intermediate · shoulders
Standing Overhead Press
Strict vertical press for delts and upper-body strength—bracing is everything.
Quick answer
Bar at collarbone height, brace the core, press overhead to locked elbows, head through at the top, then lower with control.
A strong overhead press is a resume for trunk stability. Soft midsections leak force; belts help advanced lifters, but learning to brace matters more than the belt.
Form cues
- Glutes squeezed; ribs down
- Press up and slightly back into the plane of the ears
- Don't lean back into a standing incline bench
Common mistakes
- Excessive layback turning it into a chest press
- Pressing forward of the face and losing the bar path
- Flaring ribs and dumping into the low back
Programming notes
3–5 × 5–8. If wrists or shoulders complain, try a neutral-grip dumbbell press.
barbell