How to do Push Press

Push Press is a compound exercise targeting the shoulders: several joints work together, it takes heavy loading well and belongs at the start of a session. Secondary muscles: triceps, legs, core. Equipment: barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell. Difficulty: advanced, requires solid technique and training history. It takes 5 steps; the most common mistake is covered in the tip below.

Step-by-step

1. Rest the bar on your collarbone at shoulder level with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Perform a quick, shallow dip by slightly bending your knees.
3. Use the explosive power of your legs to drive the bar up while simultaneously extending your arms.
4. Once the bar is fully extended overhead, hold it balanced.
5. Lower the bar back to shoulder level under control and prepare for the next rep.

Coaching tip

Caution

How to program it

Sets × reps and rest by goal; load and long rest matter most on compound lifts. Start at the bottom of the range in week one; add 2.5–5% when you hit the top with clean form.

FitCi applies this table to your age and goal automatically and writes weekly progression.

Alternatives

• At home, no equipment: Pike Push-Up, Handstand Push-Up
• Same muscle, different equipment: Machine Shoulder Press, Cable Lateral Raise, Machine Lateral Raise

More shoulders exercises

• Overhead Barbell PressBar ile Omuz Press (Askeri Press)
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder PressOturarak Dambıl Omuz Press
• Arnold PressArnold Press
• Machine Shoulder PressMakinede Omuz Press
• Dumbbell Lateral RaiseDambıl Yan Kaldırış (Lateral Raise)
• Cable Lateral RaiseKablo Yan Kaldırış