The overhead press is one of the most fundamental upper body strength exercises. Whether you're a powerlifter, strongman, or general strength athlete, mastering this movement will improve your pressing power, shoulder stability, and overall upper body strength.
In this guide, we’ll break down the overhead press step by step, discuss the muscles involved, and explore how to program it for maximum gains.
Table of Contents
How to Do Overhead Press
The overhead press is a vertical pressing movement where you take resistance and press it above your head. Proper form is critical to avoid injury and maximize power output.
Here’s how to do it correctly:
Step 1: Set Up Your Stance and Grip
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart for stability.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, keeping your wrists neutral.
- The bar should rest on the front of your shoulders, with your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
Step 2: Bracing and Initial Press
- Take a deep breath and brace your core.
- Press the bar upward in a straight path, avoiding an outward diagonal movement.
Step 3: Head Through at Lockout
- Once the bar clears your forehead, push your head through. This aligns the bar over your midfoot for better balance and a stronger lockout.
- Fully extend your arms and lock out your elbows at the top.
Step 4: Controlled Lowering
- Lower the bar in a controlled manner, bringing it back to the starting position at shoulder height.
- Maintain core engagement to avoid excessive spinal extension.
Common Mistakes
There are several ways to maximize the overhead press in your workout.
Leaning Back Excessively
One of the most common mistakes lifters make during the overhead press is excessive backward lean. Because the movement is done from a standing position, some listers lean back or forward.
This happens when the weight is too heavy or when there is poor core engagement. Leaning back can turn the movement into a high-incline press rather than a strict vertical press, shifting emphasis away from the shoulders and putting unnecessary stress on the lower back.
While a slight natural extension of the spine is normal, especially under heavier loads, an exaggerated lean increases the risk of injury. To prevent this, brace your core tightly, squeeze your glutes, and ensure that your ribs stay down as you press the bar overhead.
If you find yourself consistently leaning back, it may be a sign that you need to improve core strength or adjust your pressing technique.
Pressing in a Diagonal Path
Another major mistake is pressing the bar in a diagonal path rather than a straight vertical line. If the bar moves too far forward, it places excessive stress on the shoulders and makes the lift more difficult by increasing the moment arm.
This often happens when lifters keep their head back throughout the press instead of moving it forward after the bar clears the forehead. To correct this, focus on keeping the bar path as straight as possible by pushing your head through once the bar passes your forehead.
That's how the bar stays aligned with your midfoot, keeping the movement efficient and reducing strain on your shoulders and lower back.
Neglecting Head Movement
Failing to push the head through at the right moment is a subtle but critical mistake. Many lifters press the bar upward while keeping their head back the entire time, which results in poor alignment and makes it harder to stabilize the weight.
The key to a strong overhead press is achieving full extension while keeping the bar stacked over your midfoot. As soon as the bar clears your forehead, push your head through so that your arms are fully extended in a strong, vertical position.
This improves balance and reduces unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint, ensuring a safer and more effective press.
Over-Relying on Momentum
While the overhead press is often performed as a strict movement, some lifters develop the habit of using excessive leg drive, effectively turning it into a push press. While the push press is a valuable exercise in its own right, it should not be confused with the strict overhead press.
If you find yourself needing to use your legs to complete each rep, you may be using too much weight. Stick with a strict pressing technique to build raw shoulder strength and only incorporate the push press intentionally when programming for power and explosiveness.
If necessary, lower the weight and focus on proper form to develop the necessary strength before progressing to heavier loads.
What Muscles Does Overhead Press Work?
The overhead press primarily targets the anterior deltoids, triceps, and upper pectorals, but it also engages several supporting muscle groups. Overhead press can even help bench press strength.
Deltoids (Shoulders)
The deltoids consist of three heads:
- Anterior deltoid (front) – the primary mover in the overhead press.
- Medial deltoid (side) – helps stabilize the movement.
- Rear deltoid (back) – less involved but provides balance.
Triceps
The triceps extend the elbow joint, playing a crucial role in pressing movements. As you lock out the overhead press, the triceps are heavily engaged.
Upper Pectorals
While the bench press emphasizes the chest, the overhead press does activate the upper pecs, especially when the spine naturally extends slightly during the press. However, this is not a primary chest exercise.
Rotator Cuff and Stabilizers
The rotator cuff muscles work to stabilize the shoulder joint throughout the press. These small but essential muscles help keep your shoulders healthy and prevent injury.
How to Program Overhead Press
Programming the overhead press correctly is key to developing strength and power. Whether you're a powerlifter or just looking to build a strong upper body, consider these training principles:
Heavy and Fast Approach
- Day 1: Strength Focus – 3 sets of 6 reps at a heavy weight.
- Day 2: Speed and Power Focus – 6 sets of 3 reps at ~80% of your heavy day weight, focusing on explosiveness.
This combination builds both raw strength and pressing speed, making you a more powerful lifter.
Accessory Work for a Stronger Overhead Press
- Military Press (strict overhead press with no leg drive) – great for building raw shoulder strength.
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press – improves pressing stability and range of motion.
- Incline Dumbbell Press (70-degree angle) – a good alternative if overhead mobility is an issue.
- Rotator Cuff Strengthening – exercises like face pulls and external rotations help prevent shoulder injuries.
Balancing Overhead and Horizontal Pressing
If you're a powerlifter, you might focus more on the bench press. However, incorporating the overhead press into your routine builds stronger shoulders, which directly benefits your bench press performance. A balanced pressing program should include both vertical and horizontal pressing movements.
Common Questions
Here's the video that shows how everything works. Below, I'll also answer some common questions:
Can I do this with barbells?
Yes, the overhead press is most commonly performed with a barbell. A barbell allows for progressive overload and symmetrical loading, making it ideal for building overall pressing strength. However, it does require good shoulder mobility and proper form to execute safely.
If a barbell feels uncomfortable, consider starting with dumbbells or a landmine press to work on control and range of motion.
Does this help with shoulder mobility?
The overhead press can improve shoulder mobility over time by strengthening the stabilizing muscles and increasing your range of motion under load. However, if you have limited shoulder mobility, jumping straight into heavy barbell presses can lead to compensation patterns and potential injury.
Instead, try seated dumbbell presses, landmine presses, or a 70-degree incline dumbbell press to gradually improve mobility while still developing pressing strength. Working on thoracic extension and rotator cuff strength can also help.
How wide should I grip the bar?
We have an in-depth guide on proper overhead press grip width. The short answer: The ideal overhead press grip width is a neutral grip just outside your shoulders.
How should you spot someone doing overhead press?
This is such a common question. The answer, unfortunately, is that a tall rack makes the best spotter for these kinds of overhead movements. Unrack the weights with safety bars in place to get the best protection.
What variations are there?
We have a full article on overhead press variations and alternatives. In short, you can try:
- Military Press
- Push Press
- Seated Shoulder Press
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press
- Z Press
- Landmine Press (or landmine press alternatives)
Final Thoughts
The overhead press is a must-have in any strength program. It builds pressing power, strengthens the shoulders and triceps, and carries over to other big lifts like the bench press. By focusing on proper technique, avoiding common mistakes, and following a smart programming approach, you can maximize your overhead press strength safely and effectively.
Start incorporating the overhead press into your routine and watch your upper body strength take off!
