Overhead Press
Performance Notes
A basic compound movement targeting the shoulders and triceps, with stabilizing action by torso muscles. This may also be done with dumbbells. It can done seated for stricter isolation of the targeted muscles. When doing these standing, avoid using thigh movement or momentum to assist. Avoid any leaning backward. Weight should be raised to just short of full-extension (don’t lock out) and lowered slowly, only to ear level. The bar should be lowered in front of the head.
Olympic-style variations of this are the Push Press and Push Jerk, where the emphasis is more on speed and full body involvement, using leg/trunk movement to help drive the weight up. Like all Olympic movements used for athletic training, technique is more important than weight, and it’s worth visiting YouTube to study the wealth of video clips there.