{"id":23271,"date":"2021-06-03T14:42:19","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T14:42:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=23271"},"modified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T08:35:01","slug":"what-does-overhead-press-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Overhead Press Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#What_Muscles_Does_The_Overhead_Press_Work\" >What Muscles Does The Overhead Press Work?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#The_Trapezius\" >The Trapezius<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Improving_Flexibility\" >Improving Flexibility<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Increased_Stability_of_Your_Shoulder_Blades\" >Increased Stability of Your Shoulder Blades<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Improved_Active_Movements\" >Improved Active Movements<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#The_Triceps\" >The Triceps<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Toning_Your_Triceps\" >Toning Your Triceps<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Improved_Extension_Of_The_Elbow_Joint\" >Improved Extension Of The Elbow Joint<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Increased_Muscle_Endurance\" >Increased Muscle Endurance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#Increased_Upper-Body_Strength\" >Increased Upper-Body Strength<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#The_Core_Muscles\" >The Core Muscles<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#To_Improve_Your_Posture\" >To Improve Your Posture<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#To_Improve_Your_Stability\" >To Improve Your Stability<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#To_Prevent_Falls_and_Injuries\" >To Prevent Falls and Injuries<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#The_Pectoral_Or_Chest_Muscles\" >The Pectoral Or Chest Muscles<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#It_Tones_Your_Chest_Area\" >It Tones Your Chest Area<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#It_Improves_Your_Posture\" >It Improves Your Posture<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#It_Increases_Your_Chest_Size_And_Mass\" >It Increases Your Chest Size And Mass<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#DISCLAIMER\" >DISCLAIMER:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#SOURCES\" >SOURCES:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistance training exercises have become pretty common over the years. These exercises have been deemed effective at burning calories and increasing muscular size and strength (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/fitness-exercise\/features\/strength-training-tips-pro#1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). In light of this, most individuals have incorporated <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/pilates-exercises-for-beginners\/\">resistance training exercises<\/a> such as the overhead press to help increase muscular strength. But what does overhead press work, and what are its benefits? Read on as we unveil the answers to this question.<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Gif_Blue-1.gif\" alt=\"BetterMe\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does overhead press work? Today we will discuss all the muscles targeted by this <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/pilates-for-back-pain\/\">exercise<\/a>. We will be highlighting how these muscles are targeted and how one can use the correct form to reap various benefits. Check it out!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Muscles_Does_The_Overhead_Press_Work\"><\/span><b>What Muscles Does The Overhead Press Work?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will get varying answers to this question from different people, depending on how they believe this exercise works. Some will mention the arms, while others may limit their response to the shoulder muscles. There is no wrong answer when comparing the two. However, the fact remains that this exercise works out more than just your arm and shoulder muscles. Below are the muscles targeted by this exercise:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Trapezius\"><\/span><b>The Trapezius<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are one of the upper back muscles. They run from your occipital bone located in your skull to the thoracic spine in the back. These muscles also extend to the width of your shoulders (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The trapezius muscles separate into three categories: the superior, inferior, and middle. According to Medical News Today, each of these plays a crucial yet different role in the movement of your neck and shoulders (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you are doing the overhead dumbbell press or overhead barbell press, you get to engage your trapezius muscles actively. They elongate when you raise these weights overhead, targeting any fat located in your upper back area. Performing this exercise repeatedly can benefit your trapezius muscle in the following ways:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improving_Flexibility\"><\/span><b>Improving Flexibility<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do not thoroughly <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/workouts-that-burn-1000-calories\/\">exercise these muscles<\/a>, they tend to become stiff or tight. Like with tightness or stiffness in any other area, this results in pain. Pain in the trapezius caused by muscle tightness can be excruciating and also accompanied by other symptoms such as (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Muscle spasms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Numbness in one or your two arms<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Neck or shoulder pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decreased movement in your neck or shoulders.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you perform a standing overhead press, you get rid of muscle tightness in this region. It helps improve the flexibility in this region and increases the range of motion of your shoulders and neck. <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30746 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-13-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"overhead press\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-13.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-13-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-13.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-13-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/3-13.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Increased_Stability_of_Your_Shoulder_Blades\"><\/span><b>Increased Stability of Your Shoulder Blades<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As mentioned earlier, the trapezius <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/how-many-exercises-per-workout\/\">muscles<\/a> are in one way or other connected to your shoulder blades. The upper or superior category of the trapezius muscles helps with elevating your shoulder blades and rotating and tilting your neck (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The middle category helps bring your shoulder blades back and provide shoulder stabilization during various arm movements (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The lower trapezius group helps with getting your shoulder blades down (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As seen, all these trapezius muscles help in one way or the other when it comes to the movement of your shoulder blades. If they are not adequately exercised, they may become stiff and hinder movement and proper stabilization.