Front Delts
How to do it
-
Set the bar in the rack at upper-chest height, grip just outside shoulder width with straight wrists.
-
Unrack and stand with feet hip-width apart, the bar resting on your front delts against your collarbones.
-
Brace your abs and glutes hard so the lower back does not arch backward.
-
Pull your head back slightly and press the bar straight up past your face.
-
As soon as the bar clears your forehead, push your head back through so the bar finishes over your ears.
-
Lower under control back to the front delts and reset before the next rep.
Common mistakes
-
Arching the lower back and turning the lift into a standing incline press.
-
Pressing the bar forward around your face so the load drifts away from your base.
-
Dipping the knees to help (that is a push press, a different lift).
-
Locking out with the bar in front of your head instead of over your ears.
Tips
-
Squeeze the glutes like you are about to jump; that is the main trick for keeping the back safe.
-
If your shoulders pinch, widen the grip slightly or switch to dumbbells.
-
Train it at 5-8 reps; overhead press progresses slowly by nature.
Secondary muscles
Alternatives
Log this exercise and watch yourself progress
Sign up free to log sets & weights, save favorite moves, add your own, and see your strength chart climb week after week.