military press

The Military Press is very similar to the Overhead Press except that it has a very slight difference in foot position. This change in foot position means that when you press the weight, it hits the target muscle groups from a slightly different perspective.

This exercise not only helps you develop strong and well-defined shoulder muscles but also engages other upper back muscles and your triceps.

In this resource, we will walk you through the basics of the Military Press, including the muscles it works, step-by-step instructions for proper execution, the benefits it offers, common mistakes to avoid, recommendations for reps and sets, strategies for incorporating it into your workouts, and suggestions for similar exercises to diversify your training.

Muscles Worked When Performing the Military Press

The Military Press effectively engages the following muscle groups:

Shoulders (Deltoids): The primary focus of this exercise, the Military Press helps sculpt and strengthen your shoulder muscles, providing shape and definition to your upper body.

Upper Back Muscles: While primarily a shoulder exercise, the Military Press naturally recruits other upper back muscles, including the trapezius, to support proper posture and form during the lift.

Triceps: Your triceps come into play from a secondary perspective and play a supporting role in helping you to build overall upper body strength.

Upper Chest: Again, from a secondary perspective, your upper chest gets a workout with this exercise.

You can use the muscle highlighted image at the top of this page for a visual guide of the muscles worked.

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How to Perform the Military Press

To perform the Military Press correctly follow these simple steps:

1. Equipment: You'll need a barbell to get started. If you’re going heavy we suggest using a rack, so you can place the barbell in the rack at about chest height.

2. Start Position: Stand with your feet close together, inside shoulder-width apart, positioning yourself under the barbell. Grip the barbell just outside of shoulder width apart with an overhand grip (your palms facing out). The barbell should be at around shoulder height.

3. Lifting the Barbell: Begin by lifting the barbell off the rack and pushing it straight up over your head, ensuring your arms are fully extended and your grip is secure.

4. Execution: Lower the barbell down toward your shoulders, bringing it in front of your face, and stop just before it touches your shoulders.

5. Press: With power and control, press the barbell back up over your head, extending your arms until they are fully locked out. This is one rep.

6. Go for reps.

Benefits of the Military Press

Incorporating the Military Press into your workout routine offers several advantages:

Power of the Rack: Any exercise performed with a barbell in a rack is extremely powerful, because it allows you to add and manage more weight with the support of the power rack.

Shoulder Development: The exercise primarily targets the deltoid muscles with a lot of weight, helping you to achieve strong and well-defined shoulders.

Upper Body Strength: The Military Press contributes to overall upper body strength and explosive power, supporting various other upper body movements and activities.

Military Press: Common Mistakes to Avoid

To ensure a safe and effective workout, steer clear of these common mistakes when performing the Military Press:

Using Momentum: Avoid using your body's momentum to lift the barbell. Maintain proper form and control throughout the exercise to maximize shoulder engagement.

Incorrect Form: Executing the Military Press with incorrect form can lead to the recruitment of unintended muscle groups and hinder your progress.

Mind-Muscle Connection: Concentrate on the specific muscle groups you intend to target during the exercise. This mindful approach ensures correct muscle engagement and targeted results.

Reps and Sets

The number of reps and sets you perform depends on your current strength with this exercise.

Beginners: Start with simply mastering the move. Keep in mind that if you’re just starting out, 3 reps is a valid set.

To determine how many reps/sets of the Military Press you should start with, you first need to figure out how many reps you can comfortably perform. Then add 2, and perform that number of reps for 3 sets.

For example; let’s say you can perform 4 reps comfortably. Add 2 to make 6 reps. Perform those 6 reps 3 times over, allowing yourself sufficient rest inbetween.

Experienced lifters: You know your body and its abilities better than anyone, use your own judgment.

We recommend that you avoid performing more than 12 reps per set. If you’re comfortably performing 12 reps for up to 6 sets, it’s time to make the exercise more challenging.

How to Make the Military Press More Challenging

To make this exercise more challenging, simply add more weight. Another thing you can do is perform the exercise at a much slower pace, increasing your time under tension.

How to Incorporate the Military Press into Your Workouts

The Military Press can be effectively integrated into your Shoulder, upper body, or Back, Shoulders and Triceps Workout Plan. It is a powerful exercise and so it should be used as part of your core workout plan, positioned at the beginning of your workout.

You should always prioritise compound exercises, the exercises that work the most muscle groups, move the most weight and expend the most energy. Work your way down to smaller isolation / lighter weight exercises from there. You can learn more about the importance of exercise order here.

Exercises That Work Similar Muscles to the Military Press

To create a well-rounded shoulder and upper body training plan, consider including exercises such as Front Raises, Lateral Raises, Dumbbell Shoulder Press, or an Arnold Press. These exercises engage similar muscle groups and provide variety in your workouts, contributing to overall upper body strength, power and definition.

A combination of compound and isolation exercises is recommended for well rounded results.

You can find more Shoulder Exercises at the bottom of this page. Or you can check out our entire exercise database broken down by muscle group here.

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