The reverse grip overhead barbell press is a standing shoulder press performed with a supinated, palms-up grip on a barbell, pressing from the upper chest to lockout with the elbows forward. Turning the palms toward you, the opposite of the overhand grip on thebarbell overhead press, pulls the elbows under the bar, so the front delt and upper chest carry more of the press and the shoulder never rotates out to the side. The wrists sit bent back under the bar, which caps the load. Lifters use it as a second pressing movement on a shoulder day.
What Muscles Does the Reverse Grip Overhead Barbell Press Work?
- Primary: Anterior deltoid (front shoulder)
- Secondary: Triceps brachii, pectoralis major (upper chest), lateral deltoid
- Tertiary: Upper trapezius, serratus anterior, wrist flexors, rectus abdominis
How Do You Set Up for the Reverse Grip Overhead Barbell Press?
Set the bar in a squat rack at the height of your upper chest. Face the bar and take a supinated grip, palms facing you, hands just inside shoulder width. Duck under so the bar rests across the upper chest with the elbows tucked in front of the ribs and the forearms vertical. Stand to unrack, step back once, and set the feet hip-width apart, glutes tight, ribs pulled down over the hips.
How Do You Perform the Reverse Grip Overhead Barbell Press?
- Brace the trunk and squeeze the glutes, with the bar on the upper chest and the elbows pointing forward and down.
- Press the bar straight up, driving the elbows forward and up under it and letting the head tilt back slightly as the bar passes the face.
- Lock out overhead with the bar over the crown of the head, the elbows straight and the palms still facing backward.
- Hold for one count at the top with the shoulders shrugged up toward the bar.
- Lower under control for a two-count, pulling the elbows back in front of the ribs as the bar returns to the upper chest.
- Reset the wrists and the brace with the bar resting on the chest before the next rep.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Elbows lead forward: keep the elbows pointing at the wall in front of you the whole way up, never out to the sides.
- Bar sits in the heel of the palm: let the bar rest on the meaty base of the hand with the wrists bent back, so the fingers only guard it.
- Push the head through once the bar clears the face, so the bar finishes over the ears.
- Keep the ribs down and the glutes locked through the whole press.
- Feel the front of the shoulder and the upper chest start the drive off the collarbones.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Loading the bar like a standard press: the wrists fold back further under the weight and the bar drifts forward off the shoulders, so start with about half your overhead press load.
- Flaring the elbows out to the sides: the wrist twists under the bar as the arm tries an overhand path, so keep the elbows in front.
- Leaning back to press the bar past the face: the lumbar spine extends under the load and the lift becomes a standing incline press, so brace and push the head through instead.
- Stopping short of lockout: the bar hangs in front of the head and the triceps never finish, so press until the elbows are straight over the crown.
- Gripping too wide: the wrists are forced into extreme extension at the bottom, so keep the hands just inside shoulder width.
What Are the Best Reverse Grip Overhead Barbell Press Variations?
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Underhand Grip: each wrist finds its own angle and the seat removes leg drive.
- Smith machine reverse grip press: the fixed path steadies the bar for lifters whose wrists cannot yet control a free bar.
- Reverse grip push press: a dip and drive from the legs adds load for the lockout and lowering.
- Reverse grip landmine press: the arcing bar path takes the wrist extension out of the lift.
- Single-arm reverse grip kettlebell press: one bell in a palms-up rack, so the trunk resists side bending.
How Do You Progress the Reverse Grip Overhead Barbell Press?
- Add 5 pounds to the bar once all sets reach the top of the rep range with the elbows staying in front.
- Build from 6 reps to 10 per set before adding weight.
- Add a fourth set once three sets no longer fatigue the front delts.
- Add a one-count pause on the upper chest, or a three-count lowering, before the next weight increase.
How Should You Program the Reverse Grip Overhead Barbell Press?
Place the reverse grip overhead barbell press second in a shoulder or push session, after your main overhand press, once or twice a week. Work 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps with 90 to 120 seconds of rest, starting at about half your standard overhead press load. Pair it with a face pull or a rear delt row so the back of the shoulder balances the front delt work.