The Shoulder Press

The shoulder press is an upper-body pressing exercise performed from a standing position, without assistance from the legs, to elevate the weight. It develops great upper body and core strength and stability. Read further to learn everything you need to know about the shoulder press:

• What Is the Shoulder Press?
• Shoulder Press Benefits
• Muscle Groups Worked
• How to Prepare for the Shoulder Press
• Equipment Needed
• How to Warm Up the Shoulder Press
• How to Perform the Shoulder Press
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Shoulder Press Modifications 
• Shoulder Press Variations
• Common Shoulder Press Workouts
• Get Started Today!

What Is the Shoulder Press?

The shoulder press is a vertical pressing movement used to move a load from the shoulders to overhead. The shoulder press starts with the feet approximately hip-width apart, the hands placed outside the shoulders, the bar resting on the shoulders, and the elbows slightly in front of the bar. The athlete then presses the bar in a straight line to the finish position. The movement is complete when the arms are locked and the bar is over the ankles. Throughout the rep, the athlete must tighten the abdominals, glutes, and quads to prevent undue hyperextension of the spine. 

Because athletes do not use their legs and hips to help propel the weight overhead, they will lift less load than other overhead pressing movements, like the push press and push jerk. This movement is the least technical of CrossFit’s other foundational overhead movements while still developing a high degree of strength. This movement is not typically performed as part of conditioning workouts, but when organized in this fashion, it will target upper-body stamina and endurance. 

Shoulder Press Benefits

The shoulder press primarily develops upper-body pressing strength and stamina while also developing core strength and flexibility throughout the shoulders. 

Strength

Shoulder press develops raw strength of the shoulders and triceps. There is no assistance from the lower body to aid with elevating the bar, so these muscles are taxed significantly throughout a large range of motion. 

Stamina

When completed for a high number of reps, the shoulder press will develop muscle endurance and stamina in areas like the shoulders, triceps, and upper back. 

Core Strength

The core needs to be active throughout the entire rep to avoid undue hyperextension of the spine. The athlete will focus on squeezing the abdominals and tightening the glutes to achieve this goal. 

Flexibility

The range of motion of the shoulder press is much more demanding than that of the other common upper-body pressing movements, like the bench press and push-up. The rack position and overhead finishing position will place a range of motion demands throughout the shoulders that will improve flexibility in this region over time.

Muscle Groups Worked

The shoulder press largely involves the muscles of the shoulders, upper back, arms, and core.

Shoulders, Upper Back, and Arms

The muscles of the shoulders, upper back, and arms, including the deltoids, traps, rhomboids, lats, and triceps, contract throughout various portions of the movement to press the bar and to stabilize it when in the overhead position. 

Core

The muscles of the core, including the abdominals and spinal erectors, contract isometrically to transfer forces effectively and to resist undue hyperextension of the spine. The core musculature remains engaged to stabilize the bar overhead. 

How to Prepare for the Shoulder Press

Preparing to shoulder press requires assembling the proper equipment and performing a general and specific warm-up to get the body ready to move through the range of motion required. 

Equipment Needed

To train the shoulder press, an athlete can use a PVC pipe or barbells of various weights, from 10 to 45 lb, as needed. 

How to Warm Up for the Shoulder Press

To warm up for the shoulder press, the lifter can perform general movements that work every joint through its full range of motion while biasing toward the range of motion and trunk demands found in the shoulder press. Hollow holds, GHD hip extensions, air squats, ring rows, GHD hip extensions, shoulder pass-throughs, band pull-aparts, bar hangs, and push-ups are good choices for the general warm-up.

For example:

2 rounds, at an easy pace, of:

90-second jump rope

10 PVC pipe pass-throughs

20-second hollow hold

20-second arch hold

20-second bar hang

10 air squats

For the specific warm-up, a great option is to start by using a PVC pipe or empty barbell and establishing the correct front rack position with a focus on stabilizing the trunk and ensuring correct elbow placement. Then hold the bar in the correct overhead position by focusing on the bar being centered over the ankles and pressing the shoulders toward the bar while maintaining a stable trunk position. After establishing the end ranges of the movement, focus on the dynamic phase by pressing the bar in a straight line into the overhead position. 

How to Do the Shoulder Press

Although not considered to be a complex movement, the shoulder press still demands a focus on technique in the setup position, pressing motion, and overhead position to enhance efficiency and safety.

Setup Position

In the setup for the shoulder press, the athlete assumes a hip-width stance, with legs and hips fully extended and the bar racked high along the shoulders. In this position, the athlete establishes midline stability by tightening the abdominals, glutes, and quads. The athlete has a full grip on the bar with the hands just outside the shoulders and the elbows pointing down and out and slightly in front of the bar. 

