Barbell Seated Overhead Press

Sit on a bench with a barbell resting on your shoulders. Maintain a straight back. Press the barbell directly overhead. Fully extend your arms. Lower the barbell to return to the starting position. Repeat.

How to perform the Barbell Seated Overhead Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Seated Overhead Press using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your deltoids.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your deltoids rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Barbell Seated Overhead Press

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