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Overhead Press (Barbell)

Standing, bar from your shoulders to overhead, no help from your legs.

• Shoulders
• Barbell
• Weight and reps

What it works

Shoulders, principally the front and side heads, with the triceps finishing the lockout and the upper back and trunk working hard to keep you from bending backwards. It is a whole body lift disguised as a shoulder exercise.

Setup

1. Set the hooks at about upper chest height and unrack the bar onto the front of your shoulders.
2. Grip just outside shoulder width, forearms vertical when viewed from the front.
3. Rest the bar on your front deltoids with your elbows slightly in front of the bar, not directly under it.
4. Feet about hip width, or one comfortable stance you can repeat. Squeeze your glutes and brace your abdominals hard.
5. Take one step back from the rack, no more.

The movement

1. Take a breath and brace. Squeeze your glutes to stop your lower back arching.
2. Pull your head and chin back slightly so the bar has a clear path past your face.
3. Press the bar straight up, close to your face.
4. As the bar passes your forehead, push your head forward through the gap so the bar can travel back over you rather than out in front.
5. Finish with your elbows locked and the bar directly over the middle of your feet, with your shoulders shrugged up slightly into it.
6. Lower under control back to your shoulders, moving your head out of the way again on the way down.

Common mistakes

• Pressing the bar out in front: if it finishes in front of your face rather than over your midfoot, the lift becomes far harder and your lower back pays for it.
• Leaning back to get under the bar: a small lean is normal, bending backwards is not. Squeeze your glutes and brace to stop it.
• Not moving the head: the bar has to pass your face. Pull your chin back on the way up and push your head through at the top.
• Bouncing out of the knees: using leg drive makes it a push press, which is a fine lift but a different one.
• Elbows too far under the bar at the start: you lose the ability to start the press with your shoulders. Keep them slightly in front.

Variations and alternatives

The dumbbell overhead press lets each arm work independently and lets the shoulder rotate more naturally. Seated pressing removes the trunk demand if you want to isolate the shoulders. The incline bench press is a supported version of a similar angle.

If a movement causes pain rather than ordinary training effort, stop and speak to a qualified professional. Programming context for this lift is in how training programs are built.