Smith Machine Overhead Press
| Exercise Summary | |
|---|---|
| Primary Muscle(s) | Shoulders |
| Secondary Muscle(s) | Triceps |
| Equipment | Machine |
| Emphasis | Compound |
| Type | Push |
Smith Machine Overhead Press Instructions
- Place a bench in the machine angled at 90-degrees and set the barbell to the appropriate height.
- Be seated in a strong, athletic posture: chest up, core braced, and shoulders pinned back.
- Upper back is against the bench.
- Grip the barbell slightly outside of shoulder-width.
- Your wrist should be stacked on top of your elbow.
- Do not let your wrist "roll back".
- As you grip the barbell, create torque off the bar by externally rotating your shoulder blades back into their sockets.
- You are creating a strong, safe shoulder position to press from.
- Unrack the bar.
- Press the bar in a controlled manner to a stable position overhead.
- At the top, your arms are fully extended and the bar is in a stable position overhead.
- Don't shrug your shoulders at the top.
- In a slow, controlled manner, lower the weight down until the bar is just under your nose or chin.
*Tips*
- Since it is a Smith Machine, the bar path will be fixed. Meaning, you can load the barbell a bit more than normal.
- You ALWAYS want to be in control of the barbell. Do not fling the barbell up and down the machine.