Bottle Weighted Lying Chest Press

How to do the Bottle Weighted Lying Chest Press

1. 1Fill two bottles to an equal, matching weight and lie flat on your back on the floor or a bench, knees bent and feet planted.
2. 2Hold a bottle in each hand at chest level, palms facing toward your feet and elbows resting at roughly a 45° angle to your torso.
3. 3Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades down and together against the floor or bench.
4. 4Press both bottles straight up over your chest until your arms are fully extended, keeping the bottles roughly above your shoulders.
5. 5Pause briefly at the top with your chest squeezed and your wrists stacked over your elbows.
6. 6Lower the bottles under control back toward chest level, keeping your elbows at the same 45° angle.
7. 7Stop when your upper arms reach the floor or your chest, then press up again for your next rep.
8. 8Finish your set and set the bottles down beside you with control.

Form tips

• Keep your shoulder blades retracted throughout the set to protect your shoulders and give your chest a stable base to press from.
• Move at a steady tempo — press up smoothly and lower for two to three counts rather than dropping the bottles fast.
• Make sure both bottles weigh the same so one side doesn't work harder than the other.
• Add water to the bottles or slow the tempo to keep the exercise challenging as you get stronger.

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows straight out to 90°, which shifts stress onto the shoulder joint instead of the chest.
• Pressing the bottles up over your face instead of your chest, which puts the load on your shoulders and risks dropping a bottle onto your head.
• Using bottles of unequal weight, which builds uneven strength and lets the stronger side take over.
• Bouncing the bottles off your chest or rushing the reps, which removes tension from the working muscles.

Frequently asked questions