Shoulder pressing

massnup · Oct 1, 2012

Who here doesn't do any kind of pressing for shoulders and what has built them the most?

saps · Oct 1, 2012

I rarely do overhead pressing. Get plenty of front delt action from chest work. I end up overtraining my front delts if I do more than 4 weeks in a row of chest and separate day for overheads in the same week.

GtMuscle · Oct 1, 2012

I think that dumb. press or barb. press is a very good excersise for front shoulders.. front raises is seconday for me..

growth · Oct 1, 2012

I like the dumbbell press over the barbell but switch it up 75 to 25 barbell

autoimmune · Oct 1, 2012

Depends on what you're lacking. If your front delts are built then don't worry about overhead pressing. You should get plenty of front delt stimulation through chest work. At that point just add heavy upright rows (shoulder width grip), side laterals, and rear delt work (i prefer one arm bent over flys for more ROM). If your shoulders are just generally not developed, then I'd keep a heavy ovhd pressing movement in.

summersgold · Oct 1, 2012

Press behind the neck on the smith machine is the best exercise for shoulders. It was Kevin Levrone's favorite shoulder exercise. Check out his You-Tube video, Kevin Levrone/shoulders. He had some of the biggest shoulders ever. Victor Martinez also uses that exercise. I use it and have made some of the best gains with it.

pbmpp · Oct 1, 2012

summersgold said:
Press behind the neck on the smith machine is the best exercise for shoulders. It was Kevin Levrone's favorite shoulder exercise. Check out his You-Tube video, Kevin Levrone/shoulders. He had some of the biggest shoulders ever. Victor Martinez also uses that exercise. I use it and have made some of the best gains with it.

Asking for RC issues...

TNH · Oct 1, 2012

I think shoulder pressing is a highly individual thing.
I personally can BHN without issue, but regular shoulder pressing is far too much of a front delt exercise, and I get enough of that with my chest movements. That is due to my unique shape though, and everyone's body is different. What destroys one guys shoulders is perfectly healthy for another's IMO.
Just like the debate over whether or not flat bench is a safe exercise. Some bodies are built to bench, some are built to be destroyed by it.

flexdurden · Oct 2, 2012

summersgold said:
Press behind the neck on the smith machine is the best exercise for shoulders. It was Kevin Levrone's favorite shoulder exercise. Check out his You-Tube video, Kevin Levrone/shoulders. He had some of the biggest shoulders ever. Victor Martinez also uses that exercise. I use it and have made some of the best gains with it.

pbmpp said:
Asking for RC issues...

I know a lot of people say this but I had a nasty dislocation and torn labrum a few years back and doing these ( as well as other behind the neck stuff) seems to feel good and since I've been doing this kind of stuff the pain I used to have subsided.

Perhaps I was front delt dominant or lacking some stability and these kinds of exercises addressed it...whatever it is, it is working. I also only go down to the middle of my ears so the stress on the RC is not too bad. They aren't for everyone, but if they feel good, work them in, but if the slightest thing feels off, dump them.

thebigguy84 · Oct 2, 2012

mentalflex said:
I know a lot of people say this but I had a nasty dislocation and torn labrum a few years back and doing these ( as well as other behind the neck stuff) seems to feel good and since I've been doing this kind of stuff the pain I used to have subsided.

Perhaps I was front delt dominant or lacking some stability and these kinds of exercises addressed it...whatever it is, it is working. I also only go down to the middle of my ears so the stress on the RC is not too bad. They aren't for everyone, but if they feel good, work them in, but if the slightest thing feels off, dump them.

I would not recommend behind the head unless you went super light weight and still is not really a natural motion and most likely gonna end up with bad injury . If you have looked in members section after shoulder workout thread you will see I have pretty decent shoulders and I do not do any behind the neck work I use dumbell press hammer strength press and military on smith machine.

flexdurden · Oct 2, 2012

thebigguy84 said:
I would not recommend behind the head unless you went super light weight and still is not really a natural motion and most likely gonna end up with bad injury . If you have looked in members section after shoulder workout thread you will see I have pretty decent shoulders and I do not do any behind the neck work I use dumbell press hammer strength press and military on smith machine.

