Seated Barbell Shoulder Press
| English Name | Seated Barbell Shoulder Press |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Movement Patterns | Push Pattern |
| Muscle Contraction Types | Mixed (Con + Ecc) |
| Primary Muscle (EN) | Anterior & Lateral Deltoid |
| Muscle Groups | Shoulder Muscles |
|---|---|
| Workout Type | Hypertrophy Isolated Strength training |
| Required equipment | Barbell Weight Plate |
💠 Exercise guide
✅ Seated Barbell Shoulder Press is a key exercise for increasing shoulder size and strength that, while engaging the triceps, shoulder girdle muscles, and core stabilizers, reinforces the vertical pressing pattern. This movement is highly important for shoulder hypertrophy, improving overhead pressing strength, and enhancing upper-body performance (pressing movements, Olympic lifts, and athletic activities).
💠 Execution Guide
Setup
✅ Set the bench with a nearly upright backrest (80–90°) and fully anchor your hips and back against the bench.
✅ Place your feet firmly on the floor; knees at about 90°, with body weight balanced between heels and forefoot.
✅ Adjust the bar height so you can unrack it with a slight elbow bend (not so high that the shoulders shrug).
✅ Take a grip slightly wider than shoulder width; from the front view, forearms should be nearly vertical.
✅ Keep the wrists neutral and straight (avoid bending them back) and rest the bar on the “heel of the palm.”
✅ Pull the shoulder blades down and slightly back (gentle depression/retraction) and keep the chest “up without excessive lower-back arch.”
✅ Before starting, take a deep inhale and brace the torso to keep the spine stable.
Execution
✅ Unrack the bar and hold it in a controlled path in front of the face, near chin/upper-clavicle level (elbows slightly in front of the bar, not flared wide).
✅ With a braced torso and stable scapulae, press the bar straight up until the arms are near full lockout (without snapping the elbows or aggressive locking).
✅ At the top, do not shrug the shoulders; focus on controlled upward movement while maintaining scapular alignment.
✅ Lower the bar slowly and under control back to near chin/upper-clavicle level; avoid dropping it.
✅ Maintain a range of motion that does not create front-shoulder pain or pinching; if pain occurs, slightly shorten the range or adjust the grip.
✅ Recommended tempo: 1–2 seconds up + 2–3 seconds down (controlled eccentric).
Coaching Cues
✔️ Lock in the torso: keep the core tight; don’t allow excessive lower-back arching.
✔️ Bar path close to the body: don’t push the bar too far forward; the optimal path stays close to the face and vertical.
✔️ Vertical forearms = better force transfer: in the lower half, keep the forearms as vertical as possible to reduce shoulder joint stress.
✔️ Elbows slightly in front of the bar: don’t flare them straight out; move in the scapular plane.
✔️ Neck relaxed: tuck the chin slightly to let the bar pass the face; don’t push the head forward.
✔️ Keep the shoulders down: shrugging means excessive trapezius involvement and reduced deltoid targeting.
✔️ Strong, neutral wrists: bent wrists reduce force output and increase joint stress.
✔️ Control the eccentric: slow lowering improves growth stimulus and joint safety.
✔️ Soft elbow lockout: don’t aggressively lock the elbows at the top; maintain muscular tension.
