Best Vertical Pushing/Pressing Exercises for Shoulders

Vertical push exercises or presses are categorized as exercises in which you push something away from your body against resistance in a vertical line. These exercises are great for your shoulder muscles, including front and middle deltoids, triceps, and rotator cuff, and significantly improve your fitness.

Six best shoulder push/press exercises

Here is a list of some excellent pushing and pressing shoulder exercises to build your shoulder muscles.

1. Overhead press

The overhead press, also known as military or shoulder press, is one of the most popular exercises for shoulders. However, it is a compound exercise because it is done in a standing position, targeting the back and core.

How to perform:

• Stand in front of the barbell rack facing and adjust it to the height of your chest.
• Remove the barbell from the rack and move away from the rack holding it in front of your chest.
• Keep your hands apart at shoulder width with palms facing forwards.
• Move the barbell up, stretch your arms and then go back to the starting position.

2. Behind the neck press

This exercise is similar to overhead press, with the bar held behind you instead of the front. It targets the medial deltoid of the shoulder, the most prominent muscle. You can also read more about Weight Lose.

How to perform:

• Keep the barbell at chest height and add desired weights to it.
• Duck under the bar and stand facing opposite it with the bar resting on your shoulders.
• Hold the bar with your hands facing forwards and shoulder-width apart.
• Grab the bar and press it upwards, extending your arms.
• Now lower the bar slowly until you get to the back of your neck and repeat.

3. Dumbbell press

Dumbbell press, unlike the overhead press, can be done seated or standing with dumbbells in each hand. The target muscles are front deltoids, and it also works the muscle stabilizers to keep the movement of the dumbbells balanced.

How to perform:

• Raise your arms holding dumbbells in each hand, keeping your shoulders tight.
• Keep your elbows bent on the sides at an angle of 90 degrees.
• Push the dumbbells up together in a single motion and stretch your forearms.
• Slowly go back down to the starting position with bent elbows and keep your hands facing forwards the whole time.

4. Arnold press

Arnold press is a great shoulder workout for the deltoids and is named after Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is similar to a dumbbell press with a dynamic hand movement, making it more effective. You can also do this workout sitting or standing, with both hands or each hand separately.

How to perform:

• Holding a dumbbells bend your elbows in front of you.
• Your palms should be facing your chest, elbows bent at 90 degrees.
• Now raise the dumbbells by straightening your arms and twisting your hands simultaneously.
• The hand motion should be outwards such that when your arms are fully stretched, your palms are facing away from your body.
• Repeat the same corkscrew motion and get your hands back down at the level of your chins with palms facing your body.

5. Landmine press

Landmine press exercise needs a landmine setup in which a barbell is attached to a support on the ground. This exercise targets the front deltoid and creates an arc for shoulder movement.

How to perform:

• Position your body perpendicular to the landmine setup by hinging at your hips.
• Hold the barbell with desired weight plates close to your shoulder with your elbow bent.
• With your palm facing the centre, push the barbell slowly to stretch your upper arm.
• Lower the barbell back to the starting position.

6. Pike pushups

Pike pushups are a variation of regular pushups, targeting shoulders instead of the chest. They are done by angling your body to the ground in V-shape, and you can make them more challenging by using elevated support instead of the ground. Read more about the Health Benefits of Cinnamon.

How to perform:

• Put your palms on the ground at shoulder width.
• Stand on the front of your feet with your heels pointed up in the air.
• Lift your hips, pointing them in the air, making a V-shape of your body.
• Now bend your elbows to the side, making an angle of 90 degrees and move your head to the ground.
• Slowly lift your body by extending your arms to return to the starting position.

In conclusion

Vertical pressing and pushing workouts are great for building shoulder deltoids, and you can do them with weighted bars or dumbbells as resistance. This article will give you some of the options of vertical press workouts. However, it is essential that you start from smaller weights and then gradually increase the resistance for safety.