Military Press with a Machine

Military press with a machine, unlike the conventional military press, is performed on a weight machine that allows you to work your shoulders through a greater range of motion. Since you perform the exercise on a fixed path, it requires less involvement from the shoulders to stabilize the joints. It is much simpler than the free-weight variations and is thus preferred by the beginners.

How to do a Military Press with Machine

Start the machine shoulder press by sitting down on the machine and then selecting the weight (about 25-80 lbs). Grasp the handles to the sides while keeping your elbows bent and aligned in a straight line with your upper body. Press the handles up by extending your arms fully and pause at the top of the motion for one or two seconds. Slowly bring the handles back to the initial position.

Tips

• Start with lighter weights to concentrate on proper form. Increase weight only when you have learned to control the motion.
• Keep your back straight and your traps under contraction while extending your arms.

Variation

It is identical to seated military press with the machine, but you do it by standing in front of a shoulder press machine and then lifting the handles by extending your arms.

Alternative Exercises

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press
• Barbell Shoulder Press
• Smith Machine Overhead Shoulder Press