Benefits of the exercise
1️⃣ Increases size and strength of the anterior and lateral deltoids (rounder, fuller shoulders)
2️⃣ Strengthens the triceps and improves performance in all pressing movements
3️⃣ Develops the vertical pressing pattern and transfers to functional and athletic movements
4️⃣ Allows precise progressive overload with a barbell
5️⃣ Improves shoulder-girdle coordination and scapular control during overhead pressing
6️⃣ Enhances core stability (bracing) and teaches spinal control under load
7️⃣ Suitable for both hypertrophy and strength phases with simple set/rep adjustments
8️⃣ Increases upper-body training density through an effective multi-joint movement
9️⃣ Allows individual customization of range of motion and grip width
🔟 An excellent option for building a movement foundation before more demanding variations (standing/power versions)
Common Mistakes
❌ Excessive lower-back arching, turning the movement into a “back-driven press” (hyperextension)
❌ Lowering the bar too far forward (unfavorable shoulder stress and reduced strength)
❌ Excessive elbow flare to the sides (higher impingement risk)
❌ Shortening the range of motion without reason (especially in the top half) or losing control in the bottom half
❌ Free-falling the bar on the descent (increased risk to shoulders, elbows, and wrists)
❌ Shrugging the shoulders at the top (overuse of the traps and reduced deltoid focus)
❌ Bending the wrists back and “breaking” wrist alignment under load
❌ Pushing the head forward to clear the bar (neck strain)
❌ Using loads heavier than your ability to stabilize (technique sacrificed for numbers)
Breathing Pattern
🌬️ For moderate sets: inhale before the rep → brief brace and abdominal tension during the press → slow exhale near the top
💨 For heavy (strength) sets: use the Valsalva maneuver (deep inhale + controlled hold through the hardest portion of the lift), then exhale after passing the sticking point
⚠️ Note: if you have high blood pressure or heart conditions, use the Valsalva maneuver cautiously or only with professional guidance.
ROM Guidelines
🔵 Recommended range: From near chin / upper clavicle level to near full lockout overhead
🔵 Minimum acceptable range: lower only to the point where the forearms remain vertical and no pain or pinching occurs
🔵 High-risk range: lowering too deep with poor control, excessively flared elbows, or a relaxed torso
Precautions & Contraindications
⚠️ Sharp front-shoulder pain or impingement: adjust range, grip, and bar path; if it persists, choose an alternative.
⚠️ Neck issues: avoid pushing the head forward or shrugging the shoulders.
⚠️ Low-back pain / disc issues: even the seated version can stress the lower back; use strong bracing, full back support, and avoid excessive arching.
⚠️ Wrist or elbow limitations: adjust the grip, use wrist wraps, or switch to dumbbells or a landmine setup.
Variations & Alternatives
🔹 Easier versions:
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press (better path control)
Machine Shoulder Press (greater stability and easier learning)
🔹 Advanced versions:
Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (Standing Overhead Press)
Push Press for power and explosive strength
🔹 Limited-equipment options:
Single-Arm Dumbbell Press for increased core stability
Landmine Press for individuals with shoulder limitations
🔹 For shoulder pain or restrictions:
Landmine Press or Dumbbell Press with a neutral grip
Advanced Biomechanics
🧠 Optimal force path typically occurs in the scapular plane; keeping the elbows slightly in front of the shoulder line helps.
🧠 The “sticking point” is often at the start of the press and through the first half of the range; torso control and bar path are critical here.
🧠 Increasing lower-back arch raises lumbar spine torque and steals load from the deltoids; therefore, bracing and rib position (Ribs Down) are essential.
🧠 Proper scapular stabilization (keeping the shoulders down) improves force distribution and reduces stress on anterior shoulder structures.
Programming Tips
📌 Strength goal: 3–6 sets × 3–6 reps | Rest 2–3 minutes | Tempo: 2-0-2 or 1-0-2
📌 Hypertrophy goal: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps | Rest 60–120 seconds | Tempo: 2–3 seconds down, 1–2 seconds up
📌 Muscular endurance goal: 2–4 sets × 12–20 reps | Rest 45–75 seconds | Focus on control and pump
📌 Session placement: usually at the start of a shoulder workout (after a specific warm-up) or after bench press on a push day
📌 Progression: once all sets are completed with standard form, increase the load by 2.5–5%.
💠 Muscle Involvement
✅ Seated Barbell Shoulder Press primarily creates torque at the shoulder joint to elevate the arms, heavily engaging the deltoids, while the triceps play a key role in elbow extension. The shoulder girdle muscles (especially the trapezius and serratus anterior) are activated to guide and stabilize the scapula, and the core muscles work isometrically to prevent torso movement under load.
Main muscles
Synergistic muscles
Stabilizers
Deltoid Muscle
Deltoideus Muscle
🔹 The deltoid muscle is one of the most important and voluminous muscles of the shoulder region. Its primary function is to move the arm in various directions and stabilize the shoulder joint. Due to its triangular shape, it is named “deltoid,” derived from the Greek word “Δέλτα” (delta), meaning triangle.
