Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Exercise Guides
Evidence Based
Evidence Based Research
This article was written by one of our qualified writers, and fact-checked by our experts. The numbers in parentheses (e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout the article, are reference links to peer-reviewed studies.
Our team of experts include a board-certified physician, nutritionists, dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength training experts, and exercise specialists.
Read Our Editorial Process

Military Press vs. Overhead Press vs. Shoulder Press vs. Push Press — Differences Explained

Make your shoulder workouts more effective by learning the intricacies of these shoulder-pressing movements. 
Vidur Saini

Written by Vidur Saini

Last Updated onFebruary 24, 2023

Overhead Press

Overhead Press

In This Article
  • Differences
  • How To Do
  • Muscles Worked
  • Common Mistakes
  • Benefits and When To Use Each
  • FAQs
  • Wrapping Up

Variation is the name of the game in weight training. Performing the same exercise every week can lead you to a plateau. It is easier to avoid an overhead ceiling than to break through one. Using exercise variations helps you train your muscles from different angles, which keeps your muscles guessing — and growing. 

Things, however, get complicated when similar-looking exercises have different names — case in point — the military press, overhead press, shoulder press, and push press. 

People might switch between these exercises in hopes of avoiding a plateau. Still, they are training the same muscle groups from the same angles, rendering these variations ineffective for avoiding a roadblock. 

Most lifters are clueless about these shoulder exercises and use the terms military press, overhead press, shoulder press, and push press interchangeably. This, however, is a mistake. 

Our lifting forefathers gave these exercises different names for a reason. Although the military, overhead, shoulder, and push press follow the same movement pattern, there are subtle differences between the four. 

Learning about the differences can help you design better training programs for yourself or your clients. Nonetheless, it puts you in a position to give unsolicited advice to lifters in your gym. 

This article explains the differences between the military, overhead, shoulder, and push press. We also cover the muscles worked, common mistakes people make while doing these pressing movements, and who each exercise is best suited for. There is a lot to cover, so sit tight. 

Difference Between Military Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Press, and Push Press

Overhead pressing exercises help build shoulder strength and muscle mass. It can also improve your shoulder mobility. The military, overhead, shoulder, and push press are compound (multi-joint) pressing movements, where your shoulders and arms are the primary movers. 

Here is a brief overview of each exercise:

Military Press

Military Press
Military Press

The military press is a strict standing barbell overhead pressing exercise, hence its name. It involves lifting the bar from shoulder height to lockout at the top. In this exercise, you must only use your shoulder strength to hoist the bar overhead and are barred from using your legs. 

You must perform the military press while standing. Although you’ll see some fitness influencers do the ‘seated military press,’ it is a technically incorrect term. The seated military press is actually an overhead press.

Overhead Press

Dumbbells Overhead Press
Dumbbells Overhead Press

You can use a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands in the overhead press and perform the exercise while standing or seated. You are not bound to maintain a rigid lower body in the overhead press, as with the military press. 

Using your lower body allows you to lift slightly heavier weights on the overhead press than the military press. You can, however, use momentum by jerking your knees only during the final reps of a set. Using your legs from the first rep reduces the muscle-building potential of the exercise by reducing the stress on your deltoids. 

You must maintain a stable core and ensure you are not rounding your back to reduce the risk of injury. 

Shoulder Press

Shoulder Press Machine
Shoulder Press Machine

The shoulder press is a generic term used for any shoulder pressing exercise, including the military and overhead press. You can do the shoulder press while seated or standing using dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, or a machine. 

If you are confused between a military press and an overhead press, just call it a shoulder press and move on. No one can raise a finger at you for calling a military press a shoulder press. 

Push Press

Push Press
Push Press

The push press is an underappreciated shoulder exercise that looks like its sibling vertical shoulder pressing movements but can help you lift a lot heavier. This exercise requires you to use momentum to lift the barbell overhead by bending your knees. 

The push press is a standing shoulder press variation that can be done with dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands. While performing this shoulder press variation, your focus is to lift the bar overhead as quickly as possible. This exercise can help build explosive strength in the upper body. 

On the other hand, in the military and overhead press, you must control the eccentric (lowering) and concentric (upward) motion for optimal results. Your shoulders and triceps are your primary muscle groups in the military and overhead press. 

And yes, the push press is also a shoulder press variation!

How To Do The Military Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Press, and Push Press

Now that you know the basics of the four overhead pressing movements, below is how to perform each lift with the correct form. We’ll use different equipment and stances for each exercise to display the differences better. 

