Arching off the pad
Keep your ribs down and your back on the pad so the shoulders do the pressing.
Vertical push · Plate-loaded machine
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press
A plate-loaded seated overhead press with handles that travel up a fixed, slightly converging path. It builds the front delts and triceps with less balance and lower back demand than a standing press. Good for any level.
- Primary
- Front Delts
- Secondary
- Triceps, Side Delts
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1.5 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The front delts raise the arms overhead and the triceps straighten the elbows. The side delts assist, more so when the elbows stay out to the sides rather than in front.
How to set up
- Set the seat so the handles start around shoulder height or slightly below.
- Sit with your back flat against the pad and feet planted.
- Grip the handles with wrists stacked over the elbows.
- Brace your abs and keep your ribs down.
How to do each rep
- Press the handles up until your arms are nearly straight overhead.
- Lower under control until the handles are back around shoulder level.
- Keep your back and head against the pad throughout.
- Avoid bouncing at the bottom; reverse smoothly.
Common hammer strength shoulder press mistakes
Seat too high
Lower the seat until the handles start at about shoulder height for a full range.
Half reps at the top
Press to near lockout and lower all the way to shoulder level each rep.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the hammer strength shoulder press at 8–12 reps with about 1.5 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Add reps until the top of your range, then add 5-10 lb per side. Shoulders progress slowly, so expect smaller and less frequent load jumps than on chest pressing.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Hammer Strength Shoulder Press alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Is the machine shoulder press as good as dumbbells?
For building the delts it is just as effective, and easier to push near failure safely. Dumbbells demand more stability; using both is a good option.
Does the shoulder press machine work side delts?
Some, but the front delts do most of the work. Add lateral raises if you want wider shoulders.