The Overhead Press Lifters Swear by for Big Gains
If you're looking for an exercise that will blow up your shoulders and add serious size to your triceps, it’s hard to beat the overhead press. It’s simple, effective, and guaranteed to build both strength and muscle. But because it's often performed with too much weight, too frequently, the overhead press has developed a reputation for being tough on joints and connective tissue—leading many to avoid it altogether.
That’s a mistake. The benefits of overhead pressing are too good to skip—and with the right setup, you can keep it in your routine while reducing your risk of injury. Enter: the seated rack barbell press.
This variation is exactly what it sounds like. All you need is a squat rack, a barbell with plates, and a flat or adjustable bench. It’s accessible for most gym goers, including many who train at home, making it a smart, safe addition to any strength program.
Seated Rack Barbell Press
Getty Images/JohnnyGreig
How to Do It
- Set a bench at a high incline inside a squat rack and adjust the safety arms to shoulder height or slightly above.
- You can also set the J-hooks higher up if you prefer to unrack the bar overhead. Load the barbell and place it either on the safety arms or J-hooks.
- Sit on the bench with your feet flat, back against the pad, and shoulder blades pulled together.
- Grip the bar just outside shoulder width, like you would for a shoulder press.
- If starting from the J-hooks, unrack the bar to hold it overhead with straight arms, then slowly lower it until it rests on the safety arms. If starting from the safety arms, grip the bar firmly and press it straight up overhead without locking out your elbows.
- Pause briefly at the top, then lower it under control back to the safety arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
- After your set, rack the bar on the J-hooks or leave it on the safety arms and roll it forward to exit.
Muscles Worked
This exercise is obviously going to target the front delts of the shoulders, but the side delts, rear delts, and upper back will also be working to stabilize the weight, allowing you to complete the reps.
This will also target the triceps, especially at the top half of the range of motion, where they take over during the lockout. Your forearms will also be active as you maintain a tight grip of the barbell.
Benefits of the Seated Rack Barbell Press
Allows Lifters to Work With Heavy Loads Safely
The seated rack press allows lifters to train the shoulders with a heavy barbell movement within a fixed range of motion that serves them best. If they can perform it with a full range of motion down to the shoulders, then they can use more weight without fear of getting stuck due to the safety arms being in place.
This setup is also great for lifters who avoid shoulder presses due to injuries or mobility issues. It’s especially useful for home workouts or when machines aren't available, since the safety arms allow you to train within your comfortable range of motion by stopping the barbell at a controlled bottom point.
Increases Size and Strength
Bodybuilders can use the seated rack press to help build bigger anterior deltoids as well as develop the triceps. Powerlifters, strongmen, and athletes who want more pressing power can use this as a top accessory movement to help overload the shoulders and triceps in a way that will transfer to the type of press they use in competition. There is also no cleaning or slinging weight into position like you would with a dumbbell press. You also don’t have to worry about returning the weight to the floor or the fear of dropping it.
Helps Lifters Work Through Sticking Points
Those lifters looking to get stronger at a certain sticking point can really benefit from the seated rack barbell press, especially if they are stuck in a training plateau. Certified personal trainer and owner of Balance Guy Training, Shane McLean, verifies that this movement can help you get your gains back on track.
McLean explains, “The two most common sticking points in the overhead press are near the bottom of the lift and at lockout. By placing the rack at your sticking point and pausing, you spend more time there, allowing you to build strength where you're weak. The pause takes the stretch reflex out of the muscle, making the muscle work harder during the concentric contraction (the pressing part). This method will blast past your overhead press plateau and improve your pressing strength all at once.”
Regardless of the reason you do it, the main upside is that it is a safe exercise with a significantly lower injury risk compared to traditional seated barbell presses, dumbbell presses, or other free-weight pressing exercises.
Related: 6x Mr. Olympian Shares the 2 Exercises Every Man Needs to Build a Classic Physique
Programming the Seated Rack Barbell Press
If you want to build shoulder and tricep mass, put this movement at the top of your routine when you have the most energy to commit. You could perform two to four working sets of six to 15 reps and yield positive results from it.
If you want to use the movement as a top accessory for improving power and strength, place it within the first three movements in your routine. If you want to use it to help increase your bench press, then perform it after your bench work for sets of three to five reps.
Other Variations
Even though the seated rack barbell press is itself a variation of a shoulder press, there are variations to this movement as well. One is the type of barbell you use. Strongmen competitors like to use an Axle barbell with a thicker diameter because many of the implements they use in competition have a thicker grip. This will also challenge your grip strength.
Another type of barbell you can use is a multi-grip bar with multiple handles. Some versions have a vertical handle on them, which will allow you to lift with a neutral grip, which is even easier on the shoulders and elbows.
Finally, if you train in a tall squat rack or a half-rack, you don’t have to be limited to a seated rack press. You can do these standing as well, which will promote stability in the lower body and core.
FAQ
Can I Do the Seated Rack Press With Elbow Sleeves?
Elbow sleeves and even wrist wraps are a good idea for this exercise, especially if you have a history of issues with either part of the arm. The more stability and support the joints have, the better.
Is This Exercise Less Effective Than Regular Shoulder Presses?
Most trainers will suggest the traditional shoulder press because it has a greater range of motion. However, if you have an injury or are working through a plateau, then the seated rack barbell press makes for a great alternative that can still provide benefits for you.
What Weights Should I Use for This Movement?
That depends on your goal. If you want to build muscle, then you should use a weight that will allow you to train within a rep range of six to 12 or even 15 reps. If you want to use it for power, use a weight that allows you to perform anywhere from two to five reps.