Kettlebell press
Full guide coming soon
Overhead Press (Barbell)
The barbell overhead press is a standing press from your collarbones to straight arms above your head. It trains the front and side delts and the triceps, and your whole body must stay stiff to hold the bar up.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Barbell + Weight plates + Squat rack
- shoulders
- triceps
Left: start position. Right: end position. Orange: the muscles that work.
How to do the overhead press
- Set the bar in the rack at about the height of your upper chest. Take a grip just wider than your shoulders.
- Step under the bar, lift it out of the rack and step back. The bar rests on the front of your shoulders, near your collarbones.
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Squeeze your glutes and pull your ribs down.
- Take a big breath and brace your abs before you press.Breathe
- Press the bar straight up. Move your head back a little so the bar passes your chin.
- As the bar passes your forehead, move your head forward under it. Finish with straight arms and the bar over your mid-foot.
- Lower the bar under control to the front of your shoulders.
Breathing. Breathe in and brace at the bottom with the bar on your shoulders. Hold the brace as you press, and breathe out at the top or after the bar comes down. Take a new breath before each rep.
Tips
- Use a grip where your forearms are vertical when you look at them from the front.
- Grip the bar hard. A firm grip helps you keep the wrists stacked over the forearms.
Muscles worked
The overhead press works mainly the shoulders and triceps.
- Shoulders (front and side delts) (main muscle)
- Triceps (main muscle)
- Traps (also works)
- Upper back (also works)
- Abs (core) (also works)
- Glutes (also works)
| Muscle | Role |
|---|---|
| Shoulders (front and side delts) | Main mover. The front delts lift the arm up in front of you, and the side delts help as the bar goes higher. |
| Triceps | Straighten your elbows in the top half of the press and lock the bar out overhead. |
| Traps (also works) | The upper traps rotate your shoulder blades upward, so the arms can reach straight overhead. |
| Abs (core) (also works) | Keeps your ribs down and stops your lower back from arching under the bar. |
| Glutes (also works) | Hold your pelvis level. Squeezed glutes give the abs a stable base and limit the back arch. |
Sets, reps and rest
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (first weeks) | 3 | 6-10 reps | 2 min |
| Build muscle | 3 | 8-10 reps | 2 min |
| Get stronger | 4 | 4-6 reps | 3 min |
| General fitness | 3 | 6-10 reps | 2 min |
| Fat loss (with more daily activity) | 3 | 6-10 reps | 2 min |
These numbers come from the same rules as the Oh My Coach app, with this exercise as the first main lift of the day. Use a load that leaves 1 to 3 reps in reserve. When you reach the top of the range in every set, add a little load or move to the harder version (double progression). What is double progression?
Common mistakes
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Leaning back to press
Why it matters: A big arch turns the press into a steep incline press and loads the lower back.
Fix: Squeeze your glutes and keep your ribs down. Lower the weight until you can press with your body upright.
-
Pressing the bar around the face
Why it matters: When the bar moves forward to go around your head, it ends in front of you and is harder to hold.
Fix: Move your head back for the first part of the press, then move it through under the bar at the top.
-
Flared elbows at the start
Why it matters: With the elbows out to the sides and behind the bar, the press starts from a weak position for the shoulders.
Fix: Start with your forearms close to vertical and your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
-
Soft finish overhead
Why it matters: If the bar stops in front of the head with bent arms, the shoulders and the lower back hold a load they cannot control well.
Fix: Lock your elbows and shrug slightly up at the top so the bar sits over your mid-foot.
Make it easier or harder
This exercise gets harder with load. When every set reaches the top of the rep range with good form, add the smallest weight step you have. To make it easier, use less load or a shorter range of motion while you learn the movement.
Versions of this exercise
Band overhead press
Full guide coming soon
Alternatives
Same main muscle and the same movement pattern first, from the same rules as the app's swap list.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Same movement pattern
Machine shoulder press
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Kettlebell press
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Wall handstand push-up
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Elevated pike push-up
Same movement pattern
Full guide coming soon
Pike push-up
Same movement pattern
What you need
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Take care if
This exercise loads the shoulder and lower back. If your shoulder hurts, stop. For pain that does not go away, see a doctor or a physiotherapist.
If your shoulder or lower back hurts during the press, stop. Try a lighter seated dumbbell press with back support.
Compared with
Questions
What muscles does the overhead press work?
It works mainly the front and side delts and the triceps. The traps and the upper back move the shoulder blades, and the abs and glutes keep your body upright under the load.
Barbell or dumbbell overhead press?
In a study of healthy men, the standing barbell press allowed a heavier one-rep max than the standing dumbbell press. The dumbbell versions gave higher front-delt activity, likely because each arm must balance its own weight. Use the barbell to lift heavy and dumbbells for more freedom at the shoulder.
Should I press standing or seated?
Standing presses ask more of your core and hips. In the same study, seated presses gave lower activity in some deltoid parts than standing ones. A seated press with back support is a good choice if your lower back gets tired before your shoulders.
Is the overhead press the same as the military press?
Most people use the two names for the same lift. Some coaches use "military press" only for a strict press with the heels together.