The One Move That Serious Lifters Swear By for Bigger Shoulders and Advanced Pressing Power

When it comes to building bigger shoulders and mastering explosive power in these muscles, the overhead press is a timeless exercise. Whether you're hoisting a barbell, dumbbells, or even a log like in strongman competitions, pressing weight overhead is a surefire way to develop impressive shoulder strength. In training circles, this move is commonly referred to as the military press. Practice it with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, a sandbag, or anything you can lift overhead—no matter what kind of resistance you use, you're on the path to reaping the benefits of this timeless powerhouse exercise.​

While you can do the military press with any kind of weight, the lift itself isn't as simple as it seems. There's a right way and a wrong way to perform this shoulder builder. Poor technique can not only hinder your progress but also increase the risk of injury. Mastering proper military press form is key to building strength safely and effectively. In this article, we'll dive into the details of the military press and provide a few other exercise options for you to add to your training arsenal to enhance your routine.​

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Benefits of the Military Press

The military press is a compound, or multi-joint, exercise. When done properly, it will target the shoulders, upper back, triceps, and even the core. It's equally beneficial for beginners who are just starting to build a foundation of strength as it is for athletes like Olympic lifters, strongmen, and even powerlifters, who can utilize it as an accessory exercise for their main pushing lifts.

The barbell version is a solid option that forces the body to push against one object, which can be a great way to get stronger. However, dumbbells offer a longer range of motion and promote balance because each shoulder and arm has to do its own work without assistance from the other. Dumbbells are also a little friendlier on the shoulder joints.

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Military Press Muscles Worked

Shoulders

The military press is going to target all three heads of the shoulder, but the main focus is on the anterior (front) delts. The medial (side) and posterior (rear) delts will also be involved, but more for support and stability.

Triceps

Any exercise that involves pressing is going to recruit the triceps to some degree. The brunt of the work for the triceps won’t come until the arms are close to locking out at the top of the range of motion, but they are very important to help finish the lift.

Core

The entire core area will be involved from a stability perspective. If you don’t have a strong abdominal wall and lower back, then the rest of the body won’t be able to do what it needs to in order to perform the military press properly.

Traps

The traps are also active during a military press because of how they help support the spine and neck during the lift. They won’t be targeted as directly as they are with shrugs, but they won’t exactly be relaxed, either.

Military Press vs. Shoulder Press

The military press is a shoulder-pressing exercise, but it is not the same as other shoulder presses. The military press is only performed properly when you are standing tall. Seated versions don’t require as much support from the core and lower body. Therefore, they are more commonly known as shoulder presses.

The military press also requires a greater range of motion than other shoulder presses. Other shoulder presses may call for you to stop short of locking out the arms so the tension stays on the shoulders. The military press must be performed with a complete range of motion, including straightening the arms at the top to complete the lift.

How to Do the Barbell Military Press

Most people agree that using a barbell allows you to lift more weight. Pressing inside a squat rack (if it is tall enough) is a safe and effective way to help improve pressing power.

How to Do It

1. Set the bar up in a squat rack or cage, and grasp it just outside shoulder width.
2. Take the bar off the rack and hold it at shoulder level with your forearms perpendicular to the floor.
3. Squeeze the bar and brace your abs. Press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward and shrugging your traps after the bar passes your face.
4. Lower the barbell to your collarbone with control.
5. That’s 1 rep.

What Not to Do

Don’t arch your back or lean back during the press as it will not only keep you from developing your shoulders but may result in a back injury. Also, don’t try to generate momentum by turning your body in either direction. This will take force away from the weight and may lead to you getting hurt.

There is a variation of this exercise called the push press, where the lifter generates momentum through the legs by starting with a soft bend in the knee, then pushing through the feet to begin the exercise as a way to lift more weight. Beginners and even intermediates should wait until they feel very comfortable with the standard military press before trying this method.

