Neutral-Grip Machine Shoulder Press

Body region

• Shoulders
• Arms

Equipment

• Lever Machine

Technique

1. Adjust the seat so the handles start at about shoulder height.
2. Settle your back into the seat pad and plant both feet.
3. Grip the handles with wrists straight and elbows under the hands.
4. Press the handles up until your arms are almost straight.
5. Lower slowly until the handles are back at shoulder height.

Cues

• Keep your back and head against the pad.
• Press up, not forward.
• Stop just short of locking the elbows hard.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back off the pad to finish the rep.
• Setting the seat so low that the start position strains the shoulders.
• Letting the weight stack crash between reps.

Variations

• Single-Arm Machine Shoulder Press

Alternatives

• Overhead Press