Overhead Press
Also known as: Military Press · Standing Barbell Press · OHP
The most honest measure of upper-body pressing strength: nothing to lie on and nowhere to hide.
- Primary
- Anterior deltoid, Lateral deltoid
- Secondary
- Triceps brachii, Upper trapezius, Core
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Type
- Compound
- Level
- Intermediate
How to do it
Set up
- Set the bar at upper-chest height in a rack, or clean it from the floor.
- Grip just outside shoulder-width, elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Bar resting on your front delts, wrists stacked over forearms.
- Feet hip-width, glutes and core braced hard.
Perform the rep
- Pull your head back slightly so the bar has a clear path.
- Press straight up, not forward.
- As the bar passes your forehead, push your head back through and finish with the bar over your mid-foot.
- Lock out with the bar directly above your shoulders and ears.
- Lower under control to the front delts.
Common mistakes
-
Pressing around the head instead of past it
Leaning back to make room for the bar loads the lower back. Move your head out of the way instead.
-
Finishing with the bar in front
At lockout the bar should be over the middle of your foot, not out in front of your face. Push the head through.
-
No glute and core brace
A loose midsection turns a strict press into a standing back extension. Squeeze glutes and brace before you press.
-
Wrists bent back
A collapsed wrist wastes force and hurts. Keep the bar stacked over the forearm bones.
How to programme it
Progress will be slow: 1.25 kg jumps are normal and worth buying micro-plates for. The press adds weight roughly half as fast as the bench.
Variations
- Seated Barbell Press: removes leg drive, stricter
- Push Press: leg drive to overload the top end
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press: greater range, independent arms
- Z-Press: seated on the floor, brutal core demand
Frequently asked questions
Why is my overhead press so much weaker than my bench?
That is normal: a typical ratio is around 60–65% of your bench. The press has no bench to drive against, a much smaller base of support, and a shorter set of prime movers.
Standing or seated overhead press?
Standing builds more usable strength and demands real core stability. Seated allows more weight and isolates the shoulders more directly. Standing is the better default; seated is a good second pressing movement.