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Programing the Military Press

When you schedule the military press all depends on your training goals. If you are training for strength and only have one pressing motion on your upper body day, make sure to perform this movement first to conserve energy.

Conversely, if your front delts are already well-developed and you aim to prioritize other muscle groups, placing the military press later in your workout can be advantageous. By pre-fatiguing your shoulders with other exercises, you may find that you don't need as much weight to effectively stimulate the muscles during the military press. 

Military Press Variations

There are multiple ways to do a military press. These other standing movements can help add variety and challenge you in different ways.

Arnold Press

Many lifters associate the Arnold press with a seated dumbbell press, but  Schwarzenegger himself preferred to do the exercise while standing. The Arnold press calls for the lifter to begin the exercise with the palms facing toward the face, then turning the dumbbells as they press until the palms are facing away. He felt this allowed him to place more emphasis on all three heads of the shoulders.

How to Do It

1. Start by standing with dumbbells in each hand, curled up to your shoulders, as if you were at the top of a biceps curl, palms facing in. 
2. Inhale and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the start of the lift to ensure proper alignment and posture.
3. Exhale as you press the dumbbells up while rotating your palms to face out. Your elbows should move laterally to move the weights in one continuous motion.
4. Stop when the weights are overhead, before your arms are fully locked out, biceps close to your ears.
5. Pause at the top, then reverse the movement to lower. 

Dumbbell Military Press 

Unlike a barbell military press, which limits your range of motion due to the fixed position of your hands on the bar, the dumbbell military press allows for increased activation of the anterior and middle delts.  

How to Do It

1. Take a dumbbell in each hand and stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart and pointed forward, legs straight but not locked out, to start.
2. Lift the dumbbells up to shoulder height with the palms facing away from you.
3. Your upper arms should be perpendicular to the floor, and you should have a 90-degree bend in your elbows.
4. Make sure your spine is straight, your core is tightened, and your shoulder blades are back and pinched close together while looking straight ahead.
5. This is the starting position.
6. Press the dumbbells up over your head, and allow your elbows to come in front of you so you are in a proper scapular plane.
7. Once your arms are straight, hold this position briefly before slowly lowering the weights under control to the starting position.
8. That's 1 rep.

Viking Press

The Viking press is a longtime strongman exercise that could be considered a machine version of a military press. You can perform this exercise using a Viking press machine or by placing two barbells across a squat rack, both weighted on the opposite side of where you're pressing, with the weights inside the rack. By utilizing a pivot point, your core does not have to be as active in supporting your body throughout this version of the military press. The Viking press also allows you to move more weight than you may with a barbell because it is in a fixed position. The main issue with the Viking press is that not many gyms have a dedicated machine, though you can use the squat rack and two barbells, as mentioned above. If your gym has a Smith Machine that offers enough range of motion, then it could serve as a solid substitution, too. 

How to Do It

1. Start by loading the Viking press machine and positioning yourself under the handles with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Lift the handles to your shoulders with your elbows bent.
3. Brace your core and push the handles up until your arms are fully extended.
4. Lower the handles back to shoulder height.
5. That's 1 rep.

Bonus Tips

If you are concerned about your elbows, lower back, or even your wrists when doing the military press, then you could wear a weight belt, elbow sleeves, and wrist wraps to protect these areas. Warm up with very light weights, and take your time with each rep. This allows you to keep the focus on the muscles instead of the shoulder and elbow joints.

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What's the Difference Between the Military Press and a Seated Dumbbell Press?

The military press is performed while standing and requires more support from the core and lower body. Even though it is a shoulder exercise, it will take the entire body to perform it properly. The seated dumbbell press is more focused on the shoulders because your seat provides the stability.

Can I Do the Military Press With One Arm at a Time?

You can do a standing dumbbell press with each arm individually to focus on one shoulder at a time if you like. This will require even more core stability, though. You could also alternate reps with each arm to make it an alternating shoulder press.