Shoulders · Bodyweight
Bodyweight Standing Military Press
How to do the bodyweight standing military press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and arms bent so your hands are at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Press your arms straight overhead until your elbows lock out, then lower back to shoulder height under control. Tense your shoulders and triceps hard at the top to make the movement work without external load.
- 1Shoulders and triceps driving the hands overhead
- 2Core braced so your ribs stay down and you don't lean back
- 3A full lockout overhead with biceps near your ears
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back to push the arms up
- Letting your elbows flare wide instead of pressing up
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward your ears at the top
Muscles worked
The bodyweight standing military press mainly works the front delts and triceps, with the upper traps, side delts, upper chest, upper abs, and lower abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the bodyweight standing 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.