Overhead Press (Barbell)

Setup

Stand with feet hip-width apart, barbell racked at upper chest level with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width and elbows slightly forward. Grip the bar firmly with wrists stacked over forearms, creating a shelf with your upper chest.

How to do it

1. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes before initiating the press
2. Drive the bar straight up while moving your head slightly back to clear the bar path
3. Press until arms are fully locked out overhead with biceps by your ears
4. Return the bar under control to the starting position at your upper chest
5. Keep your ribcage down and avoid excessive arching in your lower back

Watch out for

• ✗Leaning back excessively and turning the movement into an incline press instead of maintaining a vertical torso
• ✗Pressing the bar forward in an arc rather than straight up, which reduces efficiency and can strain shoulders
• ✗Failing to achieve full lockout at the top, which shortens the range of motion and reduces muscle engagement