I'm not saying one way is better or worse, and admittedly know presses in the front are safer. It was when I first started DC training I used these and ever since my including some behind the head movements, my shoulders feel better. I am also not using a shit-ton of weight, maybe decent for size, but it is not going to impress anyone here.

I know it sounds ridiculous that doing something that is supposedly bad for the RC would make my shoulders feel better, but this is the truth. It is just one of those things that deviates from the norm and is unique to one specific individual.

Now, if/when I start moving some big boy weights, then I think re-evaluating the exercise selection would be a wise choice.

One thing that definitely bothers me is doing narrow grip upright rows, they just impinge my shoulder and the physical therapist I was seeing at the time said that is one of worst movements for shoulder health (he also advised against behind the head movements lol). I don't have this problem if I use DBs for upright rows or take a wide grip....anyone else have this issue?

kingpeon · Oct 2, 2012

Dumbbell overhead press is the best for delt mass by a long shot. The plane of travel is completely up to you and your own pain tolerance.

Second best would be dumbbell upright row. For some reason these are easy on the carpal tunnel whereas barbell is not.

GreyScale36 · Oct 2, 2012

No barbell/dumbbell overhead presses anymore. Since only incorporating barbell/dumbbell upright rows [shoulder width, with a very, very slight forward lean, lifting with both medial/posterior delts in an upward & slightly backward motion during mid-way], I don't have the shoulder twinge that has dogged me for years - especially when taking a shower & having to scrub my back. . .so painful that at times my whole shoulder area would just seize up. Personally, I feel no need to perform any type of overhead press again. . .keeps my shoulders happy!

Big Danny · Oct 2, 2012

Military press, my fav

Strongman military presses - YouTube

TODouble2 · Oct 2, 2012

I don't train shoulders at all in years and they have not gotten any smaller. In fact I think they've grown. All I do is minimal rear delt work on back day and that's it.

This is due to injuries though. I have trouble even gettin through a cheat workout because of the pain. But it has taught me that I don't need to train them yet they are still my biggest muscle group.

Delta · Oct 2, 2012

I'm trying to back off heavy shoulder pressing. Pressing gives my shoulders a lot of mass but little quality. Also wreaks havoc on my elbows>

Last year I was doing DB presses with 140s, the weight fell off and I didn't let go of it, dislocated my shoulder right off. Boom. Ever since I don't try to push it that much and I'm using wide-grip upright rows (to chest) and DB Uprights for delt training on DC, smith presses being my only shoulder press now.

Gunsmith · Oct 2, 2012

the only direct should work I do is side lateral raises with light weight in the 20 rep range and rear lateral the same way , I do two sets of each every other workout (chest and back days)

I've had both my shoulders scoped and since stopping shoulder presses several years ago I have not lost any size in my delts and actulay gained some as they stay proportionate to everything else

jrod · Oct 2, 2012

side laterals only my right rotatator cuff is full of scar tissue I get enough front and rear delt work with my chest and back exercises plus they are constantly getting used pushing my wheelchair

maldorf · Oct 2, 2012

I used to do at least 4 good sets of military presses with barbell every shoulder workout but then Phil talked some sense into me and I just did side lats. I didnt lose any shoulder size at all really, and most of my pains went away. I really do think the overhead pressing motions are very hard on the shoulder joint. I had all kinds of rotator cuff issues and most of it went away. My decline press actually got stronger after I quit doing them and my shoulders grew some.

thebrick · Oct 2, 2012

maldorf said:
I used to do at least 4 good sets of military presses with barbell every shoulder workout but then Phil talked some sense into me and I just did side lats. I didnt lose any shoulder size at all really, and most of my pains went away. I really do think the overhead pressing motions are very hard on the shoulder joint. I had all kinds of rotator cuff issues and most of it went away. My decline press actually got stronger after I quit doing them and my shoulders grew some.

Yep, I credit heavy pressing over many years as the reason my rotators are now in shitty shape. But they did work, if you are willing to pay the price down the road.