Band Shoulder Press

How to do it

1. Stand on the middle of a long loop band with feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold the band with each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward, elbows under the wrists.
3. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
4. Press both hands straight up until the arms are straight overhead.
5. Lower slowly back to shoulder height against the pull of the band.

Tips

• Step the feet wider to add tension, narrower to reduce it.
• Control the lowering: the band wants to snap your hands down.

Common mistakes

• Leaning back as the band gets harder near the top.
• Letting the wrists bend backward.
• Rushing the way down.

Muscles worked by the Band Shoulder Press

• Front delts Primary32%
• Side delts Secondary16%
• Triceps (lateral head) Secondary10%
• Triceps (long head) Secondary8%
• Upper traps Minor7%
• Serratus anterior Minor6%
• Triceps (medial head) Secondary6%
• Upper chest Minor5%
• Spinal erectors (lower back) Stabilizer3%
• Rotator cuff Stabilizer3%
• Upper abs Stabilizer2%
• Rear delts Stabilizer2%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Pressing overhead is shoulder flexion and abduction with elbow extension: the front delt leads, the lateral delt and triceps assist, and the upper traps and serratus rotate the shoulder blade up.

Band Shoulder Press alternatives

Different equipment

• Overhead PressBarbell
• Arnold PressDumbbell
• Dumbbell Military PressDumbbell
• Dumbbell Shoulder PressDumbbell
• Kettlebell Double PressKettlebell

No equipment

• Handstand Push UpBodyweight

Make it harder

• Overhead PressBarbell
• Arnold PressDumbbell
• Dumbbell Military PressDumbbell
• Dumbbell Shoulder PressDumbbell

Similar exercises

• Barbell Z PressBarbell

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Band Shoulder Press work?

Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.

Is the Band Shoulder Press good for beginners?

Yes. The Band Shoulder Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Band Shoulder Press?

For example the Overhead Press, Arnold Press and Dumbbell Military Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Band Shoulder Press harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Overhead Press and Arnold Press.

Sources

• Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)

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