Cable Shoulder Press

Also called standing cable press, cable overhead press and cable shoulder press.

Works

Shoulders, plus triceps

Equipment

Cable

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Move the cables to the bottom of the towers and select an appropriate weight.

1. Stand directly in between the uprights. Grasp the cables and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing forward. This will be your starting position.
2. Keeping your head and chest up, extend through the elbow to press the handles directly over head.
3. After pausing at the top, return to the starting position and repeat.

Cues

• Handles at shoulder height, palms forward.
• Brace, press straight up.
• Lock out, biceps by the ears.
• Lower slow to the shoulders.

Common mistakes

• Arching the low back.
• Elbows flaring behind.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore shoulder. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

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