Shoulder press behind neck

[nodiggitydave]

I recently started doing this instead of bringing it down to my front just to see the difference, the weight i could actually push was lighter but it felt very beneficial.

many people do this?

also, I found using a very wide grip, enabled the bar to come even further down.

thoughts??

 

[automaticj5]

I always felt it as a better workout behind my head for my shoulders -- however every since I hurt my shoulder -- it hurts it -- so I dont do it now

 

[mickeyb69]

I only have a few years weightlifting experience, but I've heard behind-the-neck shoulder presses cause injuries. When I use to do them I never got injured but I wasn't comfortable at all. Also I believe pressing in front of the neck allows you to come down further with the same grip of course. just my .02

 

[Camel Clutch]

I have injured myself a while ago doing behind the back....the movement is dangerous when your arms go below parallel..you risk hyper extending supraspinatus tendon and attaching ligaments in the shoulder/clavicle...especially when lifting heavy...

 

[ShowKidd]

I only have a few years weightlifting experience, but I've heard behind-the-neck shoulder presses cause injuries. When I use to do them I never got injured but I wasn't comfortable at all. Also I believe pressing in front of the neck allows you to come down further with the same grip of course. just my .02

that is true, they get cut up on the coracoid process resulting in injury.

 

[Sassy69]

Bar presses behind the neck -- spent a few bucks getting my messed up rotator cuff diagnosed after doing 135 for reps.. That was last summer - still have issues w/ the right side of my back. It was a dumb decision to do them & dumber to do them heavy. THere are so many other lifts you can do instead.

 

[redtopp06]

how far should you go down in front? i dont touch my chest, i go down to my chin. i still get a good workout. it just hurts alittle when i go to my chest. i could be going too heavy as well. although im able to push heavy weight i could go lighter i guess.

 

[skullcrushin22]

Bar presses behind the neck -- spent a few bucks getting my messed up rotator cuff diagnosed after doing 135 for reps.. That was last summer - still have issues w/ the right side of my back. It was a dumb decision to do them & dumber to do them heavy. THere are so many other lifts you can do instead.

Sorry to hear that. Yeah when I was running the 5*5 I was doing BTN push presses which allow you to do pretty much the most weight out of all the shoulder exercises. I never felt any pain, and it did sure make my delts grow.

 

[perp69]

If it hurts don't do it or change something like your grip, ect. You can injury yourself on any lift if not careful and not listening to your body. I like them from the front but don't see anything wrong if they feel comfortable to ya. If you are doing push presses I think most people can do more weight from the back so it should exceed your front press soon.

Perp

 

[redtopp06]

i do more in front. then again i dont go btn too often. im gonna give btn a shot. my press is pretty good but im kinda stuck right now. maybe if i change it up and my shoulder doesnt hurt ill hit my goal

 

[Pikaberdot]

I prefer the Bradford press. It's quite a humbling exercise, and when performed standing, helps work stabilizer muscles.

 

[CremasterBlaster]

Properly executed, the behind the next press does work......I do them standing....on the Smith mach with my ring fingers on the marks

The key is bring the bar to just about ear level (triceps parallel to floor/90 degree bend in elbows) much lower and you risk injuries.....of course if you're 6'2 or taller the smith mach is prob out of the question for full extension if you're standing (I'm 5'11 and just about top out)

If you are prone to rotator cuff, or already have cortacoid process wear avoid them like the plague and do standing front bar raises or dumbell presses.....

 

[Papa Lion]

I do them in the front... for two reasons, the possible injury and in the front will be better use in my sport

 

[nodiggitydave]

I prefer the Bradford press. It's quite a humbling exercise, and when performed standing, helps work stabilizer muscles.

anyone else do these?

i've tried them as I saw them in the latest rocky movie, lol.

All this is great advice. I'm having problems with my left rotator cuff at the moment, I think its my rotator cuff anyway, so might lay off the behind the neck presses.

Never really had an injury before, so am I best to drop down a weight?

 

[Acela]

I like them. i do them every now and then, not too often

when i do them i:
1. use the smith machine
2. use moderate, not heavy, weight
3. use a slow deliberate motion keeping my reps between 8-10
4. i don't go quite all the way down, nor do i completely lock out @ the top

i also have religiously stretched my RC's for the last 5 years using a few slective exercises, about 3 days EW, and that seemed to alleviate the mild discomfort that i had in my RC's

 

[Tweakle]

I'll do them with just the bar for warmup, but all my heavy pressing is done to the front or with DBs

the risk to the shoulders just isn't worth the potential benefits imo

 

[u418936]

I partially dislocated my shoulder doing BTN presses. Luckily, I healed up in a week or two. According to my doctor, any time you have your hands behind your head, you're putting your shoulder joints in a vulnerable position. I never have any problems doing front shoulder presses.

If you can't get the bar down to your chest, you need to work on your arm flexibility or use lighter weights. It wasn't easy when I first started, and I had to use lighter weights than the half-pressers at my gym, but using a full ROM on presses has paid off in terms of strength and size. IMO, not going all the way down on a press is as bad as not touching your chest when you're benching.

 

[Nathan]

Have you ever picked anything up from behind your head? It's not really a natural movement for your joints and hence I think that is why pressing behind the neck causes injuries so much. I stay the hell away from those things.

 

[enigma4dub]

my man overhead movement for months now has been behind the neck push presses. i also jerk behind the neck and do them strict as well. heavy, light it doesnt matter. behind the neck forces the use of a lot of leg drive. and since the bar is already over head it is much more explosive.

 

[nodiggitydave]

hmmm... contraversial