🔹 The deltoid muscle is divided into three distinct heads, each playing a specific role in shoulder movement. The anterior head assists in forward motions and arm flexion, the middle head is responsible for abduction and lifting the arm, and the posterior head supports extension and movements behind the body. This muscle is essential for the stability and strength of the shoulder joint, and its weakness can lead to limited range of motion, reduced shoulder power, and an increased risk of injury.
🖼️ Image Gallery
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🔷 Full Description
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✅ Persian Name: Deltoeid
✅ Latin Name: Deltoideus
✅ Common Name: Shoulder Muscle
✅ Location:
🟡 A superficial muscle located at the top of the upper arm, covering the shoulder joint.
🟡 It forms a cap-like structure over the shoulder joint.
🟡 It directly overlays the head of the humerus and originates from the clavicle, scapula, and the upper part of the arm.
✅ 🔹 Origin
✔ Anterior part: from the outer surface of the clavicle
✔ Middle part: from the acromion, a portion of the scapula
✔ Posterior part: from the spine of the scapula
✅ 🔹 Insertion
✔ All parts of the deltoid muscle insert onto the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus.
✅ 🔹 Function
📌 The deltoid muscle is divided into three parts, each with a specific function:
1️⃣ Anterior Head
- ✔ Moving the arm forward (shoulder flexion)
- ✔ Internal rotation of the arm
- ✔ Assists in horizontal adduction of the arm (moving the arm forward across the body)
2️⃣ Middle Head
- ✔ Lifting the arm outward (shoulder abduction)
- ✔ Assists in stabilizing the shoulder during arm elevation
3️⃣ Posterior Head
- ✔ Moving the arm backward (shoulder extension)
- ✔ External rotation of the arm
- ✔ Assists in horizontal abduction of the arm (moving the arm backward across the body)
📌 Function Summary: The deltoid muscle plays a key role in all shoulder movements and is one of the primary muscles responsible for moving the arm in various directions.
✅ 💪🏻 Muscle Fiber Types
✔ The deltoid muscle consists of a combination of fiber types. ✔ A combination of slow-twitch fibers (Type I) and fast-twitch fibers (Type II). ✔ It is composed of both fiber types.
✔ The anterior and posterior heads contain more fast-twitch fibers, which are suited for powerful and rapid movements.
✔ The middle head has a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers, which help maintain muscular endurance during sustained activity.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Role in Sports and Physical Activities
✔ Plays a key role in all overhead movements, such as shoulder press and bench press.
✔ Crucial for sports like weightlifting, swimming, gymnastics, and wrestling.
✔ Considered one of the primary muscles involved in carrying heavy objects, throwing, and raising the arm.
✅ 🧗🏻♂️ Strength and Endurance
✔ The deltoid plays a vital role in maintaining shoulder joint stability, and its weakness can reduce control over shoulder movements.
✔ This muscle is well-suited for both strength and endurance activities and is heavily engaged in many professional sports.
✅ 🧠 Innervation
✔ Axillary Nerve (also known as the underarm nerve) – responsible for controlling deltoid muscle movements and providing sensation to the shoulder area.
✅ 🩸 Blood Supply
✔ Posterior Circumflex Humeral Artery
✔ Thoracoacromial Artery
✅ 🤼♂️ Role in Sports and Physical Activities
✔ Directly involved in all shoulder and arm movements.
✔ A key muscle for athletes in bodybuilding, weightlifting, swimming, boxing, and combat sports.
✔ Strengthening this muscle improves shoulder shape, prevents injuries, and boosts upper body strength.
✅ 🏌🏻♂️ Interaction with Other Muscles and Joints
✔ Works closely with the rotator cuff muscles, back muscles, and pectoralis major.
✔ Weakness in this muscle can lead to excessive strain on the shoulder and scapular joints, increasing the risk of injury.
✅ 💉 Vulnerability and Potential Issues
✔ One of the most injury-prone muscles in bodybuilding and strength sports due to its crucial role in heavy movements.