Military Press

Your focus on the military press is to move the shoulders through their full range of motion while maintaining a strict stance. 

Steps:

  1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
  2. Grab a barbell at shoulder-width with a pronated (palms facing forward) grip.
  3. The bar should be in front of your shoulders at the starting position.
  4. While keeping your torso upright, press the bar overhead to lockout.
  5. Slowly return to the starting position by unlocking your elbows.
  6. The bar should touch your shoulders at the bottom.
  7. Repeat for recommended reps.

Pro Tip: The bar should be above your heels, and your ears should be between your arms at the movement’s top. 

Overhead Press

We’ll be describing the seated dumbbell overhead press for this example. 

Steps:

  1. Sit upright on one end of a flat bench.
  2. Grab a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral (palms facing each other) grip and place them on your quads.
  3. Kick up the dumbbells to your shoulder height and turn your wrists outward. The dumbbells should be next to your ears at the starting position.
  4. Brace your core and press the dumbbells overhead while maintaining a neutral spine.
  5. Stop the movement before elbow lockout, as it helps maintain constant tension on your deltoids.
  6. The dumbbells should be a few inches away from each other at the top.
  7. Slowly lower the dumbbell to the start position.
  8. Repeat for reps.

Pro Tip: Avoid keeping your elbows and shoulders in a straight line while performing the exercise, as it can unnecessarily stress your shoulder rotator cuffs. 

Machine Shoulder Press

As you know by now, each shoulder overhead pressing exercise can be called a shoulder press. For this example, we’ll be illustrating the shoulder press machine. 

Steps:

  1. Sit on a shoulder press machine.
  2. Adjust the handles or the seat so the handles are at your shoulder height.
  3. Grab the handles with a pronated or neutral grip.
  4. Brace your core and press the handles overhead.
  5. Stop before reaching full elbow extension. 
  6. Slowly return to the start position.
  7. Repeat for recommended reps.

Pro Tip: The shoulder press machine handles follow a fixed trajectory, and some machines move at a slight angle, which can be great for beginners and folks dealing with injuries. 

Push Press

The push press is a great exercise to build explosive upper-body strength. You must, however, master the overhead press before progressing to the push press. Performing this exercise with a solid foundation limits your odds of injury. 

Steps:

  1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance.
  2. Grab the bar with a shoulder-width pronated grip.
  3. Hold the bar in a front rack position.
  4. Brace your core and bend your knees slightly to create a few inches of leverage.
  5. Explode with your legs and hips and push the bar overhead with your shoulders to lockout. 
  6. Slowly lower the weight to the start position.
  7. Repeat for reps.

Pro Tip: You need upper body mobility to hold the bar in a front rack position. Perform mobility drills before your workouts for optimal range of motion. 

Muscles Worked in the Military Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Press, and Push Press

Here are the common muscles worked with the four pressing movements explained in this article:

Shoulders

Deltoids are the primary target muscle groups of the overhead pressing movements; they consist of three heads — anterior, middle, and posterior. The military, overhead, push, and machine press works the anterior and middle delts. 

Triceps

The triceps brachii (the horseshoe muscle at the back of your upper arm) is engaged while pressing the bar overhead. Tuck in your elbows to generate the maximum pushing force during these shoulder exercises. 

Upper Chest

Your upper pectoral muscles are engaged in vertical pressing exercises. Many trainers can lift relatively heavy on seated shoulder presses on a utility bench as they perform the exercise by leaning back into the chair, helping them engage their upper pecs to a great extent. 

Upper Back

Upper back muscles such as the trapezius and rhomboids help stabilize your body during the overhead pressing exercises. Notably, poor upper back mobility can restrict your overhead pressing performance. 

Core

Contracting your core and glutes while performing the overhead pressing lifts helps stabilize your body. Your core plays a vital role in these exercises as you progress to bigger weights. Using a weightlifting belt while performing shoulder presses can reduce your risk of injury. 

Legs (only in push press)

The push press involves using your legs to generate power and momentum. You’ll feel a pump in your quads, glutes, and calves while performing the push press. Using your legs will help you lift relatively heavier. 

Common Mistakes While Performing the Military Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Press, and Push Press

Most lifters commit the following errors while performing these overhead pressing movements:

Confusing the Exercises

The first common mistake people make with these exercises is misidentifying them. They also read too much into a lifter’s foot placement while performing these exercises. Your foot placement doesn’t define the exercise. 

