Strength · Level 1
Floor press
Dumbbell press lying on the floor: the floor limits the range and protects the shoulder.
- Suggested dose
- 3 × 10 rep · 60s rest
- Equipment
- Dumbbells · or · Kettlebell
- Works
- Chest, Triceps
- Pattern
- Push
How to do it
- Lie on your back, knees bent, dumbbells over your chest.
- Lower until your elbows gently touch down (45° from the torso).
- Push until your arms are straight.
Key points
- Shoulder blades pressed into the floor
- Firm wrists
Common mistakes
- Banging the elbows on the floor
- Flaring the elbows to 90°
Why it helps your tennis
The limited range follows the advice not to take the shoulder behind the plane of the body.
Source: Complete Conditioning for Tennis, ch. 13 (limited range)
Related exercises
- Push-upsHorizontal push with the body as one block from heels to head.
- Incline push-upsPush-ups with hands on a sturdy chair or the wall.
- Half-kneeling shoulder pressOne-arm overhead press with one knee down to stabilize the trunk.
- Overhead triceps extensionWith a dumbbell overhead, bend and straighten your elbows.