Barbell Behind The Neck Press

A step-by-step form guide from the Ægir Iron exercise library: how to do the lift, what to watch for, and the muscles it trains.

HOW TO PERFORM

Set the bar in a rack at upper-chest height, step under it and rest it on the upper traps as for a back squat, hands a little wider than for a front press.
Unrack it, take a step back and stand with the feet about hip width apart.
Brace the trunk, squeeze the glutes and keep the head and chin forward of the bar.
Press the bar straight up until the arms lock out with the bar over the back of the head.
Lower it under control to the top of the traps, no lower than your shoulders comfortably allow, and press again.

It asks for more shoulder external rotation than a front press. If the elbows drift forward or the low back arches to make room, press in front of the face until the mobility is there.
Use noticeably less weight than your overhead press, and never bounce the bar off the neck at the bottom.

Log it in Ægir Iron to track your PRs and estimated 1RM, and to see the sets each muscle gets every week. Free for individual lifters.