Bradford/Rocky Presses

What it is

This compound exercise is a barbell shoulder press that moves the weight from in front of your head to behind it, and then back. It primarily develops your deltoid muscles, with significant engagement of your triceps. This movement builds robust upper body strength.

Technique tips

• Establish a wide, pronated grip on the barbell.
• Ensure your forearms form a 90-degree angle at the bottom.
• Press the bar fully overhead, locking your arms briefly.
• Inhale as you lower the bar behind and in front of your head.
• Exhale forcefully as you press the barbell overhead.
• Maintain controlled movement throughout the entire repetition.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.