Setup and loading
Bar on your upper chest, elbows slightly in front of the bar.
How to do the standing military press step by step
- Rest the bar on your collarbones with a shoulder-width grip.
- Squeeze your glutes and abs so your back doesn't arch.
- Press the bar straight up, pulling your face back out of the way.
- Once it passes your forehead, push your head under the bar and lock out overhead.
Form cues
- The bar travels in a straight line
- Glutes squeezed the whole time
- Finish with your biceps by your ears
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back to press
- Pushing the bar forward
Sets and reps for your goal
Max Strength
4 x 4-63-6 sets of 1-6 reps at 80-90% of your max (1RM). Rest 2 to 5 minutes.
Leave 1-3 reps in reserve. If your technique breaks down, lower the weight: strength is built with good reps.
Hypertrophy
3 x 8-103-4 sets of 6-12 reps (up to 15-20 on isolation exercises) at 65-80% of your max. Rest 1 to 2 minutes.
Get close to failure (0-3 reps in reserve) and control the lowering for 2-3 seconds. Accumulate 10-20 sets per muscle per week.
Power
4-5 x 3 at 30-50% · explosive press · rest 2 min3-6 sets of 1-5 reps with light or moderate loads (30-60% of your max on the main lifts), or with a ball or your bodyweight. Rest 2 to 3 minutes.
Every rep at the highest possible speed. As soon as you notice it moving slower (a 10-20% velocity loss), end the set. Train power fresh, never fatigued.
A guide for healthy adults. Adjust the load to your level and see a professional if you have an injury.
Check your form
Film yourself from the side or ask someone to watch, then tick what you get right.
Sports it suits
Gear for this exercise
- Olympic barbell and platesTo keep progressing on the big lifts with heavy loads.
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