Exercise Tutorial: Military Press
Table of Contents
What Is a Military Press
The Military Press is an upper body exercise that will increase muscular strength and size, specifically in the shoulders. The Military Press used to be the go-to test to examine strength in the Military, which is how this movement obtained its name. The Military Press is a hard exercise, and is rarely seen in the gym, mostly because many people prefer to complete a Bench Press instead.
How to Do Military Press
To complete a Military Press, you will need a barbell and a squat rack. Follow these steps to learn how to do the Military Press:
Begin using a squat rack so you do not have to pick the barbell off of the floor. The barbell should be at mid-chest level.
Use a wider than shoulder grip with your palms facing away from you. Keep the forearms directly under the wrists. Squat down a bit as you would in a Barbell Push Press to lift the barbell out of the rack.
Once the barbell is out of the rack and you have stepped away, bring your feet together as if you were standing like a solider.
Squeeze the glutes and core and keep the elbows in front of you. Drive the bar straight up to press.
Slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat the movement.
You have now learned how to perform the Military Press!
Military Press Form
As with many exercises, there are some key points to remember in regards to your form. These points will help you to reduce your risk of injury and perform the Military Press effectively. When performing the Military Press, be sure to,
Keep the elbows in front of you, and not flared out to the sides
Keep the glutes and core engaged throughout the entire Military Press
Maintain a neutral spine
Press the bar directly upwards, not forwards or backwards
Drive your feet through the floor as you press up
Remember to breathe!
Military Press Muscles
The Military Press mainly engages muscles in the upper body. Some of the muscles engaged during the Military Press include,
Scapular Stabilizers
Military Press Benefits
There are many benefits to performing the Military Press. Some of the benefits of the Military Press include,
Increased strength in the shoulder
Muscle hypertrophy
Increased overhead performance
Increased shoulder health
Transferability to other sports and movements
Why Is the Military Press Useful
The Military Press is particularly useful for Powerlifters, Olympic athletes and Crossfitters. This is because pressing strength is an essential component in training for these types of athletes. A strict press is great for improving overhead stability and strength, especially in the shoulders.
Military Press Variations
Below are a few variations of the Military Press.
Dumbbell Military Press
The Dumbbell Military Press will provide an additional challenge to the body. The core will have to work harder to keep both dumbbells in line with each other while maintaining your balance. As well, as with most dumbbell exercises, you can reduce muscular imbalances by performing the Dumbbell Military Press.
Seated Military Press
The Seated Military Press is performed while sitting upright on a bench. Keep your back flush to the bench as you perform the Military Press as described above.
Military Press Machine
The Military Press can be performed using a Smith Machine. Place a bench under the Smith Machine and sit at the end with your feet in front of you. Perform the Military Press as described above.
Military Press Vs Shoulder Press
You may be asking yourself, what is the difference between the Military Press and the Shoulder Press? The answer is simple. The main difference between the Military Press and the Shoulder press is that in the Military Press, your feet are together as compared to the Shoulder Press, which has your feet hip-shoulder width apart.
Having a wider base of support increases the body’s stability, therefore making the exercise easier. In the Military Press, the base of support is smaller, making the body more unstable and the core needs to perform more work.
Another thing to point out is that you will be able to use more weight in a Shoulder Press than compared to the Military Press. However, this can be offset with the heavier engagement of the core in the Military Press. Your training goals should dictate which exercises you perform!
