The barbell shoulder press helps add muscle mass and strength to the shoulders. Free-weight movements like shoulder presses accelerate muscular development by placing great stress on the shoulder muscles. Working out with free weights forces your muscles to stabilize the weight throughout the full exercise range of motion, optimizing strength and size gains. Check with your physician before starting a resistance-training program.
Anatomy
ExRx.net notes the barbell shoulder press targets the anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid and trapezius muscles in the shoulder region. The anterior deltoids span the front of your shoulders; the lateral deltoids run along the side of your shoulders. The trapezius muscles span from the base of your neck to the deltoids. Overhead barbell presses help you develop each muscle in the shoulder area with a single exercise, providing you with a convenient means to develop shoulder power.
Exercise Form
Barbell shoulder presses involve pressing a weighted barbell overhead while seated on a military bench. Avoid using a grip wider than shoulder width to optimize exercise range of motion. Keep your back straight during the full movement to reduce the risk of injury. Do four sets of 12 repetitions each to develop shoulder muscle size and strength. Rest 90 seconds between sets to allow for full muscle recovery. Never work the same muscle group on consecutive days.
Alternatives
Behind-the neck-presses, military presses and dumbbell Arnold presses are other forms of overhead movements which work your shoulder muscles. Behind-the-neck presses involve lowering the weight to a position behind your shoulders. Military presses consist of pressing a bar upward from a standing position. Arnold presses involve pressing two dumbbells upward while twisting your arms outward. Barbell shoulder presses allow you to use heavier weights than each of these exercises, making shoulder presses the ultimate shoulder-developing movement.
Recommendations
Train with a spotter to maintain proper exercise form and reduce the risk of injury. Warm up with 5 minutes of light jogging to help bring blood into the shoulder muscles, optimizing your workouts. Stretch for 5 minutes pre- and post-workout to increase shoulder flexibility.
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