Seated Barbell Press

How to do it

1. Set a bench upright and put the bar in the rack at shoulder height.
2. Sit with your back flat against the pad and grip just outside your shoulders.
3. Unrack and press straight overhead, moving your head out of the way.
4. Lower to your collarbone under control.
5. The backrest takes your core out of it, so this is the heaviest overhead press variant.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

How it compares

Compared with the Overhead Barbell Press, it loads Abs 15 points lower, Triceps 10 points higher, Obliques 10 points lower. It needs Barbell + Bench where the other uses Barbell. Compared with the Barbell Push Press, it loads Quads 35 points lower, Abs 30 points lower, Glutes 25 points lower. It needs Barbell + Bench where the other uses Barbell.

Other ways to train this

• Overhead Barbell Press BarbellIntermediate
• Seated Dumbbell Press DumbbellsBench
• Arnold Press DumbbellsBenchIntermediate
• Machine Shoulder Press Machines
• Landmine Press BarbellIntermediate
• Pike Push-Ups Bodyweight
• Kettlebell Overhead Press KettlebellsIntermediate
• Standing Dumbbell Press DumbbellsIntermediate
• Handstand Push-Ups BodyweightProfessional
• Smith Machine Shoulder Press Smith machine
• One-Arm Kettlebell Press KettlebellsIntermediate
• One-Arm Machine Press Machines
• Dumbbell Push Press DumbbellsIntermediate
• Double Kettlebell Push Press KettlebellsIntermediate

Other exercises for the Front delts

• Barbell Push Press 85% BarbellProfessional
• Barbell Thruster 80% BarbellIntermediate
• Incline Dumbbell Press 50% DumbbellsBench
• Incline Barbell Press 50% BarbellBenchIntermediate

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.