Your favourite Shoulder Press Machine-opinions welcomed/appreciated

bigman · Oct 15, 2003

Due to the fact I only have limited access to someone to hand up a DB to me at shoulder height, I am on a mission to build myself a shoulder press machine. I am looking for one that is plate loaded and compact (space is at a premium). I don't care if it is a straight up and down movement, or if the handles move in as they are pushed up. I was in Toronto today and took measurements of the Hammer front military press machine, but I am not 100% "in love" with the way it feels. It seems to half hit my delts and half hit my upper chest. I already know I don't like the Hammer press behind the neck machine. Any other suggestions of machines I should look into? BTW if anyone suggests I should stop being a pussy and kick or swing the DB's up to my shoulders, I don't feel comfortable or safe doing that. All I need right now is to mess up my shoulder.

wolverine · Oct 15, 2003

Are you training in a home gym? If so, invest in powerhooks. You can then hang your dumbbells from anything to get them in the starting position for you.

www.powerhooks.com

LATS · Oct 15, 2003

getting measurements for most machines will be hard.. but, being a gym owner i can tell ya that the hammer machine shoulder units