The shoulder press machine is a popular exercise for growing your shoulders. However, it's only effective if you use the correct form and challenge your muscles with enough resistance to adapt.
A shoulder press machine is one of the many exercises isolating the deltoids to create a broader, more sculpted upper body. It's a variation of the seated shoulder press.
It’s also one of my favorite exercises to program for my clients because it’s easy to pick up, has a low risk of injury, and is effective for people of all ages and fitness levels.
In this article, you will learn how to use the shoulder press machine, its benefits and drawbacks, the muscles worked, how to program it into your workout routine, and alternative exercises you can try.
Table of Contents
How to Use the Shoulder Press Machine With Proper Form
The shoulder press machine is a machine-based exercise that targets the shoulders. It’s effective for muscle growth and strength gains in the deltoids, provided you use good form.
Below are some helpful steps to correctly use the shoulder press machine.
- Adjust the machine's seat to a comfortable height that lets you place both feet firmly on the ground. Position the handles at approximately shoulder height.
- Sit upright in the chair with your back against the back pad and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Hold the handles with a solid pronated or neutral grip and keep your elbows pointed down by your torso.
- Take a deep breath, and as you exhale, push the handles straight overhead until your elbows are fully extended. Hold for a second.
- Inhale and slowly lower your arms down to the starting position.
- Repeat for as many reps and sets as specified in your program.
The overhead press is the most popular shoulder exercise for powerlifters, but it’s not right for everyone. Check out more alternatives.
Shoulder Press Machine Muscles Worked
The shoulder machine press targets all three heads of the deltoids, stimulating hypertrophy and strength gains. It also activates the triceps and pecs, which aid in overhead extension, and the biceps, which assist in arm abduction and internal rotation.
Depending on your shoulder press grip, you can target the secondary muscles more or less. For example, using a neutral grip when pressing the shoulder machine can increase the activation of the biceps.
The anterior deltoid resides at the front of the shoulder, which assists in moving the arm in front of the body. The medial (side) deltoid abducts the arm (moves it away from the body), and the posterior deltoid at the back of the shoulders is required for extension, external rotation, and horizontal abduction.
If your shoulders are underdeveloped, here are 4 ways to fix them.
Shoulder Press Machine Benefits
So, why should you use the shoulder machine at the gym? Here are some of the benefits of using the shoulder machine in your workout:
1. Increased Upper Body Size and Strength
The shoulder press machine effectively increases upper body muscle size and strength due to its targeted engagement of key muscle groups. It primarily targets the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoids, promoting muscle growth and strength development in the shoulders.
The seated shoulder press machine also activates the triceps, biceps, and chest muscles to promote well-rounded upper body growth and strength gains.
Unlike many compound shoulder exercises that involve multiple muscle groups and reduce direct shoulder stimulation, the shoulder press machine exercise emphasizes the deltoids to promote maximum growth while minimizing shoulder pain.
2. Beginner Friendly
The shoulder press machine is considered beneficial for beginners due to several reasons. Firstly, it offers a guided and fixed movement pattern, making it easier for beginners to understand and perform the exercise correctly. This significantly reduces the risk of injury resulting from improper form and technique.
It also provides support and stability for the whole body, enabling beginner lifters to build up moderate strength before progressing onto harder free-weight exercises requiring more stability. It enables lifters to progressively overload their upper body muscles, translating into better exercise performance.
3. Build a Broader Chest and Bigger Biceps
Although the machine shoulder press primarily isolates the shoulder muscles, it also activates the chest and biceps. Strengthening these arm muscles is crucial for overall gym performance. It will enable you to lift heavier in other upper body compound exercises, like the bench press, upright row, and pull-ups.
If you’re looking for a full guide on training your shoulders like an experienced powerlifter, check out that article.
Shoulder Press Machine Drawbacks
As with any strength training exercise, the machine shoulder press has some drawbacks, including the following:
- Limited Muscle Engagement and Less Functional Than Free Weights
- Limited Range of Motion
- Not Suitable for Everybody
1. Limited Muscle Engagement and Less Functional Than Free Weights
Unlike free-weight shoulder exercises, the shoulder press machine primarily isolates the shoulder muscles. Still, it does not engage the stabilizing muscles of the core due to the extra support and stability provided by the seated machine.
Because of this and the seated shoulder press machine uses just one plane of motion (unlike free weight movements that enable you to use multiple planes or directions), the machine shoulder press is less functional and less effective for overall muscle growth than free weight alternatives.
2. Limited Range of Motion
Shoulder press machines have a pre-set plane of motion and a limited number of adjustments for the seat height and handle height. Some lifters might be unable to find a comfortable seated position to perform the machine shoulder press properly, limiting their range of motion and hindering progress.
3. Not Suitable for Everybody
The seated shoulder press machine may be unsuitable for those with existing or previous shoulder injuries, rotator cuff instability, or limited upper body mobility. In such cases, it might be better to choose alternative shoulder exercises to support the person’s individual needs.
If you have a previous shoulder injury, I recommend working with a professional (such as a personal trainer or physical therapist) before commencing a new workout program or trying out new shoulder exercises.
