The military press is a superb lift to strengthen the
shoulders and the
upper back. It is a well known
compound lift. The main target of this lift is the
Anterior Deltoids. Since it is a compound lift, it uses many muscles as synergists to aid the target muscles in their lift. Among these are the
Pectoralis Major,
Clavicular Triceps,
Brachii Deltoid,
Lateral Trapezius,
Middle Trapezius, and
Lower Serratus Anterior. The
Triceps,
Biceps Brachii,
Upper Trapezius, and
Levator Scapulae serve to stabilize the lift.
Performing this basic lift in the
gym will earn you
street cred with your
old school peers.
Use an
overhand grip to either remove the
barbell from a rack or
clean it off the floor. Your grip should be slightly wider than the width of your shoulders. Hold the barbell in front of your neck, with your elbows cocked. The weight should be supported by your shoulders and your upper arms at this point.
Press the bar
over your head until arms your arms are almost completely extended, do not lock your
elbows. Because the starting position of the barbell is against your
neck, this move is not a true up and down press. You have to move the barbell around your head and it helps to lean your head back a bit. Lower the barbell slowly back to the starting position.
If you have never done this lift before, it is a good idea to start with a weight you think you could lift 15-20 times.