Overhead Press
The barbell overhead press is a standing lift where you press a bar from your shoulders to straight overhead. It builds strong, well-rounded shoulders, with help from your triceps and traps. It suits beginners who are happy to start light, as well as experienced lifters who want a simple measure of upper-body strength.
Muscles worked
The Overhead Press mainly works your anterior delts, lateral delts and posterior delts, with your triceps and traps helping.
Setting up
- Set the bar in a rack at about upper-chest height, so you can unrack it without standing on tiptoe or dipping under it.
- Grip the bar just outside shoulder-width with your wrists stacked over your forearms, and rest the bar on the front of your shoulders, just below your chin.
- Take the bar out of the rack, step back, and stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Squeeze your glutes, brace your abs as if about to be nudged in the stomach, and keep your ribs down.
How to do the Overhead Press
- Take a breath in, brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your body is a solid column from feet to shoulders.
- Lift your chin back slightly to get your face out of the way, keeping your eyes forward.
- Press the bar up in a straight line, close to your face, driving your elbows up and slightly forward.
- As the bar passes your forehead, push your head and chest forward through the gap between your arms so the bar finishes over the middle of your feet.
- Lock out with your arms straight, the bar directly over your shoulders and ears, and shrug lightly to finish.
- Lower the bar under control, moving your head back out of the way, until it rests on the front of your shoulders again.
- Reset your breath and brace before starting the next rep.
Form tips
- Keep your forearms vertical when viewed from the front, so the bar sits over your wrists and elbows.
- Squeeze your glutes hard throughout. This stops your lower back from arching to help the press.
- Think about pushing yourself away from the bar at the top, rather than just pushing the bar up.
- Keep your wrists straight, with the bar resting in the heel of your palm rather than back in your fingers.
- Start lighter than you think you need to. Small jumps, such as 1 to 2.5 kg, are normal on this lift.
Common mistakes
Leaning back and arching the lower back
Squeeze your glutes, brace your abs and keep your ribs pulled down. If you still lean back, reduce the weight until you can press with a tall, upright torso.
Pressing the bar out in front
Move your head back at the start so the bar can travel straight up, then bring your head through once the bar passes your forehead. The bar should finish over the middle of your feet.
Flared elbows and wrists bent back
Keep your elbows slightly in front of the bar and your wrists stacked over your forearms. Hold the bar low in your palm, not back in your fingers.
Using your legs to push the bar up
A leg-driven rep is a push press, which is a different exercise. Keep your knees soft but still, and start each rep from a pause on your shoulders if you tend to bounce.
Sets and reps
| Build strength | 3-5 sets of 3-6 reps with a challenging weight, resting 2-3 minutes between sets, once or twice a week. |
|---|---|
| Build muscle | 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps, resting 60-120 seconds between sets, once or twice a week. |
| Fat loss or general fitness | 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps with a lighter weight, resting 45-60 seconds, as part of a full-body workout. |
Pick a weight where the last rep or two of each set is hard but your form stays clean. When every set feels easy, it's time to go up.
Overhead Press alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Overhead Press FAQs
Should I do the overhead press standing or seated?
Standing is the usual choice because it makes you brace your core and glutes to stay stable. Seated is fine if you want to take the legs out or need more support, but you will usually be able to lift less in that position.
How much weight should a beginner start with on the overhead press?
Start with an empty 20 kg bar, or a lighter training bar if you have one, and do a few easy sets of 8-10 reps to learn the movement. Add weight in small steps only when every rep looks the same as your first.
Why is the overhead press so hard compared with the bench press?
You are pressing from a standing position with smaller shoulder muscles doing most of the work, and you have to keep your whole body stable at the same time. It is normal to lift much less than on the bench, so judge your progress against your own numbers. If you feel pain in your shoulders, stop and get it checked.
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