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How to do it
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and rack the bar across the front of the shoulders just under the chin.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with the wrists stacked over the elbows.
- Brace your core, squeeze the glutes, and take a big breath to lock the torso in place.
- Press the bar straight up by pushing through the shoulders and triceps, moving your head back slightly.
- Lock out the arms overhead with the bar over the middle of the foot and biceps near the ears.
- Lower the bar back to the front of the shoulders under control, reset your breath, and repeat.
Common mistakes
- Pressing the bar in front of the head instead of straight up, which strains the lower back and shoulders.
- Leaning back excessively to turn the lift into an incline press, which overloads the spine.
- Failing to brace the core, which lets the rib cage flare and weakens the press.
- Bending the knees and using leg drive, which makes the lift a push press and not a strict press.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Front Delts
- Secondary
- Triceps
Good to know
- What muscles does the Barbell Overhead Press work?
- Mainly the front delts. It also works the triceps.
- What equipment do you need for the Barbell Overhead Press?
- It uses a barbell. Without it, the Anti-Gravity Press and the Arnold Press train the same muscles the same way.
- Is the Barbell Overhead Press good for beginners?
- GymVim rates it intermediate. For a beginner-rated exercise on the same muscle and movement, see the Band Overhead Press.