Strength Training · Powerlifting
Larsen Press
The Larsen press is a barbell bench press with your legs extended and feet off the floor. It trains your chest, shoulders, and triceps without help from leg drive.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Lie on the bench with your eyes beneath the racked bar.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with your thumbs wrapped around it.
- Extend your legs forward with both feet clear of the floor.
- Unrack the bar to arm’s length above your shoulders.
- Lower the bar under control to your mid-to-lower chest.
- Press the bar upward and slightly back until your elbows are straight above your shoulders.
- Return the bar securely to both rack hooks after your final repetition.
- Lower your feet to the floor.
Form cues
- Keep shoulder blades back and down
- Stack wrists over elbows
- Brace your belly before lowering
- Keep your butt on the bench
Common mistakes
- Swinging the legsHold your legs still with a slight knee bend if needed to maintain your balance.
- Flaring elbows straight outKeep your upper arms roughly 45–60 degrees from your torso as the bar descends.
- Bouncing off the chestSlow the final part of the descent so the bar touches lightly without sinking into your chest.
Safety
A failed rep can trap the bar across your chest or neck. Removing foot support reduces stability, so excessive load or fatigue can cause you to lose control of the bar.
- Use a spotter for the handoff and help with reracking.
- Set safety supports to catch the bar above your chest when you relax your arch; test their height with an empty bar.
- Begin substantially lighter than your regular bench press load.
- End the set before you need to twist or shift on the bench to complete a rep.
If holding your legs off the floor causes back discomfort or you cannot balance securely, choose a feet-down bench press.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Lifting Belt (optional)
- Olympic Flat Bench
- Powerlifting Barbell
- Weight Plate
- Wrist Wraps (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 6–10 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Choose a weight that leaves about two controlled reps in reserve.