You can also try similar alternatives to the Arnold press for more options to build shoulder strength.
How to Program the Shoulder Press Machine
It’s important to program the shoulder press machine properly to experience the positive benefits of this upper-body movement.
Here are some helpful tips for making programming a standard or converging shoulder press machine exercise into your workout smooth and simple:
- Figure Out Your Goals
- Choose the Correct Workout Frequency and Intensity
- Identify Your Desired Reps and Sets
1. Figure Out Your Goals
Before adding the machine shoulder press to your workout routine, it's essential to identify your fitness goals. Whether you aim to build strength, increase muscle size (hypertrophy), improve muscular endurance, or maintain overall shoulder health will affect the workout intensity, reps, sets, and rest periods you take.
2. Choose the Correct Workout Frequency and Intensity
Depending on your goals and overall workout schedule, determine how often you want to perform shoulder press exercises. For most people, one to two times a week is sufficient for muscle growth and strength gains, especially if you’re doing other upper body exercises elsewhere in your training program.
Ideally, you should also leave 48 hours between workouts where you train your shoulders, allowing them time to recover properly.
3. Identify Your Desired Reps and Sets
Generally, you’ll want to perform 3-6 reps for strength gains; for muscle growth, you’ll want to aim for 8-12 reps. If you aim to build muscular endurance in your deltoids, adding in a few sets of 15+ reps may also be beneficial.
The best number of sets to perform is three or four sets of the seated shoulder press machine in a workout, a maximum of twice a week. Make sure you’re taking adequate rest periods between sets (between 30 and 90 seconds) and between workouts (ideally, 48 hours).
Shoulder Press Machine vs. Free Weights
In my experience, machine-based movements like the machine shoulder press are great for beginners. The seated shoulder press is ideal for relatively low muscle strength and core stability, as the machine will provide extra support.
Free weights, however, are superior to muscle growth and strength gains. Free-weight standing or seated shoulder press movements enable you to target your deltoid muscles from slightly different angles. They also require stabilizing yourself by engaging your core muscles, enabling a full upper-body workout.
Of course, you can always use both in your training routine, provided you give your shoulders adequate rest between workouts.
Alternative Exercises to the Shoulder Press Machine
There isn’t a huge number of exercises that are suitable as shoulder press machine alternatives. However, there are a few different movements that you can do to target the deltoids, pecs, and upper arms nicely.
Here are a few of the best exercises to perform when replacing the seated shoulder press machine in your workouts:
- Seated dumbbell shoulder press
- Seated Arnold press
- Seated barbell shoulder press
- Seated Smith machine shoulder press
- Seated military press machine
- Seated dumbbell or barbell military press
- Standing cable shoulder press
You can also check out the best shoulder cable workouts for size to complete your ultimate workout.
Tips for Performing the Shoulder Press Machine
Performing the machine shoulder press well will maximize your gains and overall progress. Here are some top tips for executing a machine-based seated overhead shoulder press:
- Adjust the seat and handles according to your height to ensure you can grip the handles firmly. If the seat is too low or the handles are too high, your body will recruit additional muscles to aid your deltoids, chest, and triceps, which could reduce the exercise's effectiveness. It could also increase the strain on your spine and neck, increasing the risk of injuries.
- Maintain proper posture by sitting upright with your back against the back pad and feet flat on the floor, and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Using great posture minimizes muscle strain and injuries.
- Make sure to inhale as you lower the handles and exhale as you press them overhead. Correct breathing technique enables you to get the most out of your workout.
- Don’t rush the exercise. I’ve seen too many people perform half reps and rush through their sets when using the overhead press machine. Perform every rep with slow and controlled movements to ensure you activate the correct muscles and stimulate the most muscle growth and strength gains you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Shoulder Press Machine Effective?
The shoulder press machine is an effective and valuable exercise for targeting and strengthening the deltoids, pecs, triceps, and biceps. Unlike free-weight alternatives like the standing barbell shoulder press, the shoulder press machine offers a stable and controlled movement pattern, reducing the risk of injury. This makes it particularly beneficial for beginners or individuals recovering from shoulder-related issues.
Why Is the Shoulder Press Machine So Hard?
The machine shoulder press can be tough because it's one of the few exercises that primarily isolates the deltoids. As a result, it demands a more focused and intense effort from the shoulder muscles, which can feel strenuous, especially for beginners. If you don't set up the machine properly, maintaining proper form and posture may also be uncomfortable or difficult, making the exercise more difficult.
How Much Weight Should You Be Doing on the Shoulder Press Machine?
For beginners in strength training, starting with a lighter weight is essential to focus on mastering proper form and technique. Regardless of your fitness level or expertise, you should choose a weight that enables you to perform the desired number of reps, with the last few reps challenging.
About The Author
Athina is a Biochemistry and Genetics graduate, and a qualified personal trainer with a passion for women’s health and fitness. She is passionate about helping women to learn more about the importance of the menstrual cycle and how to balance their hormones. She is the host and producer of Fertility and Freedom podcast, which covers all things women’s health and hormones.