Many lifters assume that a shoulder press with a narrower-than-shoulder-width stance is a military press and a shoulder-width or broader is an overhead press. We hope you will not make this mistake again.

Incorrect Bar Path

In a standing shoulder press, most lifters press the barbell forward instead of pushing it directly overhead. The bar should be in line with your heels at lockout. Most lifters, however, have the bar over their toes. This position strains your lower back and puts you at risk of injury. 

Push your head between your arms while getting into a lockout. Your ears should be between your upper arms. You must work on your upper back mobility and lower the weights if you have trouble locking out the bar overhead. 

Head Position

The standing barbell shoulder press exercises are technically more complicated than the seated variations, as you need to move your head constantly throughout the range of motion. Your head should move backward as you push the bar upward from your shoulder level and then move forward as you complete the lift.

You’ll bang your head into the bar if you don’t move your head during the barbell shoulder presses. Practice the exercise with lighter weights before challenging yourself with bigger poundage. 

Incorrect Grip and Wrist Position

You must hold the barbell or dumbbells slightly wider than shoulder-width in each of these exercises for optimal deltoid stimulation. Placing your hands too wide or narrow will strain your rotator cuffs. 

Furthermore, you must keep your wrists tight and rigid while performing overhead presses. Letting your wrists bend backward excessively under heavy weight can hamper your performance. 

Flared Elbows

Many lifters hold their elbows wide to their sides in hopes of better shoulder muscle fiber recruitment. Flaring your elbows too wide puts unnecessary strain on your shoulder rotator cuffs and hampers your pushing strength. 

Keep your elbows tuck in and down while doing overhead pressing movements. It will help improve stability and generate more power for lockout at the top.

Overarching Your Back

Vertical pressing exercises compress the spine. Many lifters arch their back at the bottom of the lift to get under the bar. They straighten their back during the concentric movement to generate momentum and then arch their lower back arch at lockout because of poor upper back mobility. 

Arching your back during overhead presses puts your lower back at risk of injury. You must maintain an upright torso throughout the exercise to work the target muscles optimally and reduce the risk of injury. Work on your upper back mobility and use lighter weights if you cannot stay upright during overhead pressing exercises. 

Benefits of Military Press, Overhead Press, Shoulder Press, and Push Press — Who Should Use Which? When To Use Each?

The military, overhead, shoulder, and push press follow the same movement pattern but train your muscles differently and can have varying benefits and performance results. 

For the scope of this section, we will club the military press, overhead press, and shoulder press into the shoulder press category and compare it with the lower-body engaging push press.

Below are the benefits of shoulder press and push press:

Muscle Hypertrophy

Research shows that staying in the 8-12 rep range is best for inducing hypertrophy. Although you could perform shoulder presses and push presses for the recommended reps, shoulder presses require you to follow a slow, controlled, and deliberate range of motion. In contrast, the push press involves powering through the reps. [1]

Performing controlled reps are more effective at achieving a mind-muscle connection and contracting target muscles with each rep. You must stick to the military press, overhead press, and shoulder press if your goal is to build muscle mass.

Strength

The push press involves lifting heavier weights as quickly as possible, while the shoulder press exercises require you to perform controlled eccentric and concentric movements. Push presses will drive you to lift heavier, whereas shoulder presses will promote stability and control. You should do both types of exercises to build strength. 

Explosive Power

Olympic and strongman lifts require you to move the most weight through the full range of movement as quickly as possible. The leg drive in the power press makes it the perfect lift for building explosive strength. 

Athletic Performance

Athletes like football and basketball players require agility, explosive strength, and endurance. Shoulder press exercises work only your upper body, whereas the push press works your entire body. The push press is a better exercise for athletes. 

Weightlifters, strongmen, and athletes are better off doing the push press as it helps build explosive strength. On the other hand, bodybuilders looking to gain muscle mass should prefer the shoulder presses. 

Notably, the push press is an advanced shoulder press exercise. You must master the military press, overhead press, and shoulder press fundamentals before moving on to the push press. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which exercise among military, overhead, shoulder, and push press is better for building explosive strength?

If your goal is to build explosive power, choose the push press, as the leg drive in this exercise allows you to lift heavier weights. You must, however, cycle between the four exercises to train your shoulders from different angles and add variety to your training regimen.

Is the military press harder than the push press?

The military press requires brute upper body strength, whereas the push press demands upper and lower body coordination to move heavy weights. The answer to this question will depend on personal strengths. Your military press will be stronger if you have more muscular shoulders and have never trained the push press. 

