EZ Barbell French Press: What Most People Get Wrong

You’ve seen the guy in the corner of the gym. He’s got an EZ bar, he’s red in the face, and he’s frantically pumping his arms behind his head like he’s trying to ward off a swarm of bees. That, my friend, is a botched ez barbell french press. It’s one of the most effective triceps builders in existence, yet it’s also the one that sends more lifters to the physical therapist with "angry elbows" than almost any other arm movement.

Why? Because it’s deceptive. It looks easy. You just bend your arms, right? Not exactly.

If you want the kind of triceps that stretch your shirt sleeves—the kind that look like a horseshoe was actually branded onto your arm—you need to master this. The ez barbell french press isn't just a "finisher." It’s a foundational hypertrophy tool that hits the long head of the triceps in a way that standard pushdowns simply cannot touch.

The Science of the Stretch (Why This Bar Matters)

Let’s talk anatomy for a second, but I'll keep it snappy. Your triceps have three heads: the lateral, the medial, and the long head. Most exercises, like cable pushdowns, do a decent job on the first two. But the long head is a different beast. It’s "biarticular," which is just a fancy way of saying it crosses two joints: the elbow and the shoulder.

To actually grow that long head to its max potential, you have to stretch it at the shoulder. That’s exactly what happens when you bring your arms overhead. A 2023 study published in the European Journal of Sport Science (led by researcher Maeo et al.) found that overhead triceps extensions resulted in roughly 1.5 times more muscle growth compared to neutral-arm positions. Basically, the stretch is the secret sauce.

Using an EZ bar instead of a straight barbell is a game-changer for your wrists. A straight bar forces your wrists into full supination or pronation, which, when you've got 60 pounds hanging behind your skull, feels like your joints are being put through a manual pasta maker. The "W" shape of the EZ bar allows for a semi-supinated grip. It’s natural. It’s comfortable. It lets you focus on the muscle, not the pain in your carpal tunnel.

Breaking Down the Perfect Rep

Stop thinking about moving the weight from Point A to Point B. Start thinking about the tension.

1. The Setup: You can do this seated or standing. Standing requires more core stability (great for athletes), but seated usually allows you to move more weight because your base is locked in. Grab the inner "kinks" of the EZ bar with an overhand grip.
2. The Launch: Press the bar overhead. Don't lock your elbows out completely yet; keep a "soft" lockout to maintain tension.
3. The Descent: This is where people mess up. Lower the bar behind your head. Your upper arms should stay almost entirely still, perpendicular to the floor. Imagine your elbows are pinned to the sides of your head.
4. The Bottom: Go deep. You want to feel that "pulling" sensation in the back of your arms. That’s the long head screaming for mercy.
5. The Press: Drive the bar back up using only your triceps. Don't use your shoulders to "swing" the weight up.

Honestly, the ez barbell french press is a mental game. You’ll want to flare your elbows out to the sides. Don't. If they flare, the stress shifts from your triceps to your shoulder capsules. Keep those elbows tucked in like you're trying to hide something under your armpits.

Mistakes That Are Killing Your Gains

We need to address the ego. It’s the biggest progress-killer in the gym. I've seen guys try to load two 25-pound plates on an EZ bar for French presses when they haven't even mastered the empty bar.

The "Skull Crusher" Confusion
People use these terms interchangeably, but they aren't the same. A skull crusher (lying triceps extension) usually ends at the forehead. The French press goes behind the head. That extra distance—the "behind the head" part—is what recruits the long head more effectively. If you stop at your forehead, you're leaving gains on the table.

Lower Back Arching
When the weight gets heavy, your body tries to cheat. You'll notice your lower back start to arch like a bridge. This happens because you're trying to turn an isolation move into a chest press. It’s dangerous for your spine. Tighten your glutes. Brace your core like someone’s about to punch you in the gut. If you can’t keep your back flat against a seat, the weight is too heavy. Period.

The "Elbow Flare"
Your elbows want to point at the walls. Make them point at the ceiling. If your elbows are flaring out, you're putting a massive amount of shear force on the ulnar collateral ligament. That’s how you get "golfer’s elbow" without ever stepping onto a green.

Variations That Actually Work

Once you've nailed the basics, you can tweak the ez barbell french press to suit your specific sticking points.

• The Incline French Press: Set a bench to a 45-degree angle. This is a "sweet spot" variation. It offers a massive stretch but is often easier on the shoulders than a strictly vertical seated position.
• The Floor French Press: Lying on the floor limits your range of motion slightly, which can actually be a good thing if you have history of elbow tendonitis. It prevents you from "over-stretching" at the bottom.
• The Dead-Stop French Press: Lower the bar to a bench or the floor behind your head, let it rest for a split second to kill momentum, then explode up. This builds raw, concentric power.

Why Your Elbows Might Hurt (And How to Fix It)

It’s the most common complaint: "I love French presses, but they kill my elbows."

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Usually, this is a "cold joint" issue. Your elbows are notoriously stingy with blood flow. If you jump straight into heavy ez barbell french press sets as your first exercise, you’re asking for trouble.

Try this instead: Start with 2 sets of light cable pushdowns for 20 reps. Get the "juice" (synovial fluid) flowing in the joint. Only then should you touch the EZ bar. Also, check your grip width. If your hands are too narrow, it creates an awkward angle for the elbow. Try moving your hands out an inch or two on the bar. You'd be surprised how much a tiny adjustment can change the feel of the lift.

Integrating the French Press Into Your Split

You shouldn't be doing these every day. They are taxing.

If you’re on a Push/Pull/Legs split, put these on your "Push" day. If you’re doing an "Arms" day, make this your second or third exercise. You want to be warmed up, but not so fatigued that your form breaks down.

A solid approach is the 8 to 12 rep range. It’s the classic hypertrophy sweet spot. Going for a 1-rep max on a French press is just a fast track to a torn tendon. Don't be that person. Use a weight you can control for a slow 3-second descent and a powerful 1-second ascent.

Practical Next Steps

Ready to actually see some results? Here is how to handle your next arm session:

1. Pre-exhaust: Do 2-3 sets of high-rep cable extensions to warm up the elbow joint.
2. The Main Event: Perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps of the ez barbell french press.
3. Focus on the Eccentric: Take 3 full seconds to lower the bar. Feel the stretch in the long head.
4. Tuck the Elbows: Keep them pointing forward, not out.
5. Track Progress: Don't just add weight. Try to add a rep or improve your "depth" before you slap on more plates.

Consistency is boring, but it’s what works. Master the form, respect the stretch, and your triceps will have no choice but to grow.