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Lever Shoulder Press
A plate-loaded or selectorized machine press that lets you push the delts hard on a guided path with minimal setup and stability demand.
ShouldersMachineVertical press
GoLightWeight medialever-shoulder-press
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Anterior deltoidsMedial deltoids
Secondary
TricepsUpper trapeziusSerratus anterior
Equipment
Machine
Pattern
Vertical press
Setup
- 01Adjust the seat so the handles start at about shoulder height.
- 02Sit with the back and head against the pad.
- 03Grip the handles with wrists straight and elbows under the hands.
- 04Plant the feet and brace lightly.
Execution
- 01Press the handles up until the elbows reach full lockout.
- 02Keep the back on the pad as the arms extend.
- 03Lower under control to shoulder height.
- 04Reverse smoothly without resting the stack between reps.
Checkpoints
- -Handles start level with the shoulders.
- -Lower back keeps light contact with the pad.
- -Wrists stay stacked over the elbows.
- -Rep speed stays controlled on the way down.
Common mistakes
- -Seat set too high, shrinking the range of motion.
- -Arching hard off the pad on heavy reps.
- -Half-locking the elbows at the top.
- -Letting the plates or stack crash at the bottom.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps as a primary or secondary press.
- -The guided path suits high-intensity techniques like rest-pause and drop sets.
- -Rotate with free-weight overhead pressing across training blocks.
Related exercises
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