Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press

DeltoidsSmith MachineBeginner
Stand in front of a Smith machine with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off the rack and position it behind your head, resting on your traps. Keep your core engaged and back straight. Exhale and fully extend your arms upward until they are straight above your head. Inhale and gradually lower the bar behind your head, bending your elbows, until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Pause briefly, then exhale as you press the bar back up to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Smith Standing Behind Head Military Press using your smith machine.
  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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