Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Lever Military Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The lever military press is a shoulder exercise performed on a leverage machine, primarily targeting the deltoid muscles. It also engages the triceps and upper chest as secondary muscles. The machine provides stability, making it suitable for those developing strength and technique.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Secondary muscles
Chest , Triceps
Equipment
Leverage Machine
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the lever military press
Front view: muscles worked by the lever military press. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: chest and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the lever military press. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: chest and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the lever military press

  1. Step 1: Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back against the backrest.
  2. Step 2: Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Push the handles upward until your arms are fully extended, but do not lock your elbows.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handles back down to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the lever military press by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Lever Military Press alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

See the best shoulder exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.