Barbell Seated Overhead Press

Setup

1. 01Set an upright bench in a rack with the bar racked at shoulder height.
2. 02Sit tall with your upper back lightly against the pad and feet planted.
3. 03Grip the bar just outside shoulder width with wrists stacked.
4. 04Unrack to the collarbones with elbows slightly in front of the bar.

Execution

1. 01Brace, then press the bar straight up past the face.
2. 02Pull the head through once the bar clears the forehead.
3. 03Lock out overhead with the bar stacked over the shoulders.
4. 04Lower under control back to the collarbones.

Checkpoints

• -Bar finishes over the shoulder joint, not out in front.
• -Ribs stay down; the low back does not peel into a big arch.
• -Wrists stay stacked over the elbows.
• -Each rep starts from a dead position at the collarbones.

Common mistakes

• -Turning it into a high-incline press by sliding the hips forward.
• -Bouncing the bar off the clavicles.
• -Cutting lockout short as the set gets heavy.
• -Flaring the elbows out wide at the start of the press.