Seated Barbell Military Press

A shoulders exercise targeting the shoulders, performed with barbell.

Seated Barbell Military Press demonstration
Seated Barbell Military Press β€” demonstration

Body part

Shoulders

Equipment

Barbell

Target muscles

Shoulders

Secondary muscles

Triceps

How to do Seated Barbell Military Press

  1. Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar behind your head and either have a spotter give you the bar (better on the rotator cuff this way) or pick it up yourself carefully with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down.

  2. 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.

  3. Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.

  4. Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.

  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Primary (target)

Shoulders

Secondary

Triceps

Related exercises

All shoulders exercises β†’

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