Barbell Floor Press with Leg Twist

How to do the Barbell Floor Press with Leg Twist

1. 1Lie supine on the floor, grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder width, and press to full lockout over the mid‑chest with shoulders set down and back.
2. 2Brace your core, press your low back gently into the floor, and lift your legs so hips and knees are at about 90 degrees with feet together.
3. 3Keep the bar stacked over your shoulders and elbows locked as you slowly rotate both legs together to the right until your thighs approach the floor without lifting your shoulders or low back.
4. 4Pull the legs back to center using your abs, then rotate to the left the same distance.
5. 5Maintain a slow, controlled tempo and steady breathing; keep wrists neutral and the bar from drifting.
6. 6Limit range if your low back arches or the bar wobbles; use a light load you can stabilize throughout.

Tip: Squeeze the bar hard and keep the wrists straight over the elbows through the whole rep.

Muscles worked

Common mistakes

• Elbows flaring wide — on horizontal presses keep the elbows at roughly 45 degrees from the torso; pressing overhead, keep them under the weight instead.
• Losing the shoulder blade position — on bench-style presses set the shoulder blades back and down and keep them there; overhead, let the shoulder blades rotate up naturally with the arms.
• Bouncing or rushing the bottom — control the bar down and pause for a beat before driving up, especially on decline and close grip variations.
• Not committing to a variation — Bradford presses, skull presses and the like are hybrids; pick a fixed range and stick with it for the whole set.

Where it fits in a workout

Presses are the main movement in a push session and should go first or second. Superset them with a row or pulldown for a push and pull pair.

How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.

Variations and alternatives

When to talk to someone

• Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
• Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
• Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.

More exercises

• All core exercises
• All barbell exercises
• Barbell core exercises
• Decline Wide Grip Barbell Bench Press
• Barbell Bradford Press
• Seated Barbell Bradford Press
• Decline Barbell Close Grip to Skull Press
• Single Arm Barbell Floor Press
• Barbell Pin Press

Sources

1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
4. CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)

Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.