Behind-the-neck press of the shoulders on a machine Smith

Press the load overhead without over-arching the lower back. Lower under control to the point where the shoulders and torso remain stable. Keep the same range from repetition to repetition instead of speeding up as you fatigue. Breathe continuously and end the set before technique starts to break down.

Choose a resistance that lets you preserve technique from start to finish. You should feel most of the work in shoulders and triceps; if you feel sharp pain, joint pinching or a clear loss of control, reduce the load or range and stop if symptoms persist. Set the seat, backrest and machine axis before loading it; poor setup changes the path and often creates compensations.