Standing Military Press

Also called overhead press, OHP, strict press and shoulder press (barbell).

Works

Shoulders, plus triceps

Equipment

Barbell

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Start by placing a barbell that is about chest high on a squat rack. Once you have selected the weights, grab the barbell using a pronated (palms facing forward) grip. Make sure to grip the bar wider than shoulder width apart from each other.

1. Slightly bend the knees and place the barbell on your collar bone. Lift the barbell up keeping it lying on your chest. Take a step back and position your feet shoulder width apart from each other.
2. Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip length, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
3. Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Bar on the collarbone, elbows slightly in front.
• Squeeze glutes, brace.
• Press, then push the head through.
• Lock out over the mid-foot.

Common mistakes

• Leaning back into a standing incline.
• Bar path around the face instead of through.

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 and a cranky lower back. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Harder

Easier