Training triceps alongside biceps is a common practice in gyms. Although most people prioritize biceps, it's the triceps that make the arms appear larger overall. Therefore, we should train them with the same frequency and intensity as our biceps. Today, I'm sharing a great exercise for isolating the triceps and focusing significant effort on them: the French press.
If you do not know the French press and want to know how to do it correctly, what aspects to take into account, what are its benefits, etc. Here we explain everything to you.
What is the French press
The French press is a basic isolation exercise that greatly helps improve arm muscle development. It primarily targets the triceps. It's performed on a flat bench to concentrate the effort on this muscle group. It can be done with either a barbell or dumbbells. While it might be a little challenging at first, it becomes quite simple once you get the hang of it.
As we always emphasize in other bodybuilding and fitness posts, it's important to prioritize technique over weight. Many people perform this exercise incorrectly because they don't adjust the load to their capabilities. We need to let go of the gym ego of being stronger by lifting heavier weights.
Let's see the main aspects of the French press:
- It is one of the best exercises to develop the triceps muscles. Therefore, if we do not feel it while we are doing the exercise, we are probably not doing it correctly. Being an isolated work, we must notice this muscle very quickly. We can feel it in the entire range of motion.
- It is not considered a multi-joint exercise although it also works some secondary muscles such as the stabilizers of the trunk.
- There are people who prefer to do it with dumbbells because they can handle less weight and feel the muscle better.
How to do it
We are going to tell you step by step how this exercise should be properly and effectively worked. We will give you some tips so that the technique is the best possible. It is important that these tips are strictly followed so that you carry out the exercise well. If from the beginning we catch vices or hobbies when doing some type of exercise, then we realize that it will be more difficult to get rid of this habit and we will reduce the effectiveness with which we work.
These are the main steps to do the French press:
- We stand on a flat bench and grasp the bar with a prone grip. We put the forearms flexed and the arms vertical.
- We take the air and make a tension of the elbows, reaching the bar to the forehead, but without actually touching it. In the old school, this exercise was known as the "face breaker."
- As you lower the bar to your forehead, avoid spreading your elbows, as you will lose recruitment of triceps fibers. Focus on bringing both elbows together at the head.
This exercise has variations with dumbbells to better target each arm individually. Many people have significantly more strength in one arm than the other. This means the weaker arm is limiting the development of symmetry. Therefore, if we are pursuing both aesthetic and performance goals, there are times when unilateral training is more effective.
Another variant is to work with pulleys. You stand on the straight bench lying down and use the pulley instead of the bar.
Tips for doing the French press well
As this exercise can be somewhat cumbersome at first, it is important to get to the technique as soon as possible. As always, I repeat that it is better to do the exercise correctly than to lift more weight. It is important to train heavy to generate adaptations, but do not become obsessed with your marks. Unless you want to be a powerlifter, of course.
We are going to list some of the best tips for doing the French press:
- When you lie down on the flat bench, Position your back well on the bench to avoid injuring yourself. The head cannot be too high or too low. When we take the bar, it is possible that we do not control the weight well and we go to the sides.
- When flexing the bar to position it almost to the forehead, try to bring it as straight as possible. Do not swing it at any time, or arch your back. It is not at all advisable to lower the bar quickly, since we will really know why they call it a front-breaker. Also, the shoulder can easily be injured.
- If you have any doubts, it is much better to notify someone who knows or the same monitor to see you while you do it and correct you as necessary.
- If you want to work the short head and middle of the triceps more, then bring the bar up to the height of the forehead. Conversely, if you want to put more emphasis on the long head, bring the bar down to the back of your head.
- Breathing is important in exercises and many people do not take it into account. It must be adequate. That is, we expel the air when we raise the weights and we catch the air when we make the downward movement of the bar to the forehead.
Personal Trainer Tips
As a personal trainer, I recommend that you focus on engaging your triceps while performing this exercise. If you don't, you're not doing it correctly. Push the bar up using only your triceps. Otherwise, you'll be engaging other muscles and risk injury.
Stick your elbows as close to your body as possible to focus your effort on your triceps. If you want to learn, I advise you to do exercises with the variations above the forehead and behind the head. In this way, you will be able to know the technique and on top of that you will work the three portions of the triceps.
I hope that with these tips you can learn to do the French press well.