Standing Barbell Press (Military Press)

Starting position

1. Rack the bar at upper-chest height and grip it slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Unrack it and take a step back; feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, weight across the whole foot.
3. The bar rests on your upper chest, elbows slightly in front of it, wrists stacked over elbows.
4. Squeeze your glutes and abs so your body is one rigid line from shoulders to feet.

Execution

1. Take a breath and hold it to brace.
2. Press the bar straight up, tilting your head back a little so it clears your chin.
3. Once it passes your forehead, push your head forward between your arms; at the top the bar is over mid-foot with arms straight. Breathe out.
4. Inhale and lower the bar slowly to your upper chest, moving your head back again.

Common mistakes

• Leaning back — the lower back arches hard and takes the load.
• Dipping and driving with the legs — it turns into a push press and the shoulders do less.
• Pressing around the head in an arc — the bar drifts forward and stress on the shoulders and back grows.
• Wrists bent back — the bar loads the wrists and you lose pressing power.

Beginner tips

• Learn the movement with the empty bar, or a light technique bar if that's too heavy.
• Think about pushing yourself under the bar rather than just lifting it.
• If your lower back tires before your shoulders, drop the weight and squeeze your glutes harder.

Alternatives

• Seated Barbell Press (Military Press) — back support takes load off the lower back
• Dumbbell Press with Alternating Grip — free path for each arm
• Smith Machine Front Press — fixed path, easier for beginners