Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.

Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.

Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.

Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.

Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Losing tension in the core or lower back partway through the movement — because Barbell Standing Close Grip Military Press loads multiple joints at once, a small breakdown in bracing at the hips or spine compounds through the whole chain.

Locking out too fast or letting the elbows drift outward under load — controlling the eccentric (lowering) phase is where most of the muscle-building stimulus happens.

Using an asymmetric grip or uneven bar path, which can quietly overload one side of the body over repeated sets.

Progressing the load or reps too quickly before technique is consistent across every rep of every set.