Shoulders
Machine Overhead Press Seated
The Machine Overhead Press Seated is a strength exercise on a machine for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 35%, side delts 17% and triceps (lateral head) 11%.
How to do it
- Select the weight and set the seat so the handles line up with the top of your shoulders.
- Sit with your back flat against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
- Grab the handles with the palms facing forward and the elbows under the wrists.
- Press the handles up until the arms are nearly straight overhead.
- Lower them slowly back to shoulder height.
Tips
- Keep a small gap between the lower back and the pad, no more.
- Stop just short of locking the elbows to keep tension on the shoulders.
Common mistakes
- Letting the plates touch down between reps.
- Pushing the head forward off the pad.
- Raising the hips off the seat.
Muscles worked by the Machine Overhead Press Seated
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.
Seated removes most of the trunk demand. Fixed path, little stabilising. 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.
Machine Overhead Press Seated alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Machine Overhead Press Seated work?
Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Machine Overhead Press Seated good for beginners?
Yes. The Machine Overhead Press Seated is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Machine Overhead Press Seated?
For example the Machine Shoulder Press, Machine Shoulder Press (Neutral Grip) and Hammer Strength Shoulder Press. They train mostly the same muscles.
How do you make the Machine Overhead Press Seated harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Seated Barbell Overhead Press and Overhead Press.
Sources
- Saeterbakken and Fimland 2013, JSCR 27(7):1824-1831 (standing, seated, barbell, dumbbell)
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