Overhead Press Muscles Worked: Targeting Upper-Body Strength

An upper-body motion that makes an everyday look within the power circuits of CrossFitters and body-builders, the overhead press is a sound addition to the train routine of virtually anybody who has their eyes (er, physique) set on constructing power, dropping pounds, or in any other case optimizing their total well being and well-being, in line with licensed power and conditioning coach Jake Harcoff, CSCS, head coach and proprietor of AIM Athletic.

That’s as a result of along with strengthening your upper body, the overhead press engages a number of different muscle teams, corresponding to your core, glutes, and quads, he says, which makes it a full-body burner.

The factor is, you may’t simply seize a weight and begin slinging it towards the sky. Performing the overhead press requires some motion savvy. Executing the motion with sound kind and proper weight is crucial for reaping the potential advantages of the train and minimizing danger, Harcoff explains.

With that in thoughts, forward you’ll discover the whole lot you have to know concerning the overhead press, together with a step-by-step information on find out how to do it safely, the muscle teams it really works, security suggestions, and extra.

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How you can do an overhead press with good kind

Utilizing dumbbells is a superb possibility for anybody who has mobility limitations with one or each shoulders, Harcoff says.

“Every arm is ready to transfer independently of one another as an alternative of being certain to the form of the bar,” he explains. “Utilizing dumbbells additionally challenges the stabilizing muscular tissues across the shoulder joint extra dynamically,” he says, which finally promotes higher joint well being long run and reduces the danger of damage.

1. Stand together with your toes hip-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in every hand, arms at your sides. Your palms ought to be dealing with in towards your physique.
2. Elevate the weights to your shoulders together with your elbows bent at 90 levels.
3. Brace your core and interact decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press each dumbbells immediately over head, maintaining your again tight and your wrists according to your shoulders the whole time.
4. Maintain urgent till your arms are straight.
5. Inhale as you come back the dumbbells to begin place. That’s one rep.

The overhead press muscular tissues labored, defined

To the bare eye, the overhead press could appear to be simply an upper-body strengthener. And positive, the overhead press primarily targets your high half, however most overhead press variations are literally full-body actions.

The act of urgent the load overhead works your chest, shoulders, traps, and triceps, together with all of the stabilizing muscular tissues within the rotator cuff and the wrists, in line with Harcoff.

“You additionally name on varied core muscular tissues together with the rectus abdominis and obliques to keep up correct upright posture and spinal alignment all through the motion while you’re standing,” he says. Your core will even must activate if you’re performing a seated variation of the motion on a bench with out a again.

All of the overhead press advantages that’ll persuade you to strive it

The overhead press is a full-body motion that, when carried out correctly, can enhance your high quality of life in addition to capability throughout different power actions. Specifics, forward.

1. It helps shoulder well being

Your shoulders are a finicky body-part. Want proof? An estimated that 20 p.c of the inhabitants will expertise shoulder ache of their lifetime, in line with Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine.

Clearly, there isn’t any solution to completely injury-proof any a part of your physique. However so far as the shoulder goes, “usually the stronger the shoulder muscular tissues are, the stronger the shoulder joint is,” says bodily therapist Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, founding father of digital motion platform Movement Vault. “And the stronger the shoulder joint is, the decrease the danger it’s for accruing damage.”

Assuming somebody has enough shoulder mobility to execute the overhead press safely (extra on this forward) and is correctly weighting the train, the motion excels at strengthening all of the muscular tissues within the fussy joint, he says.

2. It will increase power, head-to-toe

Generally referred to as the shoulder press, you is likely to be shocked to study that the overhead press works way more muscle teams than simply these in your shoulder. Staying secure when you press the load overhead requires you to activate your midline, in addition to massive and small gamers in your legs, Wickham says.

3. It boosts stability massive time

Each holding the load in entrance of your physique (the beginning place) and urgent the load in your head require your core muscular tissues to faucet in, Harcoff says. Particularly, the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis are referred to as on that will help you preserve sound kind, he says.

Whereas core muscular tissues are sometimes thought to be mirror-muscles, having a strong core helps enhance your total high quality of life out and in of the gymnasium.

“The midline is the epicenter for the physique,” Wickham says. “When this epicenter is well-trained and powerful, it helps you keep secure when doing something from choosing up a bundle to getting in your tip-toes to get one thing from the highest shelf,” he says.