Bar Path

The focus point during the pressing phase is to ensure the bar travels in a straight line to the overhead position. To achieve this, the athlete will pull the chin back at the onset of the movement and keep the bar close to their face as they press. The athlete maintains midline stability throughout this phase. 

Overhead Position

The finish position requires achieving the correct range of motion and establishing active shoulders when the bar is overhead. The range of motion is when the bar is over the frontal plane (roughly) in line with the ankles, with the arms locked. Active shoulders are demonstrated by actively pushing the shoulders towards the bar for added stability and range of motion. The trunk remains stable while in this position. 

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

The most common shoulder press mistakes include issues with the set-up, bar path, overhead position, and lack of stability of the trunk.

Loss of Midline Stability

Loss of midline stability in the shoulder press occurs when the athlete leans back excessively and overextends the spine. This is typically due to a lack of abdominal engagement, which will lead to inefficient force transfer and may irritate the lower back. 

To improve this fault, athletes can focus on using their abdominals to squeeze their ribs down. 

Improper Bar Path (Bar Moves Forward)

An improper bar path occurs when the athlete presses the bar forward and creates an arcing motion into the overhead position instead of a straight line. This takes away from the efficiency and strength potential of the movement. 

To correct this, start by ensuring the correct elbow position is established. If the elbows are behind the bar, the athlete is more likely to press the bar away from the body. If this is the issue, simply push the elbows forward of the bar. 

This fault may also be caused by the athlete pressing the bar forward to navigate around their head. If this is the issue, focus on pulling the chin back and out of the way before pressing the bar.

Bar Not Overhead in the Finish Position

This occurs when the athlete keeps the bar forward of the frontal plane (forward of the ankles) in the overhead position. This is not ideal because the athlete does not have musculoskeletal support to support the load, which limits the range of motion of the shoulders. 

The athlete can focus on pulling the bar back when in the overhead position or practice static barbell overhead holds to feel the correct position. If the range of motion is limited due to tight shoulders, the athlete can experiment with a slightly wider grip position. 

Inactive Shoulders or Bent Arms in the Overhead Position

Inactive shoulder occurs when the shoulders are yielding to the load overhead. This does not allow for the greatest load to be supported and will encourage maximum development of stability in this region. 

Athletes can focus on driving their shoulders towards the bar and ensuring the arms remain locked in this position. 

Shoulder Press Modifications

Modifications can be made to the grip, equipment, and load to accommodate any lifter in the shoulder press.

Equipment

The shoulder press can be performed with a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells. These tools may be valuable for those who have issues with the rack position or excessive irritation of their wrists when utilizing a barbell. 

Grip

Widening the athlete’s grip may help them achieve the proper overhead position if they have tight shoulders. For someone with shoulder or elbow pain, a wider grip may help alleviate the pain.

Load

The shoulder press can be scaled all the way down to PVC pipe in order to drill technique and master the movement pattern. For those healing from an injury, practice with a PVC pipe or very light dumbbells to start will ensure they are pain-free through the full range of motion. 

Shoulder Press Variations

Common variations of the shoulder press include dumbbell or kettlebell shoulder presses and single-arm shoulder presses. 

Dumbbell or Kettlebell Shoulder Press

The shoulder press can be done with two dumbbells or two kettlebells. These variations allow for a slightly different range of motion and require the athlete to stabilize each side independently of the other, thereby significantly stimulating the muscles in the shoulder and core. Using dumbbells or kettlebells may also allow athletes to work around certain wrist, elbow, or shoulder issues.  

Single-Arm Shoulder Press

Done with a single dumbbell or kettlebell, the single-arm shoulder press provides a significant challenge to core musculature as the body attempts to stabilize the uneven loading overhead. The single-arm shoulder press is also a good way to decrease strength imbalances between right and left arms. Single-arm lifting permits more freedom in the movement pattern, allowing an athlete to work around flexibility, mobility, or pain issues. 

Common Shoulder Press Workouts

The shoulder press can be used in a variety of workouts, from heavy and low rep to light and high rep.

CrossFit Total

Back squat, 1 rep
Shoulder press, 1 rep
Deadlift, 1 rep

Otis

Complete as many reps as possible in 15 minutes of:
1 back squat, 1 shoulder press, 1 deadlift
2 back squats, 2 shoulder presses, 2 deadlifts
3 back squats, 3 shoulder presses, 3 deadlifts
Etc.

Use 1½ body weight for the squats and deadlifts, and ¾ body weight for the presses.