How many reps of the reverse-grip barbell overhead press should you do when you are new to the exercise?

This grip needs less weight than your standard overhead press, so start there: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps at a weight noticeably lighter than you would otherwise use. Increase gradually, and stop the moment your wrists or forearms complain.

What can I use instead of a barbell for a reverse-grip press?

A pair of dumbbells pressed with palms facing you gives the same underhand, front-delt-biased path without a barbell. If the underhand grip bothers your wrists on anything, a standard overhead press is the more comfortable substitute.

What is the reverse-grip barbell overhead press good for, and when should you avoid it?

It shifts more load onto the front delt and upper chest and can feel friendlier on some shoulders than a standard grip. Avoid it if it aggravates your elbows or forearms, or if you need to move serious weight, since the grip caps how much you can safely load.

Intermediate

Reverse-Grip Barbell Overhead Press

Flipping to an underhand grip rotates the arms so the elbows stay in front of the body, shifting more of the load onto the anterior deltoid and upper chest while keeping the shoulders in a friendlier position. It is a useful variation for lifters chasing front-delt development or working around discomfort with a standard grip. Load it moderately, since the underhand grip and tighter elbow path limit how much you can move.

Equipment: Barbell
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Anterior
Browse by movement: Vertical Press

How to do it

1
Set a barbell in a rack at upper-chest height and take an underhand grip about shoulder width, palms facing you.
2
Unrack the bar to the front of your shoulders with the elbows pointing forward, then step back.
3
Stand tall, squeeze your glutes, and brace your abs.
4
Press the bar straight up, keeping the elbows tracking forward, until the arms lock out overhead.
5
Lower under control to the front of the shoulders and reset before the next rep.

Tips

Keep the elbows in front of the bar throughout; that forward path is what shifts work to the front delt.
Use a lighter load than your standard press since the underhand grip is less mechanically strong.
Keep the wrists as neutral as possible and stop if the grip aggravates the elbows or forearms.

Variations

Common mistakes

The elbows drop behind the bar path as fatigue sets in, undoing the forward-elbow position that makes this grip work.
Loading the same weight used on a standard overhead press outpaces what the underhand grip can safely handle, straining the wrists first.
The wrists bend backward under the bar instead of staying neutral, and the strain shows up in the forearms before the shoulders even feel worked.
Pressing through elbow or forearm pain instead of stopping treats a joint warning sign as something to push past.
The grip narrows past shoulder width to feel more comfortable, which changes the bar path and drifts the exercise away from the front-delt emphasis it is meant for.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the reverse-grip barbell overhead press should you do when you are new to the exercise?: This grip needs less weight than your standard overhead press, so start there: 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps at a weight noticeably lighter than you would otherwise use. Increase gradually, and stop the moment your wrists or forearms complain.
What can I use instead of a barbell for a reverse-grip press?: A pair of dumbbells pressed with palms facing you gives the same underhand, front-delt-biased path without a barbell. If the underhand grip bothers your wrists on anything, a standard overhead press is the more comfortable substitute.
What is the reverse-grip barbell overhead press good for, and when should you avoid it?: It shifts more load onto the front delt and upper chest and can feel friendlier on some shoulders than a standard grip. Avoid it if it aggravates your elbows or forearms, or if you need to move serious weight, since the grip caps how much you can safely load.

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