How to do a Seated Barbell Shoulder Press
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Seated Barbell Shoulder Press
Incline Bench
Barbells
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Seated Barbell Shoulder Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By performing this exercise while seated, you add much more stability to the movement, allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stability. In addition, being seated also prevents you from utilizing your legs to assist in moving the weight.
- Sit upright on a bench with your knees bent and feet directly underneath your knees.
- Grab ahold of the barbell with an overhand grip just outside shoulder width apart. Extend your arms so the barbell is positioned overhead.
- Control the movement and lower the barbell to your upper chest while bending your elbows to the sides of your torso.
- Straighten your arms to return the barbell back to the starting position.
Common Form Mistakes
Leaning Back
Leaning back can help you lift a bit more weight, or finish off a difficult set. However, it also reduces the effectiveness of the exercise, and increases the risk of injury. Keep your back straight, core engaged, and gaze forward to help prevent this.
Always Sitting
Performing this exercise while seated adds stability to the movement. You don’t need to focus on keeping your balance, or stabilizing your body. This allows you to focus more on exertion, which is great, but make sure you’re including some standing variations as well. This will help highlight and address some instability you may have with this movement.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Seated Barbell Shoulder Press standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps35lbs1 Rep Max45lbs
- intermediate8reps40lbs50lbs
- advanced8reps50lbs65lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Seated Barbell Shoulder Press
1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
99.5 mSCORESWAPPED 10,842 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for slightly more instability than with equipment like barbells. This can help you recruit and develop stabilizing muscles around the shoulders. In addition, by using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
2. Barbell Shoulder Press
97 mSCORESWAPPED 4,730 TIMESBarbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By using a barbell instead of other pieces of equipment, you can add more stability to the movement, which allows you to focus more on exertion rather than stability. This is one of the best exercises for developing vertical pressing strength.
3. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
86 mSCORESWAPPED 4,359 TIMESStanding Dumbbell Shoulder Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Like other Shoulder Press variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By using dumbbells, you add more instability to the movement which can help recruit smaller stabilizing muscles around your shoulder. In addition, by performing this exercise while standing you add even more instability.
4. Arnold Dumbbell Press
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 3,962 TIMESArnold Dumbbell Press is a compound movement that primarily targets the shoulders. The difference between the Arnold Press and a standard Shoulder Press is that you bring the dumbbells in front of you at the bottom of the movement rather than stopping when they reach your shoulders. Bringing the dumbbells in front of you can be more a comfortable movement as well as improve muscle activation.
5. Dumbbell Front Raise
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 3,436 TIMESDumbbell Front Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise, and can work well to isolate the shoulders to build strength and muscle mass. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
6. Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press
72.3 mSCORESWAPPED 3,062 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Similar to other Shoulder Press variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. The use of a Smich Machine adds significantly more stability to the exercise allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Smith Machine
7. Cable Lateral Raise
97.7 mSCORESWAPPED 2,893 TIMESCable Lateral Raise is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to the Dumbbell Shoulder Raise, this isolation exercise primarily targets the shoulders, and more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). By using a cable machine, you have more control over the direction your resistance is coming from, and can easily make adjustments. In addition, by isolating each side of the body, you can more easily identify and address strength imbalances between sides.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
8. Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise
94.7 mSCORESWAPPED 2,884 TIMESDumbbell Rear Delt Raise is a variation of Dumbbell Shoulder Raise. Similar to other shoulder raises, this is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. By hinging your hips back, and leaning forward slightly, you can further emphasize your rear deltoids (back of the shoulder).
9. Hammerstrength Shoulder Press
84.5 mSCORESWAPPED 2,772 TIMESHammerstrength Shoulder Press is a variation on the more standard shoulder press that utilizes a Hammerstrength machine. Like other shoulder presses, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of the Hammerstrength Machine limits your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement. Both of these factors allow you to focus more on exertion and muscle activation, rather than stabilizing the movement itself.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
10. Machine Shoulder Press
92.5 mSCORESWAPPED 2,639 TIMESis a variation on the more standard shoulder press that utilizes a machine. Like other shoulder presses, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of the machine restricts your movements, and adds more stability. This allows you to focus more on exertion than stabilization. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to learn the basic movement, and develop the strength needed for other similar exercises or functional applications.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Shoulder Press Machine