Seated Barbell Press
Seated barbell overhead press for isolation with no body movement. It works mainly the front deltoid, with help from the lateral deltoid and triceps.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 0.8× bodyweight (65 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 0.55× (32.5 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Seated Barbell Press
- Sit on a bench with an upright back pad close to the rack, unrack the bar with an overhand grip a little wider than the shoulders and hold it on the front of your shoulders.
- Brace your core, then press the bar straight up to locked arms, moving the head back slightly so the bar can pass the face.
- Push the head forward at the top so the bar sits over the shoulders.
- Lower with control back to the shoulders; the back pad removes the leg drive and stops you leaning back.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Front deltoid | Deltoideus anterior |
| Secondary | Lateral deltoid | Deltoideus medialis |
| Secondary | Triceps | Triceps brachii |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Overhead strength with the whole body braced
- Round, full front delts
- Honest measure of upper-body strength
Strength standards for Seated Barbell Press
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 0.55× | 0.4× | 45 kg | 25 kg |
| Gold | 0.8× | 0.55× | 65 kg | 32.5 kg |
| Platinum | 1.05× | 0.75× | 85 kg | 45 kg |
| Diamond | 1.35× | 0.95× | 107.5 kg | 57.5 kg |
| Obsidian | 1.7× | 1.15× | 135 kg | 70 kg |
| Painite | 2× | 1.4× | 160 kg | 85 kg |
| Antimatter | 2.7× | 1.9× | 215 kg | 115 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Seated Barbell Press, estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Seated Barbell Press work?
It works mainly the front deltoid, with help from the lateral deltoid and triceps.
How do you do Seated Barbell Press?
Sit on a bench with an upright back pad close to the rack, unrack the bar with an overhand grip a little wider than the shoulders and hold it on the front of your shoulders. Brace your core, then press the bar straight up to locked arms, moving the head back slightly so the bar can pass the face. Push the head forward at the top so the bar sits over the shoulders. Lower with control back to the shoulders; the back pad removes the leg drive and stops you leaning back.
What is a good Seated Barbell Press for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 0.8× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 0.55× for women, Diamond at 1.35× and 0.95×. For an 80 kg man that is a 65 kg and a 107.5 kg one-rep max.
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