The Behind-Head Skyline Shove

Trail Log · Movement Breakdown

Alright, we're getting into Olympic lifting territory now. The push press from behind the neck starts with a barbell resting across the back of your shoulders — yes, behind your head, which already sounds like a terrible idea but is actually a legitimate and highly effective exercise if you have the shoulder mobility for it.

You stand with your feet directly under your hips and begin with a short, quick dip — bending your knees slightly without pushing your hips backward. It's a tiny descent that stores elastic energy in your legs like a compressed spring. Then you reverse direction violently, driving through your heels to launch the bar upward. The momentum from your leg drive carries the bar off your shoulders, and you finish the movement by pressing it overhead with your arms.

The beauty of the push press is that your legs do the heavy lifting in the initial phase, allowing you to move more weight than you could with a strict press alone. You're essentially borrowing power from your lower body to help your upper body, which is the smartest kind of cheating. Return the bar to the back of your shoulders, using your legs to absorb the impact of the descent. This movement builds explosive overhead pressing strength and shoulder stability in a way that strict pressing alone can't match. It's an Olympic weightlifting staple that'll give you shoulders capable of putting heavy things on high shelves without calling for help.