Why the Strict Press Humbles Everyone—And Why You Need It

Let’s be honest: the strict press hurts your feelings. It’s one of the most frustrating lifts in the LIFTED Strength Lab—and that’s exactly why it stays in the rotation. No bounce, no momentum, no leg drive to save you. Just you, the barbell, and gravity doing its job.

The strict press (aka overhead press) is a raw test of upper body strength—and for most people, it’s the lift that exposes the gaps. Want to build real strength? Start here.

Why the Strict Press Feels Like a Punch in the Ego

No Help from Your Legs.
Unlike the push press, where your hips do some heavy lifting, the strict press strips all that away. No cheat codes here—your shoulders, triceps, and upper chest are doing all the work.

It’s a Long Road Up.
You’re pressing from shoulder height to fully locked out overhead. That’s a big range of motion with no help, which means more time under tension, more grind, and more opportunity for form to fall apart.

Tiny Muscles, Big Job.
You’re asking relatively small muscles (delts, triceps, rotator cuff) to move a heavy barbell overhead. It takes time and consistent effort to build those up—and there are no shortcuts.

Mobility Will Call You Out.
Tight lats? Stiff spine? Weak core? The strict press will find every crack in your foundation. You’ll feel it in a wobbly press, weird bar path, or that banana back you didn’t know you had.

Coaching Cues That Actually Work

We see a lot of wonky presses. These cues help fix that:

"Squeeze your glutes, quads, and lock your ribs down."
Your body is the platform. If it’s soft, unstable, or over-arched, your press will suck.

"Head through the window."
Once the bar clears your forehead, drive your head forward. Finish the lift with the bar over your midline, stacked and strong.

"Keep your elbows in front of the bar."
Don’t let the bar drift. Keep it close, tight, and direct. This isn’t a kettlebell swing—it’s a vertical grind.

"Punch through the ceiling."
When you hit that sticking point (and you will), aggressive intent helps you push through instead of stalling.

Want to Get Better? Do the Boring Work.

• Train your upper back.
  Rows, face pulls, banded work—these help stabilize the press and support better posture under load.

• Use dumbbells.
  Pressing with dumbbells exposes weaknesses and forces better control. Bonus: more range, more stability.

• Work low reps.
  3–6 reps at moderate to heavy weight. You’re not chasing a pump—you’re building brute strength.

• Don’t skip push-ups.
  Bodyweight pressing matters, especially if you’re still building your base. Control your body, control the bar.

If the strict press humbles you—good. It’s supposed to. It’s a filter, not a feature. The payoff is real: stronger shoulders, better posture, more power in all your lifts. Master it, and everything else gets better.

Stick with it. Fight for every inch. Your next PR starts with showing up.