Seated Barbell Press
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Sit on a Military Press Bench with a bar behind your head and either have a spotter give you the bar (better on the rotator cuff this way) or pick it up yourself carefully with a pronated grip (palms facing forward). Tip: Your grip should be wider than shoulder width and it should create a 90-degree angle between the forearm and the upper arm as the barbell goes down.
- 2Once you pick up the barbell with the correct grip length, lift the bar up over your head by locking your arms. Hold at about shoulder level and slightly in front of your head. This is your starting position.
- 3Lower the bar down to the collarbone slowly as you inhale.
- 4Lift the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale.
- 5Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
About Seated Barbell Press
The seated barbell press is a variation of the vertical press done on a bench with an almost vertical backrest. The back support reduces cheating and core work, which often lets you load a bit heavier and isolate the shoulder more than standing. The front delt leads the movement, assisted by the triceps to lockout. Lower the bar in front, to upper-chest level, then push to straight arms. Keep the back braced without over-arching, and do not lower the bar behind the neck unless your shoulder mobility is excellent.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleThe backrest isolates the shoulders and limits cheating
- check_circleOften allows heavier loads than the standing version
- check_circleEffectively targets the front delt and triceps
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbSet the backrest almost vertical, slightly reclined
- lightbulbGrip the bar just wider than the shoulders
- lightbulbLower the bar to chin or upper-chest level
- lightbulbKeep the back flat and the feet planted
warningCommon mistakes
- warningReclining the backrest too far into an incline press
- warningLifting the back off the pad to help the press
- warningPressing the bar forward instead of straight up
- warningCutting the range short by not lowering enough
helpFrequently asked questions
Seated or standing barbell press?expand_more
Seated isolates the shoulders and allows more load, while standing engages the whole body and core. The choice depends on your goal.
Should the bar come down in front or behind the neck?expand_more
In front, to the chin or upper chest, is safer. Behind the neck stresses the shoulder and requires excellent mobility.
Seated barbell press or dumbbells?expand_more
The bar lets you load heavier and progress in strength; dumbbells offer more range and spare the shoulder. Seated, the bar is an excellent shoulder builder; alternate with dumbbells for joint comfort.
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