The Z Press is a intermediate-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the shoulders, with the triceps, traps, abdominals and chest working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesShoulders
Secondary musclesTriceps, Traps, Abs, Chest
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Z Press
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front and your torso upright.
Take the weight at shoulder height with an overhand grip and your elbows in front.
Brace your abdominals, squeeze the glutes and tuck the chin slightly.
Press overhead until the elbows lock and the ears line up with your biceps.
Pause at lockout with the trunk still vertical.
Lower back to shoulder height under control without letting the torso lean back.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Trains overhead pressing with no leg drive or bench support available.
Forces the trunk and hips to hold a tall seated position under load.
Exposes limited overhead range that a standing press can hide with a lean.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Leaning back to start the press, which turns it into an incline press and removes the core demand.
Letting the lower back round so the pelvis tips under, which blocks the overhead range.
Finishing with the weight in front of the head instead of over it, which loads the front of the shoulder.
Loading it like a standing press, which breaks the seated position immediately.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Z Press, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
