Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
Also known as: standing barbell wide military press
Skip the guesswork: Barbell Standing Wide Military Press leans on heavy bilateral barbell loading for round, durable shoulder caps.
How to do Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Lower the barbell back to shoulder height and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Common Barbell Standing Wide Military Press Mistakes
Loading the bar unevenly or skipping the collars
Match the plates side to side and clip collars on every set.
Shrugging the traps up to finish the last few reps
Keep the shoulder blade down and end the set when the shrug appears.
Adding weight faster than technique can absorb it
Hold a weight until every rep looks identical, then move up.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Standing Wide Military Press
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Barbell Standing Wide Military Press — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly in front of the bar. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press work?
The Barbell Standing Wide Military Press primarily targets the delts. It is classified as a shoulders exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic shoulders patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press?
Try the Cable Upright Row, Dumbbell Seated Alternate Front Raise or the Smith Rear Delt Row. Each trains the delts with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Barbell Standing Wide Military Press the same as the standing barbell wide military press?
Yes. The Barbell Standing Wide Military Press is also commonly called the standing barbell wide military press. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "standing barbell wide military press" refer to this same movement.
