Seated Band Shoulder Press
Also known as: seated resistance band press
In SetGrip: Band Shoulder Press (Seated)
- Primary muscleDelts
- EquipmentResistance Band
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeCompound · Push
- Secondary muscles
- Triceps, Upper Back
- Body part
- Shoulders
- Position
- Seated
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Anchoring the band beneath the bench shortens it compared with standing on it, so tension climbs faster and the top of each rep gets noticeably harder. Sitting also removes any hip sway, forcing strict pressing from the shoulders. For home training it pairs a tiny equipment footprint with a genuinely difficult lockout in the 15-20 rep range.
How to do the Seated Band Shoulder Press
- Sit on a chair or bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold the resistance band with both hands, palms facing forward, and bring it up to shoulder level.
- Press the band overhead, extending your arms fully.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the band back down to shoulder level.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Take a breath and brace before unracking, then press up and slightly back so the bar ends over the middle of the foot.
Muscles worked
Primary
Delts · Shoulders
The front and side delts drive the weight off the shoulders and should carry the load all the way to lockout; the burn builds across the whole shoulder cap.
Secondary
- Triceps — The triceps take over in the top half to lock the elbows, and a weak lockout usually means they need direct work.
- Upper Back
Common mistakes
- Leaning back into an incline — if the lower back arches hard, the chest is doing the work; squeeze the glutes, brace the abs and keep the ribs down.
- Pressing around the head — the bar should travel straight up, so pull the chin back to let it pass, then push the head through at the top.
- Stopping short of lockout — finish with the arms straight and the bar stacked over the shoulders and hips, shoulders shrugged slightly up at the top.
- Elbows drifting behind the bar — keep the elbows slightly in front of the bar at the bottom, with the wrists stacked straight above them.
Where it fits in a workout
Overhead presses go first in a shoulder session or second after bench in a push day. Superset them with a pulldown or pull-up for a vertical push and pull pair.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without resistance band
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.