✔ Common injuries include tears, strains, tendon inflammation, and cramps—often caused by improper use of heavy weights.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Strength Training Exercises for the Deltoid Muscle
1️⃣ Dumbbell or Barbell Shoulder Press – Strengthens all parts of the deltoid
2️⃣ Lateral Raise – Targets the middle head of the deltoid
3️⃣ Bent-Over Reverse Fly – Strengthens the posterior head of the deltoid
4️⃣ Front Raise with Dumbbell or Barbell – Focuses on the anterior head
5️⃣ Arnold Press – Activates all heads of the deltoid simultaneously
✅ 🧘🏻♀️ Stretching and Recovery
✔ Forward and backward shoulder stretches
✔ Wall walks with the hand to improve flexibility
✅ Fun Fact
✔ The deltoid muscle is actually one of the key muscles that shapes and enhances the appearance of the upper body.
✅ Practical Tip
✔ Overtraining the deltoid without strengthening the back and rotator cuff muscles can disrupt shoulder muscle balance.
🔴 Name and Location: A superficial muscle that covers the shoulder joint and originates from the clavicle, scapula, and humerus.
🟠 Anatomy: Composed of three parts—anterior, middle, and posterior—each responsible for different shoulder movements.
🟡 Function:
✔ Anterior: Arm flexion and internal rotation
✔ Middle: Arm abduction and elevation
✔ Posterior: Arm extension and external rotation
🟢 Physiology: A combination of slow- and fast-twitch fibers, allowing for both endurance and explosive power movements.
🔵 Innervation: Axillary nerve, which controls the muscle’s movement and sensation in the shoulder area.
🟣 Importance: Active in all upper-body movements, bodybuilding, weightlifting, swimming, boxing, and combat sports.
🟤 Exercises: Shoulder press, lateral raise, front raise, bent-over raise, Arnold press.
⚫ Fun Fact: A key muscle for shoulder strength and aesthetics, yet one of the most injury-prone muscles during heavy training.
Triceps Brachii Muscle
Triceps Brachii Muscle
The triceps brachii is one of the strongest muscles of the posterior arm, with its primary function being elbow extension and generating force in pushing movements. This muscle has three heads (long, medial, and lateral), all located at the back of the arm, and they attach to the ulna in the forearm.
✅ Why is this muscle important?
✔ The sole muscle responsible for elbow extension and essential in strength movements.
✔ Stabilizes the elbow and shoulder joints during pressing exercises like the bench press.
✔ Directly impacts strength gains in bodybuilding, gymnastics, boxing, and weightlifting.
🖼️ Image Gallery
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🔷 Full Description
Click on the title to read the sections.
✅ Persian Name: Azole Se Sare Bazoei
✅ Latin Name: Triceps Brachii
✅ Common Name: Back of the Arm
✅ Location:
🟡 Located in the posterior (back) part of the arm, extending from the scapula to the forearm bone.
🟡 Composed of three heads: long, medial, and lateral.
🟡 Responsible for elbow extension and assists in shoulder stabilization.
✅ 🦾 Origin
✔ Long Head: originates from the infraglenoid tubercle of the scapula
✔ Medial Head: originates from the posterior surface of the humerus, below the lateral head
✔ Lateral Head: originates from the posterior surface of the humerus, above the medial head
✅ 🦿 Insertion
✔ Ulna bone – olecranon process
✅ 📌 Classification and Function
The three main heads of the triceps brachii muscle are:
1️⃣ Long Head
✔ The strongest head and the only one originating from the scapula.
✔ Besides extending the elbow, it plays a role in arm movements and shoulder stabilization.
✔ More active in movements that involve pulling weight behind the body, such as parallel dips.
2️⃣ Medial Head
✔ Located beneath the lateral head and more active during strength and endurance movements.
✔ Plays a greater role in light, repetitive exercises like cable triceps extensions.
3️⃣ Lateral Head
✔ Responsible for muscle mass and the V-shape appearance of the back of the arm.
✔ More active in heavy exercises such as close-grip bench press and lying barbell triceps extensions.
✅ Main Functions:
✔ Elbow extension – the primary muscle responsible for straightening the forearm.
✔ Stabilizes the elbow during pressing movements such as push-ups and bench press.
✔ Assists shoulder movements (long head of the muscle).
