Why is my overhead press so weak?

Your overhead press is probably not as weak as it feels. For most lifters it's about 60 to 65 percent of their bench press, and it's usually the slowest lift to progress. A 225 lb (100 kg) bencher pressing 135 to 145 lb (61 to 66 kg) overhead is right on track.

Why it's harder than it looks

The press uses your shoulders, upper chest, triceps and upper back, plus your core and glutes to keep you stable. You're pressing from a standing position without leg help, and the muscles involved are smaller than the ones in a bench or squat. It also rises in tiny steps, because adding 5 lb to a 95 lb bar is a big relative jump.

What usually holds it back

• Pressing only once a week
• Jumping in weight too fast. Try fractional plates, or add one rep at a time.
• Leaning back and turning it into a bad incline press
• A loose core and soft glutes, so the bar drifts forward
• Not enough shoulder and upper back volume overall

How to fix it

1. Press twice a week: one heavy day with sets of 4 to 6, one lighter day with sets of 8 to 10.
2. Squeeze your glutes and brace your abs before every rep.
3. Start with the bar at your collarbone and move your head back so the bar goes straight up, then push your head through once the bar passes your forehead.
4. Add small weights, even 1 to 2 lb a session.
5. Do accessory work: lateral raises, dips or close grip bench, and rows.

Try a variation

Seated dumbbell press or a landmine press can feel better if your shoulders are cranky, and they build the same muscles.

Push-ups use many of the same muscles, so a 60-second push-up race in League of Fitness, with the phone camera counting your reps, is another way to train pressing endurance between lifting days.

If you feel pinching at the top of your shoulder or pain that lingers after pressing, stop pressing for a bit and see a doctor or physical therapist. Don't push through it.