Shoulders · Bodyweight
Seated Shoulder Press on a Chair
How to do the seated shoulder press on a chair, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit tall on a chair with your feet flat and your back unsupported, holding your hands at shoulder height as if gripping weights. Brace your ribs down and press your hands overhead in a smooth arc, stopping just short of a hard lockout. Lower under control back to shoulder level and repeat.
- 1Your front and side delts driving the press overhead
- 2Your triceps finishing the lockout near the top
- 3A stable, tall trunk with a clean overhead path
Common mistakes
- Overarching your lower back or flaring your ribs
- Letting your elbows drift too far behind you
- Shrugging your shoulders up into the press
Muscles worked
The seated shoulder press on a chair mainly works the front delts, triceps, and side delts, with the upper chest, upper traps, and upper abs assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the seated shoulder press on a chair 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.