Overhead Press Form Check
Wondering if your overhead press is solid? Prop up your phone — GOODREPS watches your elbow angle (shoulder → elbow → wrist) live and scores every rep while you train your shoulders and triceps, with core assisting. Free in your browser today; coming to Google Play and the App Store.
Coming to Google Play & the App Store▶ Try The Form Check
LIVEHOW TO DO A PROPER OVERHEAD PRESS
Setup Stand facing the camera, weights at shoulder height, elbows bent.
- Press the weights straight overhead until your arms lock out.
- Keep your core tight and ribs down — don't arch your back.
- Lower back to your shoulders under control.
Same sheet as the ⓘ panel in the app — animated demo included.
THREE STEPS TO A SCORED OVERHEAD PRESS
Prop your phone and get in frame
Phone at roughly torso height, stand facing the camera. A quick camera test checks lighting, distance, and angle before you start.
The camera locks a 17-point skeleton on you
GOODREPS measures your elbow angle (shoulder → elbow → wrist) on-device — no wearables. Dumbbells or a barbell from shoulder height — log the weight, track PRs.
Move — and watch the form bar
The bar fills from ~70° toward ~155° at the bottom. Cut range short and it tells you; full ROM is what counts.
WHAT THE CAMERA WATCHES
- Your elbow angle, live — from roughly 70° at the rack up toward 155° at lockout. Press to just-above-your-head and the rep won't bank.
- Your personal range of motion — after 3 clean reps the counter calibrates to your build, so it stays honest without being unfair.
- The finish overhead — leave the rep soft at the top and the form cue calls it: "Lock out overhead."
COMMON OVERHEAD PRESS MISTAKES
Leaning back to press
A big arch turns your overhead press into a standing incline bench and loads your lower back. Squeeze your glutes, brace, and keep your ribs down.
Stopping short of lockout
The last few degrees are where your shoulders finish the job. Press until your elbows are straight and the weight stacks over your spine.
Elbows drifting behind the bar
Elbows flared straight out turn the press into a grind. Keep them slightly in front, under the weight, like a vertical push.
Pressing around your face
If the weight loops forward, it's fighting you the whole way. Tuck your chin, press close, then bring your head through at the top.
PRIVATE BY DESIGN
Pose detection runs in your browser via TensorFlow.js. Camera frames are analyzed in real time and immediately discarded — nothing is recorded, nothing leaves your phone, and we never see them. Sign-in is optional; skip it and everything stays local.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Do I need a barbell for the overhead press?
No — a pair of dumbbells from shoulder height works the same pattern and is friendlier on the shoulders. Log the weight and the app tracks your PRs.
Does it work in a home gym or low light?
Run the built-in camera test first — it checks your lighting, distance, and angle with live green checks before you start. If a rep still slips through, manual counting is always one tap away.
Is my camera feed uploaded anywhere?
No. Pose detection runs entirely on your phone, in your browser. Frames are analyzed in real time and immediately discarded — nothing is recorded, nothing is uploaded.
RELATED GUIDES
Free forever — camera counting for all 60 exercises, no account needed. Pro (voice coaching, programs, depth-camera form checks) is $7/mo, $49/yr, or $99 once. No ads, ever.