Wrapping Up

The military, overhead, shoulder, and push press are vertical press variations with subtle differences in technique, targeted muscles, and variations. The military press is done with a barbell, whereas you can do the other three exercises with dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, and machines. 

When choosing between these exercises, you must consider your goals, fitness level, and physical limitations. The military, overhead, and machine shoulder press require a controlled range of motion, which makes it a better fit for bodybuilders training for hypertrophy. The push press is a better alternative for weightlifters, strongmen, and CrossFitters that want to build explosive strength. Finally, incorporating all four exercises into your training regimen will add variety to your training regimen and will make you an all-round strength sports athlete. 

References

  1. Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn
Categories: Exercise Guides Shoulders
Previous Post

2023 Musclecontest Japan Pro Show Results and Scorecard

Next Post

Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man Workout and Diet Routine

Vidur Saini

Vidur Saini

Vidur is a writer and editor at FitnessVolt.com. He has been lifting since 2007 and loves sharing his hard-earned knowledge and passion for strength sports with anyone who would lend him an ear. An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros. Vidur's work has appeared in leading publications such as BarBend and Generation Iron.

Related

Dumbbell Hack Squat Guide

Dumbbell Hack Squat Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations

The dumbbell hack squat is a squat variation that helps you better target your quadriceps. This exercise is a great...

Best Compound Shoulder Exercises

The 16 Best Compound Shoulder Exercises and Workouts

The deltoids or shoulders are one of the most eye-catching muscle groups in the human body. It doesn’t matter if...

Rear Delt Dumbbell Exercises

13 Best Rear Delt Dumbbell Exercises

When training shoulders, most people focus on the front and side delts by doing pressing and lateral raise exercises. Those...

Back Lever Exercise

Back Lever Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Progression

The back lever will challenge you to your core (no puns intended). It is a challenging gymnastics strength movement (at...

Military Press vs. Overhead Press

Military Press vs. Overhead Press – Which One Is Best?

Big, sculpted shoulders will add a lot to your physique, improving your V-taper and making you look more powerful and...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Justin Woltering’s Workout And Diet Routine

Hollow Body Crunch Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Alternatives

Joseph Baena Shares Killer Pull-Day Workout Routine For Mass And Strength

Nick Walker Shows Off Unreal Body Transformation: “We All Start Somewhere”

86-yo Powerlifter Breaks National & World Record in Deadlift: ‘Weightlifting is a Huge Part of My Life’

Hafthor Bjornsson Smashes 837.7-lb (380-kg) Squat In Prep For 970-lb (440-kg) Target

Reviews

Best Preacher Curl Benches

10 Best Preacher Curl Benches in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Ancheer Treadmills Review

6 Best Ancheer Treadmills in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Best Bone Broth Supplements

10 Best Bone Broth Supplements of 2023 (Reviewed & Ranked)

Fitness Volt

At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where you’re at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Read more.

Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com

Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis.

Follow Us

Trending Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • At Home Workouts
  • Bodyweight Exercises
  • Best Pre-workout
  • Best Fat Burners
  • Bodybuilding Diet
  • Bicep Workouts
  • Triceps Workouts
  • Chest Exercises
  • Back Workouts
  • Leg Workouts
  • Front Squat Guide
  • Calf Workouts & Exercises
  • Forgotten Exercises
  • Jefferson Deadlift

Calculators

  • Calorie Burning Calculators
  • IF Calculator
  • TDEE Calculator
  • Calorie Calculator
  • Keto Calculator
  • RMR Calculator
  • Macronutrient Calculator
  • Creatine Calculator
  • Wilks Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • FFMI Calculator
  • IBW Calculator
  • LBM Calculator
  • Fat Intake Calculator
  • Calories Burned Swimming
  • Calories Per Meal Calculator

  • Food Nutrition Analysis
  • Carb Cycling Calculator
  • Weight Gain Calculator
  • Weight Loss Calculator
  • Calories Burned Calculator
  • Strength Standards
  • One Rep Max Calculator
  • Body Fat Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • Weight Loss Percentage
  • Treadmill Calorie Calculator
  • Body Surface Area Calculator
  • Running Pace Calculator
  • Bench Press Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Water Intake Calculator
  • Body Type Quiz
  • Steps to Miles Calculator
  • Calorie Deficit Calculator
  • Home
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Bodybuilding
  • Arnold Classic
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
  • Training
  • Nutrition
  • Reviews
  • More
    • News
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2022 WSM
    • Diet
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • Food Facts
    • Fitness Calculator

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.