Shoulder Press vs Bench Press: Calories Burned Comparison

Bench press burns slightly more calories than overhead press per minute — approximately 5.8–7.0 cal/min (bench) vs 5.3–6.4 cal/min (overhead press) for a 70 kg person at moderate-to-vigorous intensity. However, the story is more nuanced: overhead press delivers superior anterior and lateral deltoid activation per calorie burned, making it the more efficient tool for shoulder development.

The short answer: choose bench press for total calorie burn and chest emphasis; choose overhead press for shoulder emphasis and pressing strength in the vertical plane.

Use our Overhead Press Calorie Calculator and Bench Press Calorie Calculator to compare your own results side by side.

Calorie Comparison: Overhead Press vs Bench Press

The table below compares key pressing exercises across MET value, calories per minute (70 kg), and per-rep burn at common rep counts:

Per-rep values based on: OHP 10/min (Dumbbell/Barbell), 8/min (Vigorous), Bench Press ~10/min.

At 10 reps, the bench press at vigorous intensity burns roughly 7.0 cal vs the barbell overhead press's 5.8 cal — a 21% difference. However, the overhead press achieves its calorie burn while directing almost all of that metabolic cost specifically at the deltoids and triceps, rather than distributing it across chest, triceps, and delts.

Vertical Push vs Horizontal Push

The overhead press is a vertical push — the load moves from shoulder height upward against gravity. The bench press is a horizontal push — the load moves away from the chest in a horizontal plane.

Vertical push (overhead press):

• Primary movers: Anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, triceps
• Secondary: Upper chest, trapezius, core
• Plane of motion: Sagittal (forward and up)

Horizontal push (bench press):

• Primary movers: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, triceps
• Secondary: Serratus anterior, core
• Plane of motion: Transverse (away from body)

Both are compound movements. Calorie burn is similar because both recruit large muscle masses and require substantial stabilisation. The bench press often edges ahead in total calorie burn because the pectorals are a larger muscle group than the deltoids, and the movement allows heavier absolute loads for most lifters.

Why Bench Press Often Burns More Calories

The calorie advantage of bench press comes from three factors:

1. Larger primary muscle group The pectoralis major is one of the largest upper body muscles. Activating it heavily — as bench press does — increases oxygen demand across a greater total muscle mass than the overhead press, which emphasises the smaller deltoids.

2. Heavier absolute loads Most people can bench press more weight than they can overhead press, due to biomechanics and muscle leverage. Heavier loads mean more mechanical work per rep and higher metabolic cost.

3. Similar or faster rep pace Bench press is typically performed at 8–12 reps per minute, comparable to overhead press. At similar MET values, the ability to move heavier weight per rep gives bench press a slight edge in total calorie burn per set.

Why Overhead Press Wins for Shoulder Development

Despite burning marginally fewer calories per minute, the overhead press has one decisive advantage: peak deltoid activation in the vertical plane.

Research consistently shows that overhead press variations produce the highest EMG readings in the anterior and lateral deltoids of any pressing exercise. This is because:

• The resistance vector (barbell or dumbbell weight) aligns with the deltoids' line of pull throughout the movement.
• Bench press shifts a large portion of the work to the chest; overhead press cannot — the delts must do the majority of the work.
• The vertical pressing pattern is essential for shoulder health and functional strength (e.g., putting objects on high shelves, throwing, pressing overhead in sport).

The practical implication: if building larger, stronger shoulders is the priority, overhead press delivers more deltoid stimulus per calorie burned than bench press.

The Best of Both: Combining Overhead Press and Bench Press

For most lifters, the optimal approach is to programme both movements within the same training block:

Sample Upper Body Pressing Session (70 kg person):

With rest periods included (roughly 6–8 min total active time across 90-second rest periods), a full 45-minute upper body pressing session burns approximately 150–250 calories in total (including elevated metabolic rate between sets).

Programming principles:

• Alternate which exercise comes first — overhead press one session, bench press the next — to balance fatigue and prioritisation.
• Overhead press first when shoulder development is the focus; bench press first when chest or total pressing strength is the focus.
• Use push-ups or dips as accessory work to round out pressing volume without excessive fatigue.

When to Prioritise Each

The real answer for most people: do both. Overhead press and bench press address different aspects of upper body fitness. Treating them as competitors misses the point — they are complementary tools that together produce better results than either could alone.

Related Guides

• Overhead Press Calorie Formula — MET values and formula for all press variations
• 100 Overhead Press: Calories Burned — Full tables for 100 reps by body weight
• Overhead Press Muscles Worked — Primary and secondary muscle activation breakdown
• Overhead Press Calorie Calculator — Personalised overhead press estimates
• Bench Press Calorie Calculator — Compare bench press variations side by side