✅ 💪🏻 Muscle Fiber Type
✔ A combination of fast-twitch fibers (Type II) and slow-twitch fibers (Type I) ✔ Fast-twitch fibers are activated during powerful and explosive movements such as bench press and dips.
✔ Slow-twitch fibers are important for endurance in continuous movements like push-ups and parallel bar exercises.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Role in Motor and Athletic Performance
✔ Active in all pressing movements such as bench press, push-ups, dips, and parallel bar exercises.
✔ Plays a key role in sports like boxing, weightlifting, gymnastics, and basketball.
✔ Helps stabilize the shoulder joint during overhead movements like shoulder press and clean and jerk.
✅ 🧗🏻♂️ Muscle Strength and Endurance
✔ A very strong and essential muscle for increasing upper body strength.
✔ Weakness in this muscle leads to reduced strength in pressing movements and increased strain on the elbow and shoulder.
🧠 Innervation
✔ The radial nerve (C6–C8) is responsible for controlling this muscle.
🩸 Blood Supply
✔ Deep brachial artery
✅ 🤼♂️ Role in Sports and Physical Activities
✔ Bodybuilding: Active in triceps exercises, bench press, dips, and lying barbell presses.
✔ Boxing and martial arts: Plays a key role in straight punches and increasing punching power.
✔ Weightlifting: Helps stabilize the elbow during shoulder presses and clean and jerk.
✔ Gymnastics and CrossFit: Vital in movements like parallel bars, pull-ups, and dips.
✅ 🏌🏻♂️ Connection with Other Muscles and Joints
✔ Works alongside the deltoid and pectoral muscles during pressing movements.
✔ Weakness in this muscle increases strain on the shoulder and elbow, raising the risk of joint injury.
✅ 💉 Vulnerability and Potential Issues
✔ Strain or inflammation of the triceps tendon (Triceps Tendinitis) causes pain at the back of the elbow.
✔ Weakness in this muscle may reduce pressing strength and increase strain on the shoulders.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Main Exercises to Strengthen the Triceps Brachii Muscle
1️⃣ Lying Barbell Triceps Extension (Skull Crushers) – targets all heads of the muscle
2️⃣ Parallel Dips – best for strength and endurance
3️⃣ Cable Triceps Pushdown – ideal for muscle isolation
4️⃣ Close-Grip Bench Press – combines triceps and chest muscles
5️⃣ Overhead Dumbbell Triceps Extension – emphasizes the long head more
✅ 🧘🏻♀️ Stretching and Recovery Movements
✔ Triceps stretch to improve flexibility.
✔ Massage and foam rolling to reduce tension after exercise.
✅ 🔍 Interesting Fact
✔ 70% of the arm’s volume comes from the triceps brachii! If you want bigger arms, you need to focus on this muscle.
✅ 💡 Practical Tip
✔ For complete growth, perform exercises at different angles to engage all three heads of the muscle!
🔴 Name and Location: A three-headed muscle located at the back of the arm, extending from the shoulder to the elbow.
🟠 Anatomy: Originates from the scapula and humerus, and attaches to the ulna bone in the forearm.
🟡 Function: Elbow extension, shoulder stabilization, and assisting pressing movements.
🟢 Physiology: Contains both strength and endurance fibers, active in power and endurance arm movements.
🔵 Innervation: Radial nerve (C6–C8), which controls the function of this muscle.
🟣 Importance: Active in bodybuilding, boxing, weightlifting, swimming, CrossFit, and gymnastics.
🟤 Exercises: Parallel dips, close-grip bench press, lying barbell triceps extension, overhead dumbbell triceps extension, cable triceps pushdown.
⚫ Interesting Fact: It makes up 70% of the arm’s volume, so focusing on this muscle is essential for increasing arm size!
💠 Other Exercises
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Pelank is a comprehensive encyclopedia of the body’s muscles, providing an accurate and scientific review of all muscles. Below, you can find muscle groups. By clicking on each muscle group, you will have access to complete information about it, including:
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2️⃣ Muscle anatomy
3️⃣ Muscle physiology
4️⃣ Innervation and blood supply
5️⃣ Importance of the muscle in the body and sports
6️⃣ Strengthening exercises
7️⃣ Scientific and interesting facts
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