The Shoulder Press

Turn your shoulders into boulders

Few people realize that the shoulder press can bring you harder abs and increase your bench press as well creating massive shoulders any man would want. The shoulder press activates more core muscles than a crunch and helps build the strength to heave bigger loads on every upper-body lift (Jim Wendler strength coach).

1 STAND WITH YOUR FEET SHOULDERWIDTH APART OR SLIGHTLY NARROWER , and grab the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder width grip (wrap your thumbs around the bar). The 2 common ways to get the bar into position is to either explosively heave it up off the floor and up to your shoulders, or you can set the bar at shoulder level on the supports of a power rack. If the bar is on the rack, nudge it off and let it rest against the front of your shoulders. If you are going to use the second method it is better to have the setup a little to low then higher to help prevent injury. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, and push your chest out.

2 BEGIN PRESSING THE BAR OVERHEAD, RETRACTING YOUR HEAD AS THE BAR RISES to keep it out of the way. When the bar passes your head, press it up and slightly backward so that it ends up in line with the back of your head. Hold for a moment, then lower the bar back to your shoulders. That’s one rep.

Shoulder press variations

From the starting position, bend your hips and knees slightly as if you were about to jump. Bounce back up quickly, straightening your hips and knees, and explosively press the bar overhead.

Press the bar up as normal, but leave a little bend in your elbows at the top. Lower the bar behind your head (this is only advised if you have no issues with your shoulders and should be done with a lighter weight then you usually use), then press it back up. This move keeps all the stress on the deltoids.

Three secrets for better pressing

Never allow the bar to touch your upper chest when you lower it. If you find that it does, raise your elbows up slightly. This will prevent your deltoids from stretching too much. Pressing heavy loads requires significant recovery time, so limit the exercise to one workout per week. “If you train your upper body twice a week, do bench presses one day and shoulder presses the next.

Don’t get psyched out. “The first rep is the hardest,” “because the lift starts with no eccentric [lowering] phase and no stretch reflex.” After the first rep, the reflex will kick in to help you.