Barbell Standing Wide Military Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip significantly wider than shoulder-width (roughly 1.5 times shoulder width).
2. Unrack the bar and rest it across your upper chest and clavicles, ensuring your wrists are stacked directly over your elbows.
3. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and maintain a neutral spine to create a stable pressing base.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you press the bar directly overhead in a straight line, tilting your head back slightly to allow the bar to clear your chin.
2. Push the bar until your arms are fully extended and your head 'peaks' through the window created by your arms.
3. Inhale as you lower the barbell under control back to the starting position at your upper chest, following the same vertical path.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, focusing on a 2-second ascent and a 2-second descent.

Form checklist

• Keep your core braced throughout the lift to prevent excessive arching of the lower back.
• Ensure the movement is a strict press with no assistance or 'dip' from the legs.
• Keep your forearms as vertical as possible during the initial drive to maximize force transfer.
• Avoid flaring the elbows excessively; keep them slightly tucked to protect the shoulder joints.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'tearing the bar apart' with your hands as you press to increase lateral deltoid activation.
• At the top of the rep, shrug your shoulders toward the ceiling to fully engage the trapezius and stabilize the scapulae.

Make it harder

• Introduce a 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension and muscle fiber recruitment.
• Perform the exercise with a 'dead stop' at the bottom of every rep, letting the bar rest on your chest for one second to eliminate momentum.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell standing wide military press work?

The barbell standing wide military press primarily targets the deltoids, and also works the erector spinae, serratus anterior, trapezius, and triceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell standing wide military press?

The barbell standing wide military press uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the barbell standing wide military press good for beginners?

The barbell standing wide military press is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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