Barbell Shoulder PressMuscles Worked
The barbell shoulder press works your shoulders, mainly the front delts, while your triceps and upper chest help push the bar overhead. This version is done seated with back support, which keeps your legs out of it and lets you focus on pressing.
How to do it
- Place a bench with an upright back support inside a squat rack, with the bar set just above head height when you sit.
- Grip the bar with your palms facing forward and your hands a little wider than your shoulders.
- Press the bar out of the rack and hold it overhead on straight arms.
- Lower the bar under control in front of your face to about chin or upper chest level.
- Press back up along the same line until your arms are straight and the bar sits over the top of your head.
Form tips
- Keep your back on the pad and your ribs down, because leaning back turns it into an incline press.
- Pull your chin back slightly as the bar passes your face, then bring your head under it at the top.
- Viewed from the side, keep your forearms vertical under the bar.
Why it made the list
No. 1 of 13
Best Shoulder Exercises
Primary compound for shoulders. Highest overall delt activation. Also hits triceps and upper chest. The "squat for shoulders."
More shoulder exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Barbell Shoulder Press sets in KasMaker and watch your shoulders, chest, and triceps fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
