result, the triceps do not receive enough positive stimulation.

The French bench press has a huge advantage over these two exercises in terms of isolating the triceps. Shoulder joint turns off due to the stationary position of the elbows and shoulder sections of the arms.

The main function of the triceps in our body is to extend the arm at the elbow. The main feature of the French bench press is that the movement occurs only in the elbow joint. It turns out that the load falls almost entirely on one muscle - the triceps.

This exercise helps to build the thickness of the arms by increasing the volume of the lateral and long heads of the triceps.

Let's look at the technique, especially since it is necessary to take into account several important nuances.

French bench press: execution technique

The exercise is performed on a horizontal bench with a straight or curved barbell. The curvature of the bar does not have a significant impact on performance. Decide for yourself how it is more convenient to perform the movement.

In order for the triceps to receive a positive load, it is necessary that the shoulder sections of the arms (anatomically humerus) were parallel to each other at any point in the amplitude. This position of the hands must be firmly fixed and maintained throughout the entire set.

You should choose your grip in such a way that it is comfortable for you to perform extensions in the elbow joint. Typically, this grip corresponds to a width slightly narrower than the shoulders.

An important point when performing the French bench press is to determine where the barbell is lowered. You can lower the barbell closer to your nose or behind your head. By lowering the barbell closer to your nose, you will engage the lateral and medial head of the triceps. When lowering behind the head, the main load begins to be borne by the long head of the triceps, which is so lacking in loads in other exercises.

IN starting position The barbell is placed on the arms, fully straightened at the elbows, slightly at an angle, closer to the back of the head. This is necessary to ensure the correct trajectory when placing the projectile behind the head, and to maintain tension in the triceps at the top point.

Perform the exercise without pushing or jerking. Lower the barbell slowly as you inhale, only by bending your elbows. Raise the projectile to the top point as you exhale, a little faster, also by fully extending your arm at the elbow. Avoid any shoulder movements – You should only pull the weight with triceps strength.

At the bottom point, pause for a moment - this way you stretch your triceps. At the top point, also take a short break - feeling the maximum contraction. While performing the movement, try to keep your elbows as close to each other as possible.

In order to maximally involve the triceps in work and minimize the action of the stabilizer muscles, perform full extension of the arm at the elbow. This is the only way to achieve complete contraction of the triceps. Do not press the barbell with your shoulders, back or chest. The shoulders are strictly motionless.

For more isolated work, place your feet on a bench. This will minimize the work of auxiliary muscle groups and focus on the work of the triceps. However, you need to be 100% sure that you can maintain your balance. Use a wide bench or perform the exercise on the floor - the effect is remarkable.

Perform the French bench press in a high rep range (10-20). The fact is that in this exercise the elbow joint bears a significant load. Using large weights and a small number of repetitions, the load on the elbow joint becomes simply monstrous (traumatic). Therefore, before performing the exercise, do it by warming up your joints well.

French press: video

To better understand how to perform a French press, the video below explains all the technical nuances and clearly shows their implementation.

Conclusion

Don't hang huge weights. Triceps - not so much large muscle, for her growth it is much more important to follow the correct technique than to chase the progression of weights (although it is certainly necessary) and cheating (justified only when you have approached your genetic limit).

Using is acceptable heavy weights, in a high number of repetitions, with the correct technique, the French bench press will become for you great exercise in building muscle mass in your arms!

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The French press is an exercise for triceps muscle shoulder It affects the posterior head of the triceps, which thickens and lengthens during training, as a result of which the border between the triceps and biceps becomes more expressive.

The French press has many variations. It can be performed sitting, standing, lying down and in a machine. But the most common way to perform it is from a lying position.

French press: technique

You need to lie down on a bench and press your feet firmly to the floor. We ask our partner to pass the barbell to us, we take it with our arms outstretched. It is better to take a barbell with a curved bar. The distance between the hands should be about 15 cm.

We accept initial position- We deflect our hands from the vertical by 45 degrees. Inhale and slowly bend your arms towards your head to a right angle. Having reached this point, we return to the starting position. Shoulders are fixed. Exhalation.

