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Exercise guide

Bradford/Rocky Presses

How to do the Bradford/Rocky Presses with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundBarbellBeginnerPush
Primary muscles

Shoulders

Secondary

Triceps

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the Bradford/Rocky Presses

  1. 1

    Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar at shoulder level with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down. This is your starting position.

  2. 2

    Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms.

  3. 3

    Now lower the bar down to the back of the head slowly as you inhale.

  4. 4

    Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.

  5. 5

    Lower the bar down to the starting position slowly as you inhale. This is one repetition.

  6. 6

    Alternate in this manner until you complete the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Bradford/Rocky Presses set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your shoulders volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More shoulders exercises

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