A robust core additionally helps you throw and kick extra highly effective throughout discipline sports activities, and relieve decrease again ache, he says.

4. It improves posture

This shoulder exercise strengthens the three fundamental muscle-groups chargeable for sound posture: The shoulders, higher again, and core.

Rounded shoulders are usually brought about when a person doesn’t have the shoulder or higher again power essential to tug the higher physique into an upright place, Wickham says. In the meantime, a sagging center again, which may intensify rounded shoulders, is brought on by a weak midline, he says.

Basically any train routine that entails improved again, shoulder or midline power will help counteract poor posture over time, Wickham says. (Particularly, when mixed with chest-opening stretches). The overhead barbell press, nevertheless, permits a person to strengthen all three muscle teams without delay, making it an excellent environment friendly addition for ditching the droop.

5. It has carryover to different actions

Irrespective of your particular health objectives or exercise regime, a weekly or biweekly overhead press session will help you get there.

The motion will enhance consolation with having weight overhead, Wickham says, which turns out to be useful for different workouts such because the overhead squat, snatch, clear and jerk, overhead lunge, and overhead carry.

Additional, as a result of the train strengthens your pushing muscular tissues—i.e. the chests, triceps, and shoulders—you’ll see enhancements in your potential to carry out actions corresponding to a bench press, push-up, handstand push-up, dips, and muscle-ups, he says.

“Typically the stronger the shoulder muscular tissues are, the stronger the shoulder joint is. And the stronger the shoulder joint is, the decrease the danger it’s for accruing damage.” —Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS

One of the best overhead press variations to spice issues up

Little question, the usual overhead press is a superb motion however there different overhead press variations you are able to do to kick issues up a notch within the title of even better beneficial properties.

1. Barbell overhead press

The standing overhead barbell press makes use of muscular tissues of the decrease physique, together with the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, Harcoff says. “These all contribute to making a secure base for you when you do the motion,” he says. Even your foot muscular tissues must activate throughout standing variations of the overhead press so as to hold you regular when you work.

1. Load the barbell into an influence rack, J-cups positioned in order that the barbell is at chest top.
2. Unrack the bar by positioning your arms simply exterior of your shoulders, and rotating your elbows below the bar and away out of your physique.
3. With the bar within the front-rack place, step away from the rack in order that toes are hips-width.
4. Take into consideration pulling the highest a part of your rib-cage right down to the ground to activate your midline. Floor your toes into the ground, squeeze glutes, and pull-up on quads for further stability.
5. Press the barbell straight overhead. Because the bar nears face, tilt head again and proceed pushing the bar immediately up. As soon as the bar has handed your face, return your neck to impartial place.
6. Proceed urgent till your arms are locked out overhead, together with your wrists stacked immediately above your shoulders.
7. Use your lats to tug the barbell again down, inhaling as you come back the load to the front-rack place. That’s one rep.

Notice: Within the occasion that you do not have a rig or squat rack to set the barbell up in, it’s also possible to energy or squat clean the barbell from the ground. Alternatively, you are able to do the dumbbell overhead press above.

2. Single-arm dumbbell overhead press

Whether or not you solely have one dumbbell on faucet or are tremendous into constructing midline power, give the only arm dumbbell overhead press a whirl. A unilateral model of the overhead press, this train means that you can strengthen all sides of your physique individually. “Since you’re solely weighted on one facet, your facet obliques must work time beyond regulation to maintain your physique regular when you press weight up on simply the one facet,” Wickham says.

Simply remember to choose a weight you may bodily elevate with sound kind with all sides. Wickham explains: Except you are absolutely ambidextrous, odds are that you simply will be barely stronger on one facet than the opposite. A lil power differential between sides okay, he says, but when the imbalance is simply too pronounced it places you at elevated danger for overcompensation accidents and poor posture.

You solely ever wish to elevate as a lot as you may on the weaker facet as lifting extra weight with the stronger facet will proceed to exacerbate power variations. The excellent news is that the weaker facet will get stronger when it is compelled to work independently, he says.

1. Stand together with your toes hip-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in your proper hand, arms at your sides. Your palms ought to be dealing with in towards your physique.
2. Elevate the load to your shoulder together with your elbow bent at 90 levels.
3. Brace your core and interact decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press the dumbbell immediately over head, maintaining your again tight and your wrists according to your shoulders the whole time.
4. Maintain urgent till your proper arm is straight.
5. Inhale as you come back the dumbbell to begin place. That’s one rep.
6. Repeat for the specified variety of reps after which repeat on the other facet.

