Overhead press
A standing press that drives a weight from the shoulders to overhead until the arms lock out.
Overview
The overhead press, sometimes called the shoulder press, is a vertical pushing exercise. Standing tall, you press a barbell or dumbbells from shoulder height up overhead until your arms are straight, then lower back down. Pressing overhead asks the shoulders and arms to do the work while the core braces to keep you upright.
It builds pressing strength above the head and reinforces a stable, braced trunk. Dumbbells allow each arm to move independently, while a barbell offers a single fixed bar path.
The movement
- 1Stand tall holding the weight at shoulder height.
- 2Brace your core and keep your ribs down.
- 3Press the weight straight up until your arms are locked out overhead.
- 4Lower it back to your shoulders with control.
Beginner notes
- Bracing the core keeps you from leaning back as you press.
- The bar or weights travel in a straight line up over the shoulders.
- Dumbbells let each arm move on its own path.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Weightlifting
A technical strength sport built around lifting a loaded barbell overhead with speed and control.
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Overhead press to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Movement patterns
- PushPressing a load or the body away from the torso — horizontally or overhead — by extending the shoulders and elbows, developing the chest, shoulders and triceps.
- ReachExtending a limb toward a distant point or object, often at full stretch, by projecting a distal segment beyond the body's resting envelope while a stabilised base preserves balance and control.
- StrikeA ballistic, whole-body hitting action that channels ground-generated force through a proximal-to-distal kinetic chain to deliver momentum to a target via the hand, an implement or a body part at the moment of contact.
- ThrowPropelling an object by releasing it from the hand, driven by a proximal-to-distal kinetic-chain sequence that summates speed from the legs through the trunk and arm to the release point.
- AccelerationThe athletic pattern of building speed from a standing or slow start by driving large horizontal forces into the ground to project the body forward.
Techniques
- Standing ClimbA cycling technique for climbing out of the saddle, standing on the pedals to add power on steep gradients.
- Badminton SmashA powerful, steeply downward overhead stroke that drives the shuttlecock sharply into the opponent's court to win the rally.
- Padel BandejaA controlled overhead shot in padel, hit with slice and moderate pace to keep the player at the net without over-committing.
- DeadliftA strength exercise that lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees together.
- Tennis ServeThe overhead stroke that starts every point, hit from behind the baseline into the diagonally opposite service box.
Disciplines
- Clean and JerkThe clean and jerk is one of the two Olympic weightlifting lifts, raising the bar to the shoulders and then driving it overhead in two phases.
- SnatchThe snatch is one of the two Olympic weightlifting lifts, taking the barbell from the platform to overhead in one continuous movement.
- CompoundCompound archery uses a bow with cams and cables that reduce the holding weight at full draw, and is typically shot with a release aid and a magnified sight.
- Ice danceIce dance is a couples discipline focused on rhythm, musical interpretation, and intricate footwork, without the throw jumps or overhead lifts of pairs.
- BackstrokeBackstroke is swum face-up with an alternating arm pull and flutter kick — the one competitive stroke where you breathe freely because your face stays out of the water.
Skills
Goals
- Build muscleChallenge your muscles with regular resistance training and steady recovery to build strength over time.
- Lose weightCombine regular, enjoyable movement with balanced habits to work toward a healthier weight in a way that lasts.
- Improve flexibilityLengthen your muscles and widen your range of motion through regular, gentle stretching over time.