# Press Under - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/10699/press-under/ - Media ID: 10699 - Primary muscle: Shoulders - Body part: Shoulders - Equipment: Barbell - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/10699/press-under.mp4 ## Description The Press Under is a weightlifting drill that teaches you to move your body under the bar instead of pressing the bar all the way up with your arms alone. You start with the bar resting across the back of your shoulders with a snatch-width grip, dip slightly to unload it, then drive the bar up while pulling yourself down into a quarter squat to catch it with locked elbows overhead. The two positions look similar to a behind-the-neck press combined with a shallow squat, but the intent is completely different: the arms punch against the bar while the legs drop beneath it. This drill is a staple in Olympic weightlifting coaching, especially for lifters learning the snatch and the jerk. Beginners often treat overhead lifts like strict presses, muscling the bar up with the shoulders and arms and never practicing the timing of dropping underneath it. The Press Under isolates exactly that skill, so the transition to full lifts feels natural instead of frightening. It is also useful for intermediate lifters who hesitate overhead, because repeated reps build confidence in receiving the bar at full extension. The movement trains the deltoids and triceps isometrically as they lock out and support the bar overhead, while the quadriceps and glutes absorb the catch in the shallow squat. Your upper traps, rhomboids, and the small stabilizing muscles around the shoulder blades work hard to keep the bar stacked over your midline, and your deep core braces the whole time to protect your spine. Because the load moves with you rather than against you, the drill builds coordination and positional strength more than raw pressing power. Setup matters more here than in most pressing exercises. The wide, snatch-style grip lets the bar sit comfortably on the traps behind the neck and gives you a shorter, more stable path overhead. Your stance should be a bit wider than shoulder width so you can drop into the quarter squat without shuffling your feet, and the bar must stay over the middle of your foot throughout. A sloppy setup — narrow grip, bar sitting too high on the neck, or weight shifted to the toes — turns the drill into a strained behind-the-neck press and defeats its purpose. To execute it well, keep the dip shallow and vertical, drive through the whole foot, and think of pushing your head and torso down and slightly forward as the bar travels up. Lock the elbows aggressively at the same moment your knees bend, so the bar arrives overhead just as your body arrives underneath it. Stand up from the quarter squat with the bar stable, then lower it back to the shoulders under control before the next rep. Use light weight when learning this drill — an empty bar is often enough. Because the bar starts behind the neck, shoulder mobility and controlled tempo are non-negotiable; if you cannot reach the position comfortably or your lower back arches to compensate, work on overhead mobility first or practice the same timing from the front rack. Done with good positions and sensible loads, the Press Under is one of the fastest ways to make your overhead lifts feel automatic. ## Instructions 1. Set a barbell on a rack at about shoulder height and take a snatch-width grip, roughly one and a half to two times shoulder width, with the bar resting across the back of your shoulders and traps. 2. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip width, toes turned out a few degrees, and unrack the bar by bracing your core and lifting it off the hooks. 3. Keep your chest tall, ribs down, and gaze forward; squeeze the bar tightly and keep your elbows under or slightly behind the bar at the start. 4. Dip a few inches by bending your knees straight down over the middle of your feet, keeping your torso upright and your weight balanced through the whole foot. 5. Drive up through your legs to push the bar vertically off your shoulders, then immediately pull your body down under the bar by bending your knees into a quarter squat. 6. Punch your hands up against the bar and lock your elbows fully so the bar finishes overhead, stacked over your shoulders, hips, and mid-foot at the bottom of the squat. 7. Hold the locked-out position for a beat, keeping your upper traps engaged and the bar balanced over your midline, then stand up out of the quarter squat. 8. Lower the bar under control back to the back of your shoulders, keeping your elbows tracking under the bar and your torso tall. 9. Exhale as you press under and catch, then reset your brace and breathe before starting the next repetition. 10. After your final rep, step back to the rack and re-seat the bar on the hooks before releasing your grip. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is turning this into a strict behind-the-neck press. If your arms are doing all the work, use less weight and focus on driving with the legs and dropping under the bar. - Keep the dip shallow, around two to four inches. A deep dip shifts the bar forward off your mid-foot and makes the catch position unstable. - Do not let the bar drift behind your head as you press under. Think of pushing the bar straight up while your head and chest move slightly forward into the space under it. - If the bar rests uncomfortably on your cervical spine, widen your grip and actively pull your shoulder blades together to build a shelf with your traps instead of letting the bar sit on your neck. - Move your feet to the catch stance before you start, not during the rep. Shuffling under a moving bar is a common cause of missed positions. - Keep your wrists straight and the bar over your forearms at lockout. Bent wrists under load are a frequent reason the bar drifts out of position overhead. - Start with an empty barbell for several sessions. This is a timing drill, and adding load before the pattern is automatic usually reinforces a press-dominant habit. - If your shoulders lack the mobility for a comfortable behind-the-neck position, practice the same press-under timing with a lighter bar from in front, or spend time on thoracic and shoulder mobility first. - Film yourself from the side. The bar path should be a straight vertical line over your mid-foot; any forward or backward loop means your dip or drive position needs adjustment. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Press Under work? The deltoids and triceps lock out and support the bar overhead, while the quadriceps and glutes absorb the quarter-squat catch. Your traps and core stabilize the bar and spine throughout the movement. ### Is the Press Under suitable for beginners? Yes, and it is actually a common beginner drill in weightlifting because it teaches the press-under timing before you attempt full snatches or jerks. Start with an empty bar or a very light load and prioritize position over weight. ### Why does the Press Under start with the bar behind the neck? The behind-the-neck position with a wide grip puts the bar in line with your mid-foot and gives a shorter, more vertical path overhead. It also removes the temptation to press the bar with your arms, which is exactly the habit this drill corrects. ### How deep should I squat in the Press Under? Only into a shallow quarter squat — just enough to get your body under the bar with the elbows locked overhead. This is not a squat exercise, and dropping too deep usually causes the bar path to drift. ### How is the Press Under different from a behind-the-neck push press? In a push press your legs drive the bar up and your arms finish the press while your torso stays tall. In the Press Under the goal is to pull your body down beneath the bar and catch it with locked elbows in a squat position, mimicking the catch of a snatch or jerk. ### What is the most common mistake with the Press Under? Pressing the bar up with the shoulders and arms instead of dropping underneath it. If you feel like you are grinding out a press, the weight is too heavy or you are not committing to the drop. ### Can I do the Press Under if my shoulders are tight? The behind-the-neck position requires decent shoulder and upper-back mobility, so if the bar cannot sit comfortably or your lower back arches, train the same timing from a front rack position and work on mobility in parallel. ### How heavy should I go on the Press Under? Stay light — typically an empty bar up to a moderate load you could strict press comfortably. The drill develops speed and positioning, so heavy loads tend to slow the drop and ruin the pattern. ### How should I breathe during the Press Under? Take a breath and brace before the dip, hold that brace through the drive and catch, then exhale as you stand up and reset before the next rep. ### Is it safe to have a barbell behind my neck? It is safe when your grip is wide, the bar rests on your traps rather than your cervical spine, and you use controlled tempos with light loads. Use a rack with properly set safeties or bail by pushing the bar forward and stepping under it if you lose control.