Shoulders · Barbell
Barbell Seated Behind Head Military Press
How to do the barbell seated behind head military press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on an upright bench with a barbell racked behind your neck and grip it wider than shoulder-width. Brace your core, keep your chest up, and press the bar straight overhead until your arms lock out. Lower the bar under control back behind your head to ear level.
- 1Drive through your shoulders and triceps as you press the bar straight up
- 2Keep your torso tall and core braced so the bar travels in a vertical line
- 3Feel your upper back and rotator cuff working to keep the shoulders stable
Common mistakes
- Don't lower the bar past your ears or force a range your shoulders can't
- reach
- Avoid arching your lower back to push the weight up
- Don't let the bar drift forward; keep it stacked over your spine
Muscles worked
The barbell seated behind head military press mainly works the front delts, triceps, and side delts, with the upper traps, forearms, upper abs, and external rotators assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- External RotatorsSupport
- Upper ChestMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell seated behind head military press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.