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Overhead press

Gym (women) / Popular

Press overhead with a stable core and shoulders.

What coaches agree on

  • Brace your core, glutes, and legs before and throughout the press, the same way you'd set up for a squat, instead of pressing with just your upper body.
  • Press the weight in as straight a line as you can, keeping it stacked over your mid-foot and shoulder — move your head out of the way rather than pushing the bar out in front of you.
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  • Take the weight through its full range of motion each rep: all the way down to your shoulders or chest, and a complete lockout overhead.

Common mistakes

  • Leaning back and arching the lower back to help the weight up, especially when the weight is too heavy — it turns the press into more of an incline press and puts strain on the back.