How to Increase Your Overhead Press
The overhead press is the hardest of the big barbell lifts to progress. Unlike squats and deadlifts that rely on the body's largest muscles, the press depends on smaller deltoids and triceps — meaning absolute weights are low and every kilogram matters. The strategies below cover technique, accessory work, common errors, and programming to help you build a stronger, more consistent press.
7 Proven Tips to Increase Your Overhead Press
Clear the path with proper head position
The bar must travel in a straight vertical line. To achieve this, move your head back as the bar passes your face, then bring it forward again once the bar clears. Many lifters press the bar in an arc around their head instead, which is mechanically inefficient. The fix: think "press your face into the bar" as it passes — this creates the natural head movement needed for a vertical bar path.
Use leg drive in the push press for overloading
The push press uses a small dip-and-drive with the legs to help initiate the press, allowing 10–20% more weight than a strict press. Using the push press as a training tool allows you to overload the upper portion of the press and build strength where the strict press is hardest. The push press also builds explosive shoulder power. Use it for 3–4 sets of 3–5 reps at weights you cannot strict press.
Strengthen your triceps for lockout strength
The overhead press requires full tricep extension to lock out. Weak triceps are a common limiting factor, especially for the last 20–30 degrees of the press. Close-grip bench press, dips, and tricep pushdowns directly train the muscles needed for overhead lockout. Add 3–4 sets of tricep work 2–3 times per week to accelerate press development.
Press with a neutral grip using dumbbells
Dumbbell shoulder press with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) reduces internal shoulder rotation and is easier on the rotator cuff than a pronated barbell grip. Use dumbbell press as a secondary pressing movement to build volume without the shoulder stress of barbell pressing. Many lifters find they progress faster on the barbell press when they supplement with dumbbell pressing for accessory volume.
Add lateral raises for medial delt development
The overhead press primarily trains the anterior (front) delt. The medial (side) deltoid — which gives the shoulder its width — responds best to isolation work: lateral raises. A shoulder that lacks medial delt development will also lack the stability needed to press heavy overhead. Add 3–4 sets of lateral raises 2–3 times per week at relatively high reps (12–20).
Press more frequently
The overhead press is the weakest of the big four lifts for most people and responds particularly well to frequency. If you currently press once per week, add a second session. Alternate between strict press (heavy, low reps) and push press or dumbbell press (moderate weight, higher reps). Twice-per-week frequency on the press is the single most reliable way to break a press plateau.
Brace fully and squeeze the glutes
A full Valsalva breath (belly full of air) and squeezed glutes during the overhead press creates a rigid base that protects the lower back from hyperextending under load. Many lifters press with a loose core and hyperlordotic lower back — this is inefficient and dangerous. Creating full-body tension before pressing allows more force transfer from the floor, through the body, and into the bar.
Common Mistakes
Pressing in front of the face instead of over center of mass
A bar path that arcs forward — around the head rather than vertically through it — shifts the load away from the shoulder joint's strongest position. The result is a mechanically disadvantaged press that stalls prematurely. Move your head back as the bar passes, then drive it through so the bar finishes directly over the base of your neck.
Hyperextending the lower back to compensate for shoulder mobility
When thoracic extension or shoulder mobility is limited, the body compensates by arching the lumbar spine excessively. This creates spinal shear and reduces force transfer. The fix is upstream: improve thoracic mobility with extensions over a foam roller and address shoulder flexion range with doorway and band stretches before each session.
Wrists bent back instead of neutral and straight
Bent-back wrists (wrist extension under load) place the bar far behind the forearm's line of force, creating a moment arm that leaks pressing power and stresses the wrist joint. Stack the bar directly over the wrist bones. A slightly narrower grip and consciously "breaking" the wrists forward at setup usually corrects this immediately.
Not using leg drive on heavier sets
On near-maximal strict press sets, a brief push press variation — a shallow dip and leg drive — can mean the difference between a grind and a lockout. Many lifters arbitrarily avoid any leg involvement even when technique is breaking down. Allowing controlled leg drive (the push press) on top-end sets is a legitimate and effective training strategy, not cheating.
Key Accessory Exercises
| Exercise | Sets / Reps |
|---|---|
| Push Press | 3×5 |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3×10 |
| Lateral Raises | 4×15 |
| Face Pulls | 3×15 |
| Tricep Pushdowns | 3×12 |
Programming Recommendations
The overhead press is the hardest lift to progress — bar none. Realistic improvement for an intermediate lifter is 1–2 kg per month. That is not failure; that is the nature of the movement. Over a year of consistent training, 12–20 kg of added press weight is transformative relative to a starting press of 50–60 kg.
Press at least twice per week. Session one: strict press, heavy, low reps (3–5 sets of 3–5 reps). Session two: push press or dumbbell press, moderate load, higher reps (3–4 sets of 6–10 reps). This frequency is the most reliable press plateau breaker available.
Run a programme for a minimum of 8–12 weeks before assessing progress. Switching exercises or templates every few weeks prevents the accumulated technical adaptation that is essential for press improvement. Patience is not optional — it is the strategy.
When progress stalls, add volume before adding intensity. An extra set of pressing or an additional accessory session is almost always the right move before maxing out or deloading prematurely.
How does your overhead press compare?
Use the strength standards pages to see exactly where your press sits by bodyweight and experience level — Beginner through Elite.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good overhead press for my bodyweight?
As a rough guide: intermediate male should press around 60–70% of their bodyweight; advanced male around 80–90%. For female lifters, intermediate is roughly 40–50% of bodyweight. The shoulder press standards page gives exact numbers by bodyweight bracket.
Should I press standing or seated?
Standing overhead press is the superior movement for overall strength development — it requires core stabilisation and leg drive potential. Seated press allows slightly more weight due to stability from the bench but removes the full-body tension that makes standing press so effective. Use standing press as your primary movement; seated as an accessory for extra volume.
Why does my shoulder hurt when I press?
Shoulder pain during pressing is often caused by internal shoulder rotation (elbows too far forward), impingement from not clearing enough space, or excessive shoulder elevation (shrugging). Check your grip width (just outside shoulder width), ensure you are packing the shoulder (slight depression and retraction) before pressing, and verify you are moving your head back as the bar passes. Persistent pain should be assessed by a physiotherapist.
How much should I be able to press relative to my bench?
The typical bench-to-overhead press ratio is approximately 1.5:1. If you bench 100 kg, an overhead press of 65–70 kg is roughly expected. A weaker ratio often indicates underdeveloped anterior deltoids or technique inefficiency. A stronger ratio (closer to 1:1) is unusual but indicates exceptional shoulder strength.
Related Guides
How to Increase Your Bench Press
Technique fixes, accessory work, and programming for a bigger bench.
How to Increase Your Squat
Build leg strength, depth, and squat technique that holds up under load.
How to Increase Your Deadlift
Pull more weight with better setup, bracing, and accessory programming.
Overhead Press Strength Standards
See population benchmarks for your press by bodyweight and experience.