Pressing a bar overhead needs room, so this barbell overhead press counter asks you to step well back until both your hips and the bar overhead fit in the frame. It follows how high your upper arms rise and counts each rep out loud.
Both arms are read together. There's no one-arm mode. Rack the bar at your shoulders during the five-second countdown and start pressing.
Phone setup
Set the phone sideways (landscape) at chest height. Step well back so your hips and the bar overhead both fit in the frame.
Face the phone. Keep the bar racked at your shoulders before each press, with your hips in view the whole time.
- Press once slowly before you begin and check the preview to see the bar overhead and your hips inside the frame.
Form cues
- Bar at your shoulders. Start each rep with the bar resting on your front shoulders and your upper arms down by your sides.
- Press straight overhead. Drive the bar up in a vertical line until it sits above your head, which is the far position of the rep.
- Brace your core. A tight midsection keeps your ribs down so the press stays overhead instead of leaning back.
- Lower back to your shoulders. Bringing the bar down to your shoulders completes the rep, so reset there before the next press.
Common mistakes
- Stepping in too close. Your hips are the anchor for the measurement, so they have to stay in the frame. Step back until your hips and the bar overhead both fit.
- Leaning back. Arching your lower back to push the bar up shifts the effort away from your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes and press tall.
- Pressing only partway. A press that never lifts your upper arms far enough doesn't reach the far position and isn't counted.
How FitnessBruh counts it
The measurement is the angle at your shoulder: how high your upper arm rises against your torso, from hip to shoulder to elbow. Your hips are the anchor, which is why they must stay in the frame.
A rep starts with the bar racked at your shoulders and your upper arms down. Pressing the bar overhead is the far position, and the rep is counted when the bar comes back down to your shoulders. Both arms are read together.
Counting begins after the camera has held a steady view of your shoulders and hips, so rack the bar and stand tall during the countdown.
FAQ
Where should I stand for the barbell overhead press?
Face a sideways (landscape) phone at chest height and step well back, until your hips and the bar overhead both fit in the frame.
What does the counter actually follow?
How high your upper arms rise against your torso, with your hips as the anchor. It counts the rep when the bar returns to your shoulders.
Why do my hips need to be in the frame?
They anchor the shoulder measurement, so keep them in view for the whole set. Stepping back is the simple fix when they drop out.
