The overhead press is a critical movement that strengthens and ingrains the ability to maintain a stable shoulder position when reaching overhead. This movement serves as a great pre-habilitation exercise to maintain healthy shoulders.Â
It strengthens the shoulders and arm muscles while teaching core stability.
OVERHEAD PRESS FORM VIDEO
BENEFITS OF THE OVERHEAD PRESS
- Teaches you to maintain a stable shoulder position when reaching overhead
- Improves the mobility of the shoulder joint while encouraging the thoracic range of motion
- Strengthens of all three heads of the shoulder muscles and triceps, while teaching core stability which improves lean muscle mass and fat burning
MUSCLES WORKED DURING THE OVERHEAD PRESS
- Anterior Deltoids
- Medial Deltoids
- Triceps
- Abs/Core
- Glutes
PERFORMING THE OVERHEAD PRESS WITH GOOD TECHNIQUE
- Approach a barbell that is set up in a power rack at the mid-chest (above the nipple) level
- Alternatively, if you do not have a rack, you can pick up a barbell from the floor (this becomes difficult as the weight gets heavier)
- Set your grip on the bar just outside of shoulder width with your thumbs wrapped around the bar
- Dive underneath the bar and position it on your anterior shoulder muscles with your elbows slightly in front of the bar when looking from the side
- Stand up to the weight and take up to three steps back to position your feet just outside of shoulder width
- Begin the movement by taking a big breath, holding it in and squeezing your glute muscles
- This point is necessary to ensure spinal stability
- Start pressing the weight overhead and tuck your chin back to avoid hitting it with the bar on the way up
- Press the bar directly overhead in as straight a line as possible
- Once the bar clears the top of your head, bring your head and thoracic spine forward to allow the bar path to continue straight directly over your midline
- We should be able to draw a straight line from the barbell down to the middle of your foot
- Keep your glutes squeezed and core engaged the entire time
- Reverse the movement by again tucking your chin to let the barbell travel in a straight line back down
- Bring the weight all the way back down to your shoulders
COMMON OVERHEAD PRESS MISTAKES
PRESSING THE BAR IN FRONT OF YOUR BODY
- Not pressing the bar directly over your midline places your shoulder joint in a compromised position and it does not adequately train all three shoulder heads
- Check your starting position and press directly in a straight line
NOT KEEPING YOUR ELBOWS IN FRONT OF THE BAR
- This mistake will automatically create the first mistake as well
- This is a technical issue that will not allow you to apply a direct upward force on the barbell
- Keeping your elbows back will increase the chance of the bar going out in front of you
EXCESSIVELY ARCHING THE BACK TO INITIATE THE MOVEMENT
- This technical issue usually occurs when the weight is too heavy
- Arching your back places a large strain on the lumbar spine increasing the risk of injury
- Maintain your glutes squeezed throughout the movement and remain upright
NOT PERFORMING A FULL RANGE OF MOTION
- Bring the barbell all the way down back to your anterior deltoid to activate all of the motor units of these large muscle groups
OVERHEAD PRESS VARIATIONS
- Seated Overhead Press
- Dumbbell Overhead Press (seated and standing)
- High Incline Bench Press
- High Incline Dumbbell Press
Alex Robles, MD, CPT / Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT
Alex & Brittany Robles are physicians, NASM Certified Personal Trainers, and founders of The White Coat Trainer: a resource dedicated to improving the health and fitness of busy professionals using time-efficient strategies. Their advice has been featured in My Fitness Pal, Prevention, Livestrong, Reader’s Digest, Bustle, The Active Times, and more. Learn more about them here.