Barbell Standing Bradford Press
Also known as: standing barbell bradford press
Barbell Standing Bradford Press turns heavy bilateral barbell loading into round, durable shoulder caps — ready for real load and honest reps.
How to do Barbell Standing Bradford Press
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip.
- Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Standing Bradford Press Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Common Barbell Standing Bradford Press Mistakes
Loading the bar unevenly or skipping the collars
Match the plates side to side and clip collars on every set.
Shrugging the traps up to finish the last few reps
Keep the shoulder blade down and end the set when the shrug appears.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Standing Bradford Press
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Barbell Standing Bradford Press — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Standing Bradford Press?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your shoulders with an overhand grip. Press the barbell overhead, fully extending your arms. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Standing Bradford Press work?
The Barbell Standing Bradford Press primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Standing Bradford Press should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Standing Bradford Press good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic shoulders patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Standing Bradford Press?
Try the Weighted Kneeling Step With Swing, Kettlebell Two Arm Military Press or the Cable Seated Shoulder Internal Rotation. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Barbell Standing Bradford Press the same as the standing barbell bradford press?
Yes. The Barbell Standing Bradford Press is also commonly called the standing barbell bradford press. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "standing barbell bradford press" refer to this same movement.
