Push Press

The push press is a barbell overhead lift that uses a small dip and drive from the legs to help press the weight overhead. It builds shoulder and triceps strength and teaches the whole body to work together in one explosive motion.

Set up with your feet about shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting across the front of your shoulders. Grip the bar with hands just outside shoulder width, elbows slightly in front of the bar, ribs down, and eyes forward.

Brace your core, then dip straight down a few inches by bending your knees and hips while keeping your torso upright. Explosively drive through your legs to stand tall, and use that momentum to press the bar straight up. As the bar passes eye level, push your head and chest forward so the bar finishes over the middle of your body with your arms fully locked out. Lower the bar under control back to the front-rack position.

Inhale and brace before the dip, and keep steady pressure through the drive and press. To make it easier, use a lighter weight or a PVC pipe until the timing feels smooth. To make it harder, slow down the lowering phase or add a controlled pause at the bottom of the dip.

Fault: The dip turns into a forward hinge and shifts weight onto the toes. Fix: Keep your torso upright, weight balanced through the middle of your foot, and dip straight down only a few inches.

Fault: The bar travels forward instead of straight up. Fix: Press the bar over your head, then bring your head and chest under the bar as it passes eye level.

Fault: The lower back arches hard at lockout. Fix: Finish with ribs down, glutes squeezed, and the bar stacked over your shoulders, hips, and heels.