How to Do the Seated Barbell Military Press

Intermediate · Barbell · Targets Shoulders, Triceps

How to perform it

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

The Seated Barbell Military Press primarily targets your Shoulders, with support from your Triceps. You'll need barbell.

Make it count toward your goal

Random sets rarely move the needle. In NYUS, the Seated Barbell Military Press slots into a plan built for your goal — sets, reps and progression auto-suggested, logged in two taps, and folded into a weekly review that adapts what comes next.

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