Shoulders
Machine Shoulder Press
The Machine Shoulder Press 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%.
Also known as: schouderpers machine
How to do it
- Set the seat so the handles start at about shoulder height and select the weight.
- Sit tall with your back and head against the pad.
- Take the wide handles with the palms facing forward.
- Press up until the arms are nearly straight.
- Lower under control until the hands are back at shoulder height.
Tips
- Breathe out on the way up and in on the way down.
- Push evenly through both hands so the handles rise level.
Common mistakes
- Using a seat height that starts the handles far above the shoulders, cutting the range.
- Arching the back away from the pad.
- Bouncing the stack at the bottom.
Muscles worked by the Machine Shoulder Press
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 Shoulder Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Machine Shoulder Press work?
Mainly the front delts. The side delts, triceps (lateral head), triceps (long head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Machine Shoulder Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Machine 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 Machine Shoulder Press?
For example the Machine Overhead Press Seated, Machine Shoulder Press (Neutral Grip) and Hammer Strength Shoulder Press. They train mostly the same muscles.
How do you make the Machine Shoulder Press 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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