The military press is simple, strict, and brutally honest. If you want shoulders that hold up under a heavy bench and lock out with authority, learn to press overhead the right way.

A good military press starts with your setup. Squeeze your glutes, brace your abs, and lock your ribs down. Grip just outside shoulder width, wrists stacked over elbows, forearms vertical. Unrack, settle your lats, and let the bar rest high on your shoulders. Keep your feet together or under your hips if balance is an issue, the key is full-body tension and zero layback.

The first inches decide the rep. Pull a breath low into your belly, squeeze the bar, and press straight up while moving your head slightly back, then through. Keep the bar close, in line with your midfoot. When the bar clears your forehead, push your head through and shrug to finish. Hold a one second lockout, then lower under control to the same start point.

Common mistakes include turning it into a standing incline with too much layback, flaring the elbows, or letting the bar drift in front of you. Fix these by squeezing your glutes, keeping your ribs down, and pressing in a straight path. If your low back feels it, you lost your brace.

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