Overhead Press: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The overhead press works your shoulders as the main mover, pressing the barbell from your collarbone straight overhead. Your triceps straighten your elbows to finish each rep, making this standing barbell lift a classic test of overhead pressing strength and total-body bracing.
- Primary muscle:
- Shoulders
- Secondary muscles:
- Triceps
Muscles worked
Your shoulders (front and side delts) are the primary mover in the overhead press, driving the bar up from your collarbone to full lockout above your head.
Your triceps take over in the top half of the press, straightening your elbows to lock the bar out overhead.
Log Overhead Press in PR Streak
PR Streak's library has 873 exercises, each with photos and step-by-step instructions like this one. Log this move and see what you lifted last time right next to every set, with every PR caught automatically and a chart for every exercise.
How to do it
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
- Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Form tips
- Grip the bar just outside shoulder width and rest it on your collarbone to start.
- Brace your core hard before you press. This is a standing lift with no back support.
- Press the bar up and slightly back, moving your head out of the way as it passes your face.
- Finish with the bar directly over your shoulders and your arms fully locked out.
- Lower the bar back to your collarbone under control on every rep.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Barbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the overhead press work?
The overhead press is led by your shoulders, with your triceps finishing the lockout. It is one of the most direct ways to build pressing strength and shoulder size with a barbell.
How much should I be able to overhead press?
It depends on your bodyweight, sex and training experience. Try an 1RM calculator from a recent working set to estimate your current overhead press max and track your progress over time.
More shoulders exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
