Shoulders · Overhead press
Cable Shoulder Press
The Cable Shoulder Press mainly trains your front delts and side delts. Also working: triceps and upper back.
Both cables
Stable
How to do it
- Stand centered between the towers, handles at shoulder height
- Squeeze your glutes and brace your core: don’t arch your lower back
- Press straight up
- Lower slowly to ear level
Coach’s tip
Here the cable pulls straight down: nothing pulls you out of position, so you can go heavy standing. If the weight stack hits the top, switch to kneeling.
Noticeably loads the shoulder. If you tell DCFT that this joint bothers you, the app leaves exercises like this one out and picks a better supported alternative.
Setup
Pulley
Both pulleys at the bottom
Grip
Single handles
Load
Both cables
Needs two cable towers
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (overhead press). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Cable Shoulder Press work?
Mainly the front delts and side delts. The triceps and upper back help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Cable Shoulder Press?
Pulley: Both pulleys at the bottom. Grip: Single handles.
Can I do the Cable Shoulder Press on a single cable tower?
Not like this. The Cable Shoulder Press needs both cables at once, so two towers. If you set up DCFT for one tower, the app leaves it out of your plan and uses exercises such as Kettlebell Overhead Press and Arnold Press instead.
What can I do instead of the Cable Shoulder Press?
For the same movement: Seated Cable Shoulder Press, Kneeling Cable Shoulder Press and Kettlebell Overhead Press. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Cable Shoulder Press in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.