Shoulders · Barbell

Press Under

A compound movement that trains your shoulders, done with a barbell. Your quadriceps, glutes and triceps help out.

EquipmentBarbell
TypeCompound
Push or pullPush
LevelExpert

Muscles you'll work

Press Under muscles worked, front viewPress Under muscles worked, back view
ShouldersPrimaryQuadriceps · Glutes · Triceps · Traps · Lower BackSecondary

How to do it

  1. Begin with a barbell racked across your shoulders, similar to a front squat position, with an Olympic clean grip (hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, elbows up). Your feet should be hip-width apart.
  2. Initiate a quick, controlled 'dip' by bending your knees slightly, keeping your torso upright and the bar stable.
  3. Immediately reverse the dip into a powerful 'drive', extending your hips and knees explosively to propel the barbell vertically upwards. Use the momentum from your legs and hips.
  4. As the bar travels upwards, simultaneously drop *under* the bar by splitting your feet. One foot moves forward and the other backward, landing in a wide, stable lunge-like stance. Simultaneously, forcefully extend your arms to lock out the barbell overhead, directly over your head, shoulders, and hips. Your torso should remain upright.
  5. Recover from the split by first moving your front foot halfway back, then bringing your back foot forward to meet it, standing upright with the barbell still locked out overhead.
  6. Control the weight down to the rack position or to the floor.

More shoulder exercises

Barbell Shoulder PressClean and JerkClean and PressFront Raise (Barbell)
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