At a glance
- Main muscle
- Shoulders
- Also works
- Triceps
- Equipment
- Machine
- Rep range in Mitta
- 8 to 12 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Medium
- Weight step in Mitta
- 5 kg
How to do it
- Handles at shoulder height.
- Back against the backrest.
- Lower deep.
Pick a weight you can lift for 8 to 12 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
Stable, safe to failure and easy to load.
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press · Dumbbell · rating A
- Smith Machine Shoulder Press · Machine · rating B
- Barbell Overhead Press · Barbell · rating B
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the machine shoulder press.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the machine shoulder press with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
machine shoulder press
What muscles does the machine shoulder press work?
The machine shoulder press mainly trains your shoulders. Your triceps help.
How many reps of the machine shoulder press should I do?
Mitta plans the machine shoulder press at 8 to 12 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the machine shoulder press?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the seated dumbbell shoulder press, Smith machine shoulder press and barbell overhead press.
Is the machine shoulder press good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the machine shoulder press have rating A?
Stable, safe to failure and easy to load.