Barbell Z Press. It ends up turning into an incline bench press, which would be a great movement if thatâs what you were actually trying to do. Tuesday September 10th, 2013 http://troliostrength.com/ Incredibly challenging overhead pressing variation. 5. Knowing when to flare the elbows, and when to time the âhead throughâ position is important. When using dumbbells, you may need to get a spotter to place the dumbbells in your hands. One other benefit of the Z press is enforcing the correct rhythm to be used when performing reps of a standing barbell press. I like to do Z Presses with a barbell in the power rack, as traditional, or with dumbbells either on the floor or seated on a bench with no back support. The Z Press is a seated shoulder press variation that is extremely challenging on the upper back, shoulder stabilizers, shoulders, and core. Before trying the Z-press with a barbell, practice the movement using dumbbells. The dumbbell Arnold press is an overhead press alternative that targets more of ⦠Dumbbell Arnold Press. The lifter must develop a â¦