Shoulders · Barbell
Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
How to do the barbell standing wide military press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand tall holding a barbell at shoulder height with hands wider than shoulder-width. Brace your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, moving your head through as it clears your face. Lock out with the bar over your midline, then lower under control back to your shoulders.
- 1Side and front delts taking the bulk of the press
- 2Elbows tracking up under the bar
- 3A tall, braced trunk with no lean back
Common mistakes
- Arching the low back to cheat the bar up
- Letting the wrists bend back under load
- Pressing forward instead of straight overhead
Muscles worked
The barbell standing wide military press mainly works the front delts and side delts, with the triceps, upper traps, forearms, lower back, upper abs, and lower abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Upper ChestMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the barbell standing wide 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.