The Right Way to Do An Overhead Press, According to a Personal Trainer

If you’re seeking stronger arms and shoulders, the overhead press should be in your gym rotation. This move is a great way to strengthen your shoulder muscles in a way that also challenges your stability and core muscles, giving you extra bang for your workout buck.

The shoulder is a complex joint, so you need a variety of exercises to target all of the muscles involved. Overhead presses are a great place to start since they target almost your entire shoulder, all you need is a pair of dumbbells. This move will also help make day-to-day tasks (think unpacking groceries or lifting suitcases into the overhead bin) easier — an added win.

Here, we asked an expert to break down exactly how to properly perform an overhead press, plus tips for adding this powerhouse shoulder move into your routine.

Experts Featured in This Story

Chris Gagliardi is an ACE- and NASM-certified personal trainer, health coach, group fitness instructor, and NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist.

What Muscles Do Overhead Presses Work?

The overhead press primarily targets the shoulders and arms, with support from the chest and core to stabilize the movement, says personal trainer Chris Gagliardi. When you perform overhead presses, you work your anterior deltoids (front shoulder muscles), triceps, trapezius (upper back), and pecs. You’ll hit your rotator cuff muscles (the smaller muscles that stabilize the shoulder joints) and core as well, as they support good posture and mechanics during the movement. In a word, overhead presses target a ton of different muscles.

Other Benefits of Overhead Presses

In addition to stronger, more toned shoulders, Gagliardi says overhead presses effectively target one of the five primary movement patterns used in daily living— pushing. (The others, FYI, are squatting, lunging, pulling, and rotational movements.)

Overhead presses can help strengthen your body for common movements used in day-to-day life. For example, when you unpack groceries onto a top shelf or place your carry-on suitcase in the overhead bin, you’re essentially doing an overhead press, Gagliardi says.

How to Do An Overhead Press

To get set up, hold the dumbbells in your hands with a closed, pronated grip (palms facing forward and thumbs wrapped around the handles), and sit with your back against a back rest so that your head, shoulders and seat make contact with the bench. Place your feet firmly on the floor and brace your abdominal muscles.

Are Dumbbells Or a Barbell Better For Overhead Presses?

Both work, but Gagliardi says dumbbells are his preferred pick. They allow you to work the right and left sides of the body independently so that both shoulders and arms have to work equally hard. With barbells, any deficiencies in muscular strength can be inadvertently compensated for by using the stronger side more. However, if you have a limited range of motion on one side, a barbell can be a better option; the side of the body with better mobility can help bring the other arm into the desired position, he explains.

Tips for Proper Overhead Press Form

While it sounds counterintuitive, Gagliardi recommends keeping your shoulders relaxed. You should of course be using those muscles, but try not to elevate or shrug them during the movement, as it can mess with proper form. Shifting your shoulders up or pulling them down is not the same as using your muscles to move the weight. You should also keep your core muscles engaged to best support your posture and your spine.

Additionally, he says, it’s important to exhale when pressing the weight upward, and inhale when lowering it back down, he says. Exhaling during the more challenging part of the movement (when you push up) helps create core stability and support your spine. And like any exercise, make sure you move the weight in a slow, controlled manner and pay attention to your form.

Common Overhead Press Mistakes To Avoid

Some common mistakes include sitting on a surface that is too short or too tall, and using too much weight, says Gagliardi. When performing seated overhead presses, try to find somewhere to sit that will keep your hips and knees at a 90-degree angle, so that you get the most stability for the movement. As for weight, remember to prioritize quality and good form over quantity of reps; going too heavy is a recipe for a compromised form

How Often Should You Do Overhead Presses?

Beginners should aim to perform this exercise two to three times per week, using a weight that you can comfortably lift for three sets of 8-12 reps. Shoulders are generally considered a push muscle, so depending how you split your workouts, these are a great addition to a push muscle day when you’re already focusing on something like chest and triceps. Stronger shoulders, here you come.

Kaley Rohlinger is a freelance writer for PS who focuses on health, fitness, food, and lifestyle content. She has a background in the marketing and communications industry and has written for PS for over four years.