Form cues
- Keep ribs down
- Press straight up
- Wrists stacked over elbows
- Feet flat and braced
Exercise
Smith Seated Shoulder Press
Shoulders, smith machine
A seated overhead press on a Smith machine that trains the delts and triceps with a fixed bar path.
Target: delts. Also works: triceps, upper back.
Steps
- Set a bench or seat under the Smith bar so the bar starts around shoulder height when you sit down.
- Sit tall with your back supported, plant your feet flat, and grip the bar just wider than shoulder width with palms forward.
- Unrack the bar and hold it above your upper chest with wrists stacked over elbows.
- Lower the bar in a straight path until it reaches about chin to shoulder level.
- Press the bar straight up until your arms are extended overhead.
- Lower the bar with control to the start position and repeat.
- Finish by locking out the top and rotating the bar to re-rack it on the hooks.
Common mistakes
- Lowering the bar behind the head
- Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides
- Arching the lower back off the bench
- Letting the wrists bend back excessively
Breathing
Inhale as you lower the bar to shoulder level, and exhale as you press it overhead.
In the app, search for Smith Seated Shoulder Press and add it to a workout.