We do as many repetitions as planned. Attention: at the top point, for maximum efficiency, it is better to straighten your arms completely.

Attention: Don't rush to increase the weight on this exercise - it's quite tricky. As the weight increases, it becomes impossible to keep the arms straight in the starting position or maintain a 45-degree angle. And then incorrect technique can even lead to injury, even a traumatic brain injury, if the barbell suddenly falls on your head. You should also not change the position of your legs - it should be stable. Don't put them on the bench.

If you are performing this exercise with a serious barbell, have a partner hold you down.

The French press is usually combined with the bench press and the close-grip press. To work out your arms well, perform 3-4 approaches, 8-10 repetitions in each.

The French press has a variation: you can lower the barbell not behind your head, but to the level of your forehead. This increases the intensity of the exercise.

More interesting things

What muscles work during the French bench press?

» Basic:Front and medium bun
» Auxiliary:Pectorals, triceps, supraspinatus, stabilizers

How to do the French bench press correctly

Hi all. This publication is dedicated to one of the popular triceps exercises, called the French bench press. The key feature of the exercise is the isolated load on all triceps heads. For example, dips or narrow press– these are multi-joint, basic exercises in which more than 1 joint and large muscle groups are involved in the work: for example, shoulders, chest.

During the French press, the shoulder joint is stationary, the load falls entirely on the elbow joint, respectively, the loading muscle - the triceps. For efficient work triceps exercises should be performed technically correctly, then the load will be concentrated as much as possible on the desired target muscle.

Execution technique

Elbow position. It is very important that when bending the barbell, your elbows are parallel to each other and not sticking out to the sides. In this position, only the triceps will work.

Lowering the bar. The next nuance is the place of the bar at the lowest point of the amplitude, in other words, the point where you will place the bar, for example, on the nose or behind the head, on the forehead. We advise placing the bar behind your head, why?

With this technique of performing the exercise, the amplitude allows you to include the long head of the triceps in the work, because most exercises for the triceps use it very weakly, so it lags behind the other heads. If you place the barbell on your forehead or even your nose, it will be much easier; part of the load will be taken by the biceps, which will not be a good result for us.

Grab. You need to pick up the barbell in your hands so that your hands and elbows are comfortable, and your joints do not feel discomfort when performing the exercise. You should not take the bar very narrowly, it is inconvenient, incorrect, and you can get injured. The grip should allow you to comfortably extend your elbow joint. Our advice is slightly narrower than shoulder width.

Perform the exercise slowly, under control, without any sudden movements or jolts, it can cause harm elbow joint. You need to raise the bar a little faster than lower it. At the top and bottom points we make a short delay with a pause to stretch (bottom) and contract (top) our triceps. At the top point, fully extend the elbow.

Errors

» Do not take a lot of weight, do not neglect the technique of performing the exercise, this reduces the effectiveness and the risk of injury
» Your arms should be fully extended in the upper position.
» Shoulders should be motionless
» Do not throw your legs on the bench, this will not give you better support, it will only imbalance your body position and subsequent injuries

French press sequence

1. We lie down on the bench and take the bar with a grip that is comfortable for us - slightly narrower than shoulder width
2. We return to the starting position, arms fully extended, holding the barbell above us
3.Next, we gradually begin to lower the reef behind the head, bending the elbows, which are parallel to each other
4.From the bottom point, lift the barbell up with force, straighten your arms completely, bring the bar to eye level
5. When lowering - inhale, when rising - exhale

Regulation No. 1

Regulation No. 2

Number of repetitions

" For men: 8 - 12 repetitions 3 - 4 sets.
" For women: 10 - 15 repetitions 3 - 4 sets.

How can you replace the French bench press?

An alternative exercise to the French bench press can be an extension of the arms with dumbbells while sitting behind the head, extension of the arms on a block with a rope handle.

French bench press behind the head video

What conclusions should be drawn?

French triceps press – isolated exercise. To implement it effectively, you need to concentrate on such things as:

» Elbows are parallel to each other
» Lower the barbell behind your head
» The grip is comfortable - slightly narrower than the shoulders
» Shoulders don't move
» We don’t take a lot of weight
» Lower and raise smoothly and under control