Assistance exercises for the overhead press

You can do the overhead press itself to gain size and strength in your shoulders and arms, but to gain strength in the lift more quickly, it's recommended to add assistance exercises for the lift. Adding assistance exercises to your regular overhead pressing can help build up the smaller muscles that are holding you back, and making your strength more well rounded.

Assistance Exercises For The Overhead Press

Bench Press

You can do benches in any way you want, whether full ROM, on the incline or in some kind of partial movement. Pressing standing up all the time can wear your back down, causing your pressing to suffer. Instead, do your pressing on the bench for an assistance exercise. It's great for tricel and chest strength.

Side/ab exercises

Strong sides and core muscles are needed to press big weights standing up. Side bends, and ab exercises will improve your ability to support big weights.

Push press

The push press is done like a standing overhead press, but using your legs to lift the weight up. With a short dip, drive the bar up and lock it out with your triceps. You usually want to use more weight on these than in your regular press.

Seated dumbbell press

To more fully develop your pressing muscles, do seated db presses for higher reps. It's good to use different set and rep schemes, so doing these in contrast to the other lifts that are done for lower reps and heavier weight will fill out your pressing routine.

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