Muscles worked
What the machine shoulder press trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set the seat height. Sit down and adjust the seat so the handles line up with the top of your shoulders, or just above. Seat too high and the handles start below your shoulders, so the bottom of each rep sinks deeper than it should; seat too low and the handles start well above them, which cuts the rep short.
- 02
Sit back on the pad. Press your hips and upper back into the pads. A small natural arch in your lower back is fine, but your back stays on the pad for the whole set.
- 03
Plant your feet. Feet flat on the floor or the foot rests, about hip width, so you are stable without pushing yourself up off the seat.
- 04
Choose your grip. Use the neutral handles (palms facing in) if your shoulders are sensitive, or the overhand handles for a more traditional press. Grip the handles firmly with your wrists stacked over your forearms.
- 05
Pick the weight. Set the pin to a load you could press for two or three more reps than you plan to do. Machines differ, so a number that works on one brand will not match another.
Step by step
How to do the machine shoulder press
- 01
Brace. Take a breath, tighten your stomach and keep your ribs down, so your lower back does not peel off the pad as you press.
- 02
Press up. Push the handles up in the machine's path until your arms are straight, without slamming your elbows into lockout or shrugging your shoulders up to your ears.
- 03
Pause at the top. Hold for a moment with your arms straight and your back still on the pad.
- 04
Lower under control. Bring the handles back down over about two seconds until your hands are just above your shoulders, without letting the weight stack touch down between reps.
- 05
Repeat and finish. Press the next rep from that same bottom position. After the last rep, lower the handles all the way and set the stack down gently before you let go.
Cues to say in your head
- Back on the pad
- Ribs down
- Press to straight arms
- Slow on the way down
- Don't let the stack rest
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Arching off the back pad
Brace your stomach and keep your ribs down. If you can only finish a rep by leaning back, the weight is too heavy.
Seat set too low or too high
Reset the seat so the handles line up with the top of your shoulders, or just above. Check it every session, since other people move it.
Cutting the range short
Lower until your hands are just above your shoulders and press to straight arms. Half reps let you load more but train less of the range.
Shrugging the shoulders up to the ears
Keep your neck long and let your shoulder blades move naturally. Press the handles up, not your shoulders.
Bouncing off the stack
Stop just before the plates touch and press from there. Resting the stack between reps takes the tension off.
Bent-back wrists
Hold the handles low in your palm so your wrists stay straight over your forearms.
Stay safe
The machine is one of the safer ways to press overhead to failure: if you get stuck, lower the handles under control back to the start and set the stack down. On a Smith machine, set the safety stops just below your lowest point and twist the bar back onto the hooks if a rep stalls. Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain in the front or top of the shoulder, or numbness or tingling down the arm, and get it checked before you keep pressing overhead.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 4 to 6 | 80–88% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 65–77% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 | 15 to 20 | 50–60% 1RM | 45 to 90 sec |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
140–166lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 2 min rest. The range most people should use. Take the last set close to failure.
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Machine Shoulder Press questions
What muscles does the shoulder press machine work?
Mainly the front delts and triceps. The side delts, upper chest, upper traps and serratus help, and the back pad means your core and legs do much less than in a standing press.
How high should the seat be on a shoulder press machine?
Set it so the handles start level with the top of your shoulders, or just above. If you have to reach down to grab them or the first inch of the rep is missing, adjust the seat.
Is the shoulder press machine as good as free weights?
For building the shoulders, a machine works well when you take sets close to failure and add load over time. Free weights also train balance and stabilizing, so many programs use both.
Is the Smith machine shoulder press good?
Yes, it is a solid way to press a bar overhead with the rails taking care of balance. Sit on an upright bench so the bar comes down in front of your face to about chin height, and set the safety stops before you start.
What is an iso-lateral shoulder press?
It is a plate-loaded shoulder press machine whose two arms move on their own. You can press with both arms at once or one at a time, which helps when one side is stronger than the other.
Train in Protocol
Log your machine shoulder press by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.