Feb ’26 Movement of the Month: Seated Barbell Z Press

by Coach Aidan

For this month’s movement, we’re focusing on some bodybuilding work that will transition to your strict and kipping handstand push-ups. By using the barbell z press it’ll force us to develop strength and power in your shoulders, work on our core’s stabilization muscles, and also target some overhead mobility.

Let’s talk set up and execution: 

1. Start with sitting on the floor with your legs extended out in front of you.
2. Have your barbell and J hooks set up at shoulder height so that getting in and out of the movement is easier.
3. Once you unrack the barbell sit as tall as possible, with the bar resting in your front rack with a neutral spine, next try to point your toes up which will engage more of your posterior chain muscles (if you can’t point your toes due to hamstring tightness allow a bend in the knee).
4. Elbows should be slightly in front of the bar. Take a deep, breath in to create some stability, and then begin your press. 
5. One thing to avoid is leaning back to assist the movement.

Two ways you can go about this movement. You can attack this with strength or hypertrophy in mind. 

Strength focus:

• 3-5 sets x 3-6 reps 
• Resting 2-3:00 

or 

Hypertrophy focus:

• 3-5 sets x 10-12 reps
• Resting 1:00-1:30 

Give this movement a try and see how better your strict and kipping handstand push-ups feel. 

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