Floor Press vs. Bench Press: Why I Prefer the Floor Press

To FLOOR PRESS or to BENCH PRESS...that is the question.

If you train at Bellbar Strength Lab, you probably already know my answer.

I prefer the floor press.

That doesn’t mean I’m anti-bench press. The bench press is an excellent strength exercise. In the end, choosing between the floor press vs. bench press comes down to personal preference, your goals, and what feels best for your body.

But for me—and for much of the population I train—I’ll take the floor.

Why I Prefer the Floor Press

I came up in gyms in the ’80s and ’90s, when EVERYONE benched.

And I can honestly say that I’ve never met ANYONE from that era who spent years heavy bench pressing who tells me today, “My shoulders feel amazing.”

Obviously, that’s my personal observation—not proof that bench pressing causes shoulder problems. But it has influenced the way I think about exercise selection.

I’m not anti-bench press. I’m pro-longevity.

One of the things I like about the floor press is that the floor naturally limits your range of motion. Your upper arm can't travel as far behind your body at the bottom of the movement as it can during a traditional bench press.

For me, that makes the floor press a more shoulder-friendly pressing option while still allowing us to build a strong chest, shoulders and triceps.

My Favorite: The Bridge Floor Press

My favorite variation is the bridge floor press.

Why?

Because pressing isn't just an upper-body exercise.

Plant your feet into the floor. PRESS your feet into the ground. Create tension through your legs, glutes and trunk and transfer that tension into the weight you're pressing.

Your entire body becomes connected.

That foot-to-floor connection is something I DON’T see nearly enough when people bench press. Too often I see people treating the bench press as if everything below their chest is simply along for the ride.

I want you to learn to generate tension from the ground up.

That's strength.

So, Floor Press or Bench Press?

Both can be excellent strength exercises when performed correctly.

This isn't about declaring one exercise "good" and the other "bad." It's about choosing movements that accomplish what you're trying to accomplish and that work well for your body.

At Bellbar, I'm always thinking about the long game.

Can we get stronger without unnecessarily beating ourselves up?

Can we choose movements that give us a great return without always needing more weight, more reps or more range of motion?

Can we still be doing this 10, 20 or 30 years from now?

For me, the floor press checks those boxes.

But in the end, floor press or bench press?

It's personal preference.

Me?

I'll take the floor.

Happy Training -
Angela

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Bonus: If you're using kettlebells for your floor press, watch for the best way to pick up your bells. https://youtu.be/l2eis31v1Q8?si=29zx5YSGbViiQ7PE

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