Tate Press

How to perform the Tate Press

1. Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand, pressed up over the chest with a pronated grip so the palms face the feet.
2. The Tate press flares the elbows out and drives the dumbbells down onto the chest, which isolates the lateral and medial heads.
3. Keeping the upper arms roughly vertical, bend the elbows and lower the dumbbells inward toward the upper chest with elbows pointing out.
4. Lower until the dumbbell heads nearly touch the chest, feeling the triceps stretch with the elbows flared.
5. Press the dumbbells back up by extending the elbows until the arms lock out over the chest.
6. Keep the movement controlled and avoid letting the elbows collapse, which turns it into a sloppy press.

Suggested working range: 10–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Letting the elbows collapse in instead of flaring them out, which turns it into a sloppy press.
• •Lowering with momentum rather than controlling the dumbbells onto the chest.
• •Letting the upper arms tip away from vertical so the lateral-head emphasis is lost.
• •Going too heavy so the elbows cannot stay flared and the path breaks down.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.