Push Press

Muscles worked by the Push Press

Primary

Front DeltsAnterior DeltoidSide DeltsLateral Deltoid

Secondary

QuadsQuadriceps FemorisTricepsTriceps Brachii

Also called: front deltoid, anterior delt, front delt, anterior deltoid, side deltoid, lateral delt.

Equipment

Barbell

Also called: bar, olympic barbell, straight bar, olympic bar, power bar.

How to do the Push Press

1. Stand with a barbell racked on your front deltoids.
2. Dip slightly at the knees.
3. Drive up with your legs and press the bar overhead.
4. Lock out fully.
5. Lower to the start.
6. Repeat.

Form tips

• Use leg drive only to initiate — finish with the shoulders.
• Keep the core braced throughout.

At a glance

Push Press in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Arnold Press
• Barbell Overhead Press
• Behind the Neck Press
• Bodyweight Overhead Press
• Double Kettlebell Overhead Press
• Dumbbell Shoulder Press
• Machine Shoulder Press
• Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "push-press",
  "name_en": "Push Press",
  "name_de": "Push Press",
  "name_es": "Press de Empuje",
  "description_en": "A barbell overhead press using leg drive to press heavier loads overhead.",
  "description_de": "Ein Langhantel-Überkopfdrücken mit Beineinsatz, um schwerere Lasten zu bewegen.",
  "description_es": "Un press de barra sobre la cabeza que usa el impulso de las piernas para empujar cargas más pesadas.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "push",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "intermediate",
  "equipment": "barbell",
  "body_part": "shoulders",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "anterior_deltoid",
    "lateral_deltoid"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "quadriceps",
    "triceps_brachii"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "strength",
    "power"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "push_day",
    "knee_safe"
  ],
  "variation_group": "overhead-press",
  "is_unilateral": false,
  "is_bodyweight": false,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Stand with a barbell racked on your front deltoids.",
    "Dip slightly at the knees.",
    "Drive up with your legs and press the bar overhead.",
    "Lock out fully.",
    "Lower to the start.",
    "Repeat."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Stehe mit der Langhantel auf den vorderen Schultern.",
    "Beuge die Knie leicht.",
    "Drücke mit den Beinen hoch und stoße die Stange über den Kopf.",
    "Strecke vollständig durch.",
    "Senke zur Ausgangsposition.",
    "Wiederhole."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Párate con la barra apoyada en los deltoides frontales.",
    "Flexiona ligeramente las rodillas.",
    "Impulsa con las piernas y empuja la barra sobre la cabeza.",
    "Bloquea completamente.",
    "Baja al inicio.",
    "Repite."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Use leg drive only to initiate — finish with the shoulders.",
    "Keep the core braced throughout."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Nutze den Beineinsatz nur zum Einleiten – die Schultern beenden die Bewegung.",
    "Halte den Rumpf die ganze Zeit angespannt."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Usa el impulso de las piernas solo para iniciar — termina con los hombros.",
    "Mantén el core apretado en todo momento."
  ],
  "met": 6.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/push-press-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/push-press-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "push-press");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.