In this lesson, you will learn how to perform the military press with a barbell in a standing position. The military press is one of the heaviest shoulder exercises and should be done at the beginning of your workout. This exercise is essential for shoulder strength and size. The barbell military press can also be done in a seated position. Find more shoulder exercises in the Weight Training Main section.
Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight. Slightly contract your abdominals and avoid hollowing your lower back. Grip the barbell with your hands slightly less than twice shoulder-width apart.
Push the weight straight up until your arms are fully extended, exhaling as you do so. Do not arch your back while pushing the bar overhead. Keep your gaze straight ahead. I recommend performing the standing barbell military press in front of a mirror.
Lower the weight slowly to ear or shoulder height while inhaling. The lowering phase should be slower than the lifting phase. Make sure you don’t use momentum from your legs or back. Most people lower the bar only to ear level before pushing it back up.
Superset recommendation:
Barbell Military Press + Dumbbell Side Laterals