3. Overhead press from cut up jerk place

Cut up jerk could sound like an R-rated dance transfer, but it surely’s truly an Olympic weightlifting motion that entails “catching” the barbell overhead in a lunge place. Properly, the overheard press from the cut up place entails getting right into a jerk (lunge) stance after which urgent the load immediately overhead, Wickham explains.

As you may guess, this motion is a better talent motion in comparison with different overhead press variations. Nonetheless, for people who’re snug with a barbell—powerlifters, CrossFit athletes, Olympic lifting rivals, and many others.— Harcoff says it’s a terrific add-in.

Strict urgent from this split-legged place will increase the demand in your core “because the physique should resist lateral motion and preserve stability all through the motion,” he explains. “This heightened core engagement not solely strengthens the stomach but additionally targets the indirect muscular tissues to enhance total stability and management.”

1. Stand together with your toes hip-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in every hand, arms at your sides. Your palms ought to be dealing with in towards your physique.
2. Elevate the weights to your shoulders together with your elbows bent at 90 levels.
3. Then, step right into a lunge place, together with your entrance knee bent and your again leg hovering above the bottom.
4. Brace your core and interact decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press each dumbbells immediately over head, maintaining your again tight and your wrists according to your shoulders the whole time.
5. Maintain urgent till your arms are straight.
6. Inhale as you come back the dumbbells to begin place. That’s one rep.

The most typical overhead press mistake—and find out how to repair it

Typically, when individuals are doing the overhead press incorrectly, it isn’t as a result of their set-up is flawed or they don’t perceive the mechanics of the motion. As an alternative, it’s as a result of they lack the prerequisite shoulder or thoracic backbone mobility to do the motion appropriately, in line with Wickham.

In case your shoulder advanced or T-spine lacks mobility—attributable to pre-existing damage, lack of use, or restricted physique positions all through your day—you’ll possible nonetheless be capable of get the load overhead, he says. Sadly, to take action, your physique will drive on the encircling joints and muscular tissues to do the work as an alternative. Often, it is your decrease again that can find yourself compensating for lack of mobility in these areas, Harcoff says.

The rub? “This compensation results in elevated danger of damage for the compensating joints down the road,” Wickham says. Certainly, a herniated disc, decrease again pressure, elbow dislocation, and generalized ache are all attainable, he says. Not superb for anybody, not to mention somebody trying to enhance total power and efficiency!

Plus, if you don’t have the mobility to carry out the train correctly, the compensations your physique mechanically employs truly scale back the work that your shoulders and midline must do, which makes the train much less efficient at strengthening the muscular tissues you’re concentrating on. Sigh.

Your transfer: Ensure you have enough mobility earlier than making an attempt the overhead press. You may assess this by standing in opposition to a wall, or mendacity down, and trying to completely flex your arms overhead, Harcoff says. Are you able to achieve this with out arching your decrease again excessively or compensating by pushing the pinnacle ahead? In that case, you most likely have strong shoulder and T-spine mobility.

If mobility deficits are noticed throughout this take a look at, Harcoff suggests incorporating particular stretches that concentrate on the shoulder restrictions, corresponding to shoulder dislocations using resistance band, PVC pipe figure 8s, and wall angels.

“Arm circles, the ‘thread the needle’ stretch, cross-body shoulder stretches, and doorway stretches are additionally good choices,” says train physiologist and authorized power and conditioning coach Sharon Gam PhD, CSCS. You also needs to incorporate thoracic backbone stretches corresponding to thoracic extensions over a foam curler and cat-cow stretches, Harcoff says.

“Whereas addressing mobility limitations, you may combine different shoulder-strengthening workouts that do not demand fairly as a lot mobility,” Harcoff says. “Workout routines just like the lateral raise, entrance increase, bent-over lateral raises, and face pulls will assist you to strengthen your shoulder muscular tissues when you put together for extra advanced actions just like the overhead press,” he says.

While you graduate to overhead urgent motion, Gam recommends making an attempt out the landmine press first earlier than leaping straight into the overhead shoulder press. “It means that you can overhead press at a much less vertical angle, which implies it could be a extra accessible train,” she says.

Security tricks to think about when performing the overhead press

For people who meet the motion’s pre-requisite mobility calls for, the overhead press is usually fairly secure train. Nonetheless, there are some issues you need to bear in mind to guard the well being of your muscular tissues, in addition to your physique as an entire.

1. Get the inexperienced mild from a health and/or healthcare professional

When you’ve got any pre-existing shoulder accidents, you’d be sensible to talk with a bodily therapist earlier than trying the overhead press, Wickham says. In any case, you wish to be sure that your supporting musculature can deal with the load and positioning.

You also needs to test with a healthcare supplier when you have any pre-existing circumstances or have just lately undergone both minor or main surgical procedure, he notes.

2. Hearken to your physique

Really feel a pinching, grinding, or different sensation of ache whereas overhead urgent? That’s your physique’s approach of telling you that one thing ain’t proper!

If you happen to really feel any type of discomfort whereas urgent, Gam suggests switching out the barbell for dumbbells (or a single dumbbell).

“For individuals with restricted shoulder mobility or sure forms of shoulder ache, utilizing dumbbells as an alternative of a barbell can be extra snug,” she says. Why? Properly, “as a result of dumbbells permit you to carry out the overhead press in a impartial place with their palms dealing with one another, which simply isn’t attainable with a regular barbell.”

If you happen to expertise ache with dumbbell presses, too, nevertheless, cease. Right here, a bodily therapist could also be useful in assessing why you’re experiencing ache, as effectively assist you to discover overhead press options you are able to do to strengthen your shoulder girdle, she says.

3. Let potential, not ego, dictate weight

From a cost-benefit standpoint, for the final inhabitants, there may be zero motive to search out your one-rep max overhead press, or to in any other case press super-duper heavy. Most individuals can be significantly better suited choosing a weight that they will safely transfer and management for 8 to 12 reps in a row, in line with Harcoff.

Performing 3 to 4 units of this rep vary with a weight that’s difficult, however poses no danger of you failing, with 2 minutes relaxation in between, will assist your muscle development in addition to total health objectives, he says.

4. Don’t neglect to warm-up correctly

As crunched as you could be for time, you may’t simply arrange a barbell, toss on some weight plates and get urgent. Going proper from zero to heavy weight is harmful for even probably the most seasoned lifter, Wickham says, as your physique isn’t prepped for urgent after a day of sitting on the workplace or behind the wheel.

While you get to the gymnasium you wish to do a correct 5 to fifteen minute warmup, replete with some slow-and-steady cardio to get your blood pumping, dynamic stretches to prep your joints, after which a gradual construct to the load you wish to carry out your units at.

5. Prioritize different well being measures

Whether or not you’re overhead urgent to get stronger, reduce weight, or optimize different well being markers, overhead urgent isn’t sufficient! “To optimize muscle development and restoration in addition to normal well-being you additionally want to keep up optimum vitamin, handle stress ranges, and prioritize high quality sleep,” Harcoff says.

FAQ

1. What number of units and reps must you do?

“Muscle development could be stimulated throughout varied rep ranges,” Harcoff says. “Figuring out the perfect units and reps for the overhead press, like several train, is very contextual and depends upon particular person components corresponding to coaching potential, age, and desired coaching outcomes.”

For most individuals, performing 3 to 4 units of 8 to 12 reps with 2 minutes relaxation at a reasonable weight that permits for difficult however managed actions is the transfer, he says. Nonetheless, more-advanced lifters actually trying to pack on muscle can strive doing 4 to five units of 4 to six reps with 2 minutes relaxation between with near-maximal load.

“Whatever the rep vary chosen, it is essential to progressively enhance the load or depth over time to proceed difficult the muscular tissues and driving adaptation,” Harcoff says. (This is called making use of the progressive overload principle).

2. How efficient are overhead presses?

Very! “The overhead press successfully works the shoulders, particularly the entrance of the shoulders, that are referred to as the anterior deltoids,” Gam says. “It additionally works the lateral deltoids (sides of the shoulders), triceps (on the again of your higher arms), the higher chest, and core,” she says.

3. Why are overhead presses so tough?

The overhead press requires sound shoulder and thoracic mobility in addition to some requisite upper-body and midline power (even with lighter weights). The motion can really feel tough if a person lacks any of the baseline mobility and power wanted to carry out it, says Wickham.

Factor is, whereas it is okay for the train to be difficult muscularly, it shouldn’t be painful. In any case, difficult your muscular tissues is a vital step in getting stronger, whereas ache is an indication that one thing goes awry!