Shoulders · Vertical push

Seated Barbell Military Press

The seated barbell military press is an overhead press performed on an upright bench with the bar pressed straight up from shoulder height. The back support removes leg drive and reduces lower-back strain, so the front delts, side delts and triceps do the work, making it a strict, strength-building shoulder exercise.

Also known as: Seated military press, Seated barbell overhead press, Seated barbell shoulder press

Muscle group: Shoulders
Movement pattern: Vertical push
Type: Compound
Equipment: Barbell, Upright bench or rack with seat
Difficulty: Intermediate

What muscles does the seated barbell military press work?

Primary movers

Anterior deltoid
Lateral deltoid
Triceps brachii

Assisting muscles

Pectoralis major (clavicular)
Trapezius (upper)
Serratus anterior

The front delts press the bar upward with the side delts and triceps. The upper chest and traps help at the top.

The seat and back pad remove leg drive and limit leaning. That makes the lift stricter than a standing press, and it exposes shoulder strength honestly.

A standing press loads the glutes, core and legs as stabilisers. The seated version loads these less, so the delts get a bigger share of the work.

The bar should travel in a straight line, close to your face. Move your head back as the bar rises past it, then bring it forward under the bar at the top.

How to do the seated barbell military press

Setup

1
Set an upright bench at 90 degrees under a rack, with the bar at about shoulder height.
2
Sit with your back and hips against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
3
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width.
4
Unrack the bar and hold it at the top of your chest.

Execution

1
Brace your abs and press the bar straight up.
2
Move your head slightly back to clear the bar.
3
Lock out your arms overhead.
4
Lower the bar slowly to your upper chest.
5
Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows.
6
Re-rack the bar carefully.

Common seated barbell military press mistakes

Arching the back

Leaning back to press turns it into an incline press and loads the spine.

The fix: Keep your glutes and back on the pad and ribs down.

Pressing in front of the face

A forward bar path strains the shoulders.

The fix: Move your head back and press the bar straight up.

Flared elbows

Elbows too far out reduce force and stress the joint.

The fix: Keep your forearms vertical with elbows slightly forward.

Skipping the safeties

A missed rep can leave you stuck under the bar.

The fix: Set safety arms or use a spotter.

How many sets and reps?

Goal	Sets	Reps	Load	Rest
Strength	4–5	4–6	Heavy, 1–2 RIR	2–3 min
Hypertrophy	3–4	8–12	Moderate	90 s
Beginner	2–3	8–10	Light	90 s

Use it as your main shoulder press if you want a strict, back-supported lift. Expect to lift less than standing. Add weight in the smallest plates available when you hit the top of the range.

Running the seated barbell military press in your next block? Hercules logs every set, shows last session's numbers before you lift, and suggests when to add weight.

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