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shoulders

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press

Standing, you press a barbell from your upper chest to overhead. Works the shoulders and arms and makes your whole trunk hold you steady.

intermediatebarbellsquat rackplates

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press, start position
START
Standing Barbell Shoulder Press, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Set the rack hooks at about shoulder height.
  2. Load the same weight on each side and clip the plates on.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Grab the bar a little wider than your shoulders with your palms facing forward.
  2. Step under the bar so it rests on your upper chest.
  3. Stand up to lift it off the hooks.
  4. Take two small steps back and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  5. Tighten your stomach and squeeze your buttocks.

Check: You are standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, the bar at your upper chest, and your stomach tight.

Press overhead

  1. Press the bar straight up past your face until your arms are almost straight. Move your head back slightly to let the bar pass, then forward under it.
  2. Stop just short of locking your elbows.

Check: The weight is directly above your head, your arms are almost straight, and your lower back has not arched.

Lower slowly

  1. Bend your elbows and lower the weight slowly to your upper chest.

Check: The bar is back at your upper chest and you are still standing tall, not leaning back.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set. To finish, walk the bar forward into the rack and lower it onto the hooks.

Breathe out as you press up in about 1 second; breathe in as you lower over 2 to 3 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Standing Barbell Shoulder Press: muscles worked, front view
Standing Barbell Shoulder Press: muscles worked, back view

deltstriceps

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Arching the lower back and leaning back. Shifts the load onto the spine. Fix: Tighten your stomach and squeeze your buttocks; lower the weight if you still arch.
  • Pressing the weight forward instead of straight up. Fix: Move your head back slightly as the weight passes your face so it travels straight up.
  • Dropping the weight fast to the start. Fix: Lower over 2 to 3 seconds.
SAFETY2
  • Keep your wrists straight, knuckles pointing at the ceiling.
  • Stop if you feel pinching in the front of the shoulder.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • squat rack · hooks: bar at shoulder height
  • plates Same weight on both sides, clipped on.
RELATED EXERCISES

easier: seated barbell shoulder press, dumbbell shoulder press

harder: barbell push press

variants: standing behind the neck barbell shoulder press

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