Standing Barbell Overhead Press
Also called: ohp, military press, strict press
Strict barbell press from shoulders to lockout — the honest measure of pressing strength (no leg drive, no lies).
Technique
How to do it
- 1
Grip just outside shoulders, bar on the front delts, elbows slightly forward.
- 2
Brace glutes and abs like a standing plank.
- 3
Press up and slightly back; move your head “through the window” at the top.
- 4
Lock out with biceps by your ears; lower under control.
Cue bank
Two cues, picked by context
Internal cues for growth work at moderate loads; external cues when the bar is heavy. The app switches automatically.
“Feel the side delts wrap up and around as you press.”
“Push yourself away from the bar.”
Common faults
What to watch for
Standard coaching taxonomy for this movement. A dedicated Harry Spotter rubric is on the roadmap.
Turning it into a lean-back bench
The lumbar spine becomes the hinge you didn't order.
Fix: Squeeze glutes hard; drop 5–10% and re-groove.
Bar looping around the face
Longer bar path = harder lift, every rep.
Fix: Pull the chin back; press in a straight line.
Half lockout
The top third is where the delts finish the job.
Fix: Lighter weight, full biceps-to-ears finish.
Standards
How strong is your standing barbell overhead press?
Your Overhead Press level (e1RM 117 kg, 1.56× bodyweight)
Elite
Top of the table. We'd like your autograph.
Heuristic community-standards multipliers — a motivation yardstick, not a scientific claim. e1RM computed with the same engine the app uses (Epley).
Substitutions