Shoulders
Overhead Press
The original test of upper-body strength — pressing weight straight overhead builds shoulders, triceps, and a rock-solid core.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Set the bar in the rack at about collarbone height. Grip just outside shoulder width with wrists stacked over forearms.
Unrack the bar onto your front delts. Step back into a stance shoulder-width apart.
Squeeze your glutes and brace your core hard — your body is the platform.
Take a breath, then press the bar straight up. Move your head back slightly to let the bar pass your face.
As the bar clears your forehead, push your head and chest forward through the bar to lock out directly overhead.
Lower the bar with control to your front delts. Reset your brace before the next rep.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Pressing the bar in front of your body instead of straight up.
- Leaning back excessively — turn it into an incline bench press.
- Loose core and soft glutes — energy leaks everywhere.
- Not finishing the lockout with the bar over your mid-foot.
- Flared elbows at the bottom — keep them slightly in front of the bar.
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.