Overhead Press
The standing barbell press: shoulder strength plus a full-body brace to stay upright under load.
Drag to rotate
Muscles worked
Target
Also works
- Equipment
- Barbell, Rack
- Level
- Intermediate
- Tempo
- Lift 1 s · Lower 2 s
How to do the overhead press
- 1Hold the bar at your collarbones with hands just outside your shoulders, elbows slightly ahead of the bar.
- 2Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs.
- 3Press the bar straight up, moving your head back just enough to let it pass.
- 4Push your head “through the window” at the top, arms locked over your mid-foot.
- 5Lower to the collarbones under control.
When to pick it: Pick it as your main shoulder strength lift.
Form cues
- Bar path straight up
- Glutes tight, ribs down
- Shrug slightly at lockout
Common mistakes
- Leaning back into a standing bench press
- Pressing the bar out in front of the face
- Loose core
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time.
Equipment taken? Swap it for
These train the same muscles with different equipment.
More front delts exercises
All front delts exercises →
General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a health condition.