Lee Priest has revealed why he believes his own shoulder exercise deserves more attention than one of bodybuilding’s most recognisable movements.
The bodybuilding veteran, who built a reputation for his thick, round delts throughout his competitive career, recently shared what he calls the ‘Priest Press’ in a YouTube video posted on July 15. According to Priest, the movement offers a more natural pressing position while effectively targeting all three heads of the shoulder.
Although the Arnold Press has remained a staple in gyms for decades, Priest argued that it becomes increasingly difficult to perform correctly as the weight gets heavier and believes his variation offers a better alternative.
Throughout his bodybuilding career, Priest consistently proved that size wasn’t everything. Despite often standing on stage against significantly larger competitors, he carved out an impressive legacy thanks to his trademark conditioning, balanced physique and exceptional upper-body development.
Those qualities helped him defeat some of the sport’s biggest names and earn numerous titles during his career, including the 2013 NABBA Mr. Universe crown.
Even in retirement, shoulder training remains one of Priest’s favourite topics, and he continues to share training advice with fans looking to build a complete physique.
Explaining the difference between the two pressing variations, Priest said the Arnold Press tends to place greater emphasis on the front deltoids while also becoming awkward to perform under heavier loads.
“Arnold had a press, but Arnold’s, I don’t know, it’s more front delt, and when you go heavy on the dumbbells, it’s just very hard to do,” he said.
Priest explained that his own version keeps the shoulders in what he considers a stronger and safer position throughout the movement.
“Now, the Priest press is much more in line with your body because you’re in the right position where your shoulders should be. You’re not holding the fucking dumbbells here where they can pull forward,” he said.
He also detailed the subtle adjustment he recommends at the top of each repetition, insisting that only a slight rotation is needed to fully recruit the shoulders without overcomplicating the exercise.
“This is in line, and you got all your strength and power movement, and as you push up, just turn them like that. A little rotate brings all the other heads into play,” he said. “You don’t have to go crazy and twist your arm out.”
According to Priest, the movement allows him to feel the exercise across every section of the deltoid rather than concentrating stress primarily on one area.
“A little bit, you can feel it a little bit there [in the forearms], but mainly it’s the three heads of the shoulder that’s being hit, and it’s in line with your shoulders, so you’re not having the weight pull out in front where it’s just hitting the side. I can feel in my rear, my sides, and the front,” he said.
For Priest, the focus remains on finding movements that feel natural and deliver results. His famous shoulder development was one of the defining features of his physique during his competitive years, complementing his trademark X-frame and helping him stand out against much larger rivals.
Now retired from competition, he continues to pass on training advice and lesser-known exercises to the next generation of lifters, with the ‘Priest Press’ being the latest example of his approach to building stronger, fuller shoulders.
Featured image credit: @samsfitnessgymequipmentaust / YouTube
