Does a person even need any kind of shoulder presses?

[massnup]

So, if you do chest and then the next day your shoulders and chest are extremely sore why would you need a pressing movement for delts? maybe all you would ever need for total shoulder developement would be a side raise because doing a shoulder press of some type would just be overtraining the delt right?

 

[btech]

Over time, your medial delts would be smaller by only doing lateral raises than if you were to do heavyass shoulder presses.

 

[PharmGrown]

I've always heard never do shoulder press because your shoulders will be overtrained from all other exercises. I never do them... Only side laterals for me.

 

[chris250]

I have pretty overdevoleped front delts from years and years of heavy front presses...Now I only do side laterals and upright rows...

 

[Designbuilt]

I have pretty overdevoleped front delts from years and years of heavy front presses...Now I only do side laterals and upright rows...

How are the upright rows working for you?

 

[PHIL HERNON]

Ok

Over time, your medial delts would be smaller by only doing lateral raises than if you were to do heavyass shoulder presses.

You mean to tell me that my medial delts will shrink from doing medial delt specific laterals? You dont think that bench presses, dips, pull ups, bent rows, laterals are enough for the shoulder? They will shrink if I do not go on and do shoulder presses?

 

[andymahn]

I remember this topic coming up before.

Phil had suggested that the press was not needed because of all the work shoulders get in training chest- maybe a few months ago?

Since then I have cut out all shoulder presses and only have incorporated raises and side laterals.

Results: Shoulder feels better- less aches- no size loss.

 

[T TOTAL]

Coincidence???? Since i started doing side laterals only from August 08, for a show in late September and then continued to do so for the post show/off season period, people seem to be commenting more on my shoulder width.

 

[tkav1980]

i used to press, do lateral raises and rear delts. since doing only side laterals my shoulders havent ever looked better than they do now.

 

[Ness]

Coincidence???? Since i started doing side laterals only from August 08, for a show in late September and then continued to do so for the post show/off season period, people seem to be commenting more on my shoulder width.

X2
Have not done a shoulder press in a year. Side laterals only. Very happy with results.

 

[finah]

Glad this was brought up, I thought I was a little weird for not doing a whole lot of shoulder work, just from personal experience I tend to stay away from most shoulder exercises and if do find myself doing them I usually keep it pretty light.

Just my regular work out plus some partner stunting during the week seems to put enough fatigue all ready on my shoulders.

 

[robot]

Whether rightly or wrongly I tend to alternate my pressing days between standing press and bench.

I don't believe that benching wouild give me the kind of width that I have been developing.

 

[tkav1980]

Whether rightly or wrongly I tend to alternate my pressing days between standing press and bench.

I don't believe that benching wouild give me the kind of width that I have been developing.

benching, pullups, rows, and lateral raises wil give you all the width you can handle.

 

[MR. BMJ]

I have a labrum tear in my left delt, and it prevents me from doing any heavy overhead pressing for shoulders, but have to say that laterals are doing well for me (although I do get some pain as well due to my shoulder, but not near as bad). Been doing them pretty much the last 2 years with only occasional light overhead dumbell presses for reps of 20-25 to finish off the shoulders.....as a sort of widowmaker set. I rely on my chest pressing, rows, and dips to hit my shoulders and pre-fatigue them to some degree. Then I just hit them hard with laterals and an occasional light dbell press set as stated above.

I'm not really for or against the movement, but will admit that they are not necessarily always a madatory movement for delt development.

Well, that's my experience

BMJ

 

[Tom]

presses

i guess everyone responds to training differently. my shoulders look better and i don't do any lateral raises at all. i've made good gains just using the hammer shoulder press for 5 sets of 12 with moderate weights.

 

[617ricky]

Lately for shoulders I've been doing militaries and upright rows, but I hate militaries honestly.. I'm gonna scratch them and just do the lateral raises.. What do you guys think about front raises (I think they're called)?

 

[T TOTAL]

Personally i don't see much point of them as the anterior head gets hit very easily. Look at the shoulder developement of most gym folk and you'll notice the anterior head is alot more developed than the medial or posterior head..

 

[witefall]

To each his/her own, but I would never take the standing press out of my routine. It works your core muscle well. I also think that the heavier weight will provide more muscle mass for the delts than lateral raises would.

I'm not an advanced BB, so I haven't a clue about needing any shoulder presses when your physique reaches that level. But I also seriously doubt that the majority that read this forum are actually professional BB. I know there are some, but not the majority.

I think it's a big mistake for the average BB/weightlifter to not do standing presses.

 

[doug1]

i did presses occasionally in my early years. i defenitely think that the front and rear heads get plenty of stimulation through chest/back work. what little direct shoulder work i did was side laterals. years ago i quit training them directly alltogether years ago. my main reason was they were too big and made my arms look small. so i said screw it, why bother. we all tend to have genetics that make certain bodyparts easy to develop, for me it was probably shoulders. it certainly wasn't calves.

 

[gtj220]

I do rear and medial delts first, I will do dumbell or hammer presses last in my workout if I do them. I see people doing front lateral raises all the time, I consider saying something to them but never do, if asked I would tell them what I thought.