Overhead Press
Pressing weight from the shoulders to overhead while standing — shoulder and trunk strength that carries a tall posture.
Also called: shoulder press, military press, ohp, dumbbell shoulder press, strict press
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Weight at the shoulders, elbows slightly forward, feet hip-width, glutes and abs braced.
How to do the Overhead Press
- Press straight up, moving the head slightly back to clear the path.
- Finish with the weight stacked over the shoulders and hips, arms locked.
- Squeeze the glutes so the lower back cannot arch.
- Lower under control back to the shoulders.
Overhead Press muscles worked
The Overhead Press works the shoulders, triceps and core.
Common Overhead Press mistakes
- Leaning back and turning it into an incline press.
- Pressing forward of the body line.
- Legs bouncing to help (that is a push press — fine, but a different exercise).
Scale it
Easier: Seated dumbbell press with back support, or lighter dumbbells.
Harder: Standing single-arm presses (adds a big core demand), or heavier load.
Pairs well with
Push-Up
The classic bodyweight press — chest, shoulder, and arm strength wrapped inside a moving plank.
Around the World
Circling a light weight around the head or body — shoulder mobility and control through a full circle of positions.
Bench Press
Pressing a barbell or dumbbells from the chest lying on a bench — the standard heavy upper-body push.
Cable Chest Press
Pressing against constant cable tension — keeps the chest loaded through the full range, easy on the shoulder since the angle is adjustable.