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improved_Active_Movements\"><\/span><b>Improved Active Movements<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing the overhead press exercise also helps your trapezius muscles improve their ability to perform various active movements. These include performing internal arm rotations, bending and turning your head, and elevating and depressing your shoulders (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK518994\/#:~:text=The%20trapezius%20muscle%20is%20mainly,depresses%2C%20and%20retracts%20the%20scapula.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Whether you\u2019re looking to simply pep up your fitness routine, jazz up your diet with mouth-watering low-calorie recipes or want to get your act together and significantly drop that number on your scale \u2013 BetterMe app has got you covered! <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\">Improve your body<\/a> and revamp your life with us!<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30753 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/6-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"overhead press\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/6-4.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/6-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/6-4.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/6-4-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/6-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Triceps\"><\/span><b>The Triceps<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of what equipment you use to perform the overhead press, the fact is that it targets your tricep <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/3-day-full-body-workout\/\">muscles<\/a>. The triceps refer to the large and thick muscles located on the dorsal part of your upper arm (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). These muscles often appear in the shape of a horseshoe on the posterior aspect of your arm (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the name may suggest (tri=three), these muscles consist of three heads: a long head, a lateral head, and a media head (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). All these heads combine to form one tendon distally, which attaches to the ulna&#8217;s upper part (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tricep muscles are actively engaged in the overhead press when raising and lowering the barbell and arm. However, you must be very careful during the lift to avoid overstretching your arm. This does not do you any good, even if you believe it increases the intensity of your workout.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, experts claim that overstretching your hand can rupture your tricep muscles and result in an injury (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). That said, if done correctly, this exercise can help in:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Toning_Your_Triceps\"><\/span><b>Toning Your Triceps<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The overhead press ranks among the best arm exercises as it helps increase the size of your triceps. Most individuals, especially men, forget to train their triceps in a rush to exercise their biceps. They forget that they must work out their triceps as much as their triceps if they want well-toned arms. Keep doing this exercise, and in the correct form, if you wish to tone and increase <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/muscular-strength-exercises\/\">muscle mass<\/a> and strength in your triceps.<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-31260 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3-9-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"overhead press\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3-9.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3-9-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3-9.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3-9-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/3-9.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improved_Extension_Of_The_Elbow_Joint\"><\/span><b>Improved Extension Of The Elbow Joint<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The primary function of the triceps is to help with the extension of your elbow joint (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Giving these muscles a well-deserved workout by using this exercise helps them improve their ability to extend your elbow joints.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Increased_Muscle_Endurance\"><\/span><b>Increased Muscle Endurance<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can all agree that <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-muscle-groups-to-work-out-together\/\">training with weights<\/a> is challenging. The first minute into any weight lifting exercise will have you rethinking all your life decisions. It pretty much happens to anyone because such exercise routines are overwhelming and may take a toll on you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite that, the advantage of such exercises is that they can help to increase muscular endurance, especially if you do not quit or give up. If you repeatedly perform the overhead press, you will end up increasing the endurance of your triceps muscles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/workouts-for-ectomorphs\/\">muscular endurance, strength, and mass<\/a> occurs with time and an increased intensity (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicinenet.com\/weight_lifting\/article.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This means that you have to increase your reps to train your triceps and help improve their endurance constantly. Keep in mind that you cannot decide to increase your reps overnight. You always have to discuss such matters with your trainer before putting them into play.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Increased_Upper-Body_Strength\"><\/span><b>Increased Upper-Body Strength<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The overhead press does not only help tone your triceps but also your entire body. Arm toning is crucial as it helps increase your upper body strength. Having upper body strength is essential as it allows us to perform various activities like lifting at a quick pace (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicinenet.com\/script\/main\/art.asp?articlekey=56819\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Read More:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/military-press-vs-overhead-press\/\">Military Press Vs. Overhead Press: Techniques, Common Mistakes, And Potential Benefits<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-31303 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-14-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"overhead press\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-14.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-14-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-14.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-14-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/5-14.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Core_Muscles\"><\/span><b>The Core Muscles<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When doing the standing overhead barbell or dumbbell press, you will need to stand upright. Performing this exercise in a vertical stance helps engage your core muscles. There are several core muscles in your body&#8217;s trunk, and each serves a different function, as shown below (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/best-core-exercises\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Transversus Abdominis.\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These muscles help in stabilizing your pelvis during movement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Rectus Abdominis.\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These muscles are what is commonly known as the six-pack. They help you bend forward effortlessly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Lumbar Multifidus.\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These refer to some back muscles that help support your spine when making any movement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Internal and External Obliques.\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are the muscles at the side of your core. They help your trunk to rotate or bend sideways.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Erector Spinae.\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These refer to a group of muscles and tendons that work together to straighten your trunk whenever you bend. They also support your body when lifting, for example, the barbell or dumbbells to perform the overhead press.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts have for the longest time deemed it essential to train and strengthen your core for various reasons. Some of these include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_Improve_Your_Posture\"><\/span><b>To Improve Your Posture<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The overhead press exercise focuses on postural alignment. You have to maintain the correct posture for this exercise to bear fruits. The proper posture needed to perform a standing overhead press will have you standing upright without arching your back. The stance allows you to highly engage and strengthen your core muscles. Strong core muscles will eventually help improve your posture (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/best-core-exercises\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-31452 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4265-1024x576.png\" alt=\"overhead press\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4265.png 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4265-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4265.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4265-1636x920.png 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Frame-4265.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_Improve_Your_Stability\"><\/span><b>To Improve Your Stability<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The overhead press also helps improve the stability of your trunk. Experts acknowledge that a stable trunk is crucial because it does more than help you maintain an upright body posture. According to them, it also improves your body balance and postural control during movements like landing (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6110226\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). A strong core also contributes to the stability of your spine, minimizing any injuries and risks to your spine arising from poor posture (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6110226\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_Prevent_Falls_and_Injuries\"><\/span><b>To Prevent Falls and Injuries<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A strong core can also decrease your risk of falls and injuries (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/best-core-exercises\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). This is because of the improved stability you obtain from exercising various core muscles such as the transversus abdominis.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you struggle to even flirt with the idea of giving up your favorite foods or working out till your legs give way \u2013 BetterMe app is here to breathe a fresh perspective into the way you view the weight loss process! Check out the app and <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\">experience the fun side of fitness and dieting<\/a> with BetterMe!<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&#038;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-32552 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-4-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"overhead press\" width=\"770\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-4.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-4-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-4.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-4-1636x920.jpg 1636w, https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-4.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Pectoral_Or_Chest_Muscles\"><\/span><b>The Pectoral Or Chest Muscles<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Performing the overhead press workout with or without a barbell or dumbbells also works your pectoral or chest muscles. That said, for many the problem is that they end up with musculoskeletal chest pain instead of exercised chest muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to Medical News Today, such pain results from intercostal muscle strains (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324534\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). The intercostal muscles are the muscle groups sitting between your ribs (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324534\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). They have three layers: external, internal, and innermost intercostal muscles. All these work together to help with breathing and stabilize the rib cage (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324534\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Experts consider it essential to work the overhead press muscles, primarily the chest muscles, because of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_Tones_Your_Chest_Area\"><\/span><b>It Tones Your Chest Area<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Almost every other man in the gym wants to get a big and muscular chest. Doing an overhead press or shoulder press can help you attain this goal. These <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/best-leg-exercises\/\">exercises<\/a> target your pectorals and help burn more calories as well as tone it.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_Improves_Your_Posture\"><\/span><b>It Improves Your Posture<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working your chest muscles and back muscles at the same time helps increase your upper body strength. With this strength, you can keep and maintain a good posture.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_Increases_Your_Chest_Size_And_Mass\"><\/span><b>It Increases Your Chest Size And Mass<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts reveal that working out with the overhead press exercise significantly increases the size and mass of your chest muscles (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3831787\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). Doing this exercise consistently increases your skeletal chest muscle size and strength regardless of age (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3831787\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does overhead press work? This exercise targets your trapezius (upper back), triceps, pectoral (chest), and core muscles. If you follow the correct steps in doing an overhead press, you will benefit from exercising all these muscles. As always, remember to consult your fitness program before making changes to your exercise regime.<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DISCLAIMER\"><\/span><b>DISCLAIMER:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SOURCES\"><\/span><b>SOURCES:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK518994\/#:~:text=The%20trapezius%20muscle%20is%20mainly,depresses%2C%20and%20retracts%20the%20scapula.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anatomy, Back, Trapezius<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK536996\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anatomy, Shoulder and Upper Limb, Triceps Muscle<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2021, ncbi,nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6110226\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effects of core strength training on core stability<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2018, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324534\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pulled muscle in chest: Symptoms and treatment<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/fitness-exercise\/features\/strength-training-tips-pro#1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strength Training Tips From the Pros<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2016, webmd.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/best-core-exercises\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 8 best core exercises for gym and home training, from beginner to advanced<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2021, medicalnewstoday.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicinenet.com\/script\/main\/art.asp?articlekey=56819\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Best Arm Exercises<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2008, medicinenet.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3831787\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Time course for arm and chest muscle thickness changes following bench press training<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2012, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicinenet.com\/weight_lifting\/article.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weight Lifting (Resistance Exercise)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (2019, medicinenet.com)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.medicalnewstoday.com\/articles\/324251#seeing-a-doctor\">What is the trapezius muscle?<\/a> (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Resistance training exercises have become pretty common over the years. These exercises have been deemed effective at burning calories and increasing muscular size and strength (5). In light of this, most individuals have incorporated resistance training exercises such as the overhead press to help increase muscular strength. But what does overhead press work, and what [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":23276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"coauthors":[114],"class_list":["post-23271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-betterme-fitness"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Does Overhead Press Work? - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u2605 WHAT DOES OVERHEAD PRESS WORK? \u27a4 Read on to discover all the muscles you work when you perform a standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Does Overhead Press Work?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u2605 WHAT DOES OVERHEAD PRESS WORK? \u27a4 Read on to discover all the muscles you work when you perform a standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"R. Mogeni\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"R. Mogeni\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"R. Mogeni\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/91f286ed3261921b5c5dc4c64dca7ee0\"},\"headline\":\"What Does Overhead Press Work?\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\"},\"wordCount\":2009,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Fitness\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Resistance training exercises have become pretty common over the years. These exercises have been deemed effective at burning calories and increasing muscular size and strength (<\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/fitness-exercise\/features\/strength-training-tips-pro#1\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">). In light of this, most individuals have incorporated <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/pilates-exercises-for-beginners\/\\\">resistance training exercises<\/a> such as the overhead press to help increase muscular strength. But what does overhead press work, and what are its benefits? Read on as we unveil the answers to this question.<a href=\\\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\\\"><img class=\\\"aligncenter\\\" src=\\\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Gif_Blue-1.gif\\\" alt=\\\"BetterMe\\\" width=\\\"1080\\\" height=\\\"1080\\\" \/><\/a><\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n&nbsp;\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">What does overhead press work? Today we will discuss all the muscles targeted by this <a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/pilates-for-back-pain\/\\\">exercise<\/a>. We will be highlighting how these muscles are targeted and how one can use the correct form to reap various benefits. Check it out!<\/span>\\r\\n<h2 style=\\\"text-align: center;\\\"><b>What Muscles Does The Overhead Press Work?<\/b><\/h2>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">You will get varying answers to this question from different people, depending on how they believe this exercise works. Some will mention the arms, while others may limit their response to the shoulder muscles. There is no wrong answer when comparing the two. However, the fact remains that this exercise works out more than just your arm and shoulder muscles. Below are the muscles targeted by this exercise:<\/span>\\r\\n<h3><b>The Trapezius<\/b><\/h3>\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Th ...\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\",\"name\":\"What Does Overhead Press Work? - BetterMe\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"\u2605 WHAT DOES OVERHEAD PRESS WORK? \u27a4 Read on to discover all the muscles you work when you perform a standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":667,\"caption\":\"Shutterstock\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Fitness\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/betterme-fitness\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"What Does Overhead Press Work?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/\",\"name\":\"BetterMe Blog\",\"description\":\"Health &amp; Fitness\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BetterMe\",\"alternateName\":\"Betterme Limited\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"BetterMe\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/betterme\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterme\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterme-apps\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bettermetips\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC0svgcjc3jSgcryqo83spPQ\",\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@betterme.health.coaching\",\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/betterme-health-coaching\/id1264546236\",\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.gen.workoutme&amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;amp;amp;gl=US\",\"https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q114895798\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/91f286ed3261921b5c5dc4c64dca7ee0\",\"name\":\"R. Mogeni\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/5eb07007d9859baca0c49456ca184ac8\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rodah_mogeni-150x150.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/rodah_mogeni-150x150.png\",\"caption\":\"R. Mogeni\"},\"description\":\"Rodah is a competent and skilful writer with a deep interest in nutrition and healthy living. Her speciality is writing articles that fall under the fitness and weight loss category. Her unparalleled style of writing and ability to explain difficult concepts in simple terms has made her garner much acclaim. Her top priority is creating informative pieces that advocate for or propel individuals towards healthier lifestyles. She believes that health is wealth, which is why she chose fitness and nutrition as her area of expertise. She believes adopting such a lifestyle is easy, as long as you are consistent, hopeful, and disciplined.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/author\/rodahmogeni\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Does Overhead Press Work? - BetterMe","description":"\u2605 WHAT DOES OVERHEAD PRESS WORK? \u27a4 Read on to discover all the muscles you work when you perform a standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Does Overhead Press Work?","og_description":"\u2605 WHAT DOES OVERHEAD PRESS WORK? \u27a4 Read on to discover all the muscles you work when you perform a standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press.","og_url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/","og_site_name":"BetterMe Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","article_modified_time":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"R. Mogeni","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@betterme","twitter_site":"@betterme","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"R. Mogeni","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/"},"author":{"name":"R. Mogeni","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/91f286ed3261921b5c5dc4c64dca7ee0"},"headline":"What Does Overhead Press Work?","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/"},"wordCount":2009,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg","articleSection":["Fitness"],"inLanguage":"en-US","articleBody":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistance training exercises have become pretty common over the years. These exercises have been deemed effective at burning calories and increasing muscular size and strength (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.webmd.com\/fitness-exercise\/features\/strength-training-tips-pro#1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). In light of this, most individuals have incorporated <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/pilates-exercises-for-beginners\/\">resistance training exercises<\/a> such as the overhead press to help increase muscular strength. But what does overhead press work, and what are its benefits? Read on as we unveil the answers to this question.<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated-gender?flow=2361&utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=What_Does_Overhead_Press_Work\"><img class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Gif_Blue-1.gif\" alt=\"BetterMe\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/a><\/span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does overhead press work? Today we will discuss all the muscles targeted by this <a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/pilates-for-back-pain\/\">exercise<\/a>. We will be highlighting how these muscles are targeted and how one can use the correct form to reap various benefits. Check it out!<\/span>\r\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>What Muscles Does The Overhead Press Work?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will get varying answers to this question from different people, depending on how they believe this exercise works. Some will mention the arms, while others may limit their response to the shoulder muscles. There is no wrong answer when comparing the two. However, the fact remains that this exercise works out more than just your arm and shoulder muscles. Below are the muscles targeted by this exercise:<\/span>\r\n<h3><b>The Trapezius<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Th ..."},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/","name":"What Does Overhead Press Work? - BetterMe","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg","dateModified":"2024-12-16T08:35:01+00:00","description":"\u2605 WHAT DOES OVERHEAD PRESS WORK? \u27a4 Read on to discover all the muscles you work when you perform a standing barbell or dumbbell overhead press.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/shutterstock_1281424795.jpg","width":1000,"height":667,"caption":"Shutterstock"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/what-does-overhead-press-work\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Fitness","item":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/betterme-fitness\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"What Does Overhead Press Work?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#website","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/","name":"BetterMe Blog","description":"Health &amp; Fitness","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#organization","name":"BetterMe","alternateName":"Betterme Limited","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/BetterMe.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"BetterMe"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching","https:\/\/x.com\/betterme","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/betterme\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/betterme-apps","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/bettermetips\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC0svgcjc3jSgcryqo83spPQ","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@betterme.health.coaching","https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/app\/betterme-health-coaching\/id1264546236","https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.gen.workoutme&amp;amp;amp;amp;hl=en_US&amp;amp;amp;amp;gl=US","https:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/wiki\/Q114895798"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/91f286ed3261921b5c5dc4c64dca7ee0","name":"R. 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She believes adopting such a lifestyle is easy, as long as you are consistent, hopeful, and disciplined.","url":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/author\/rodahmogeni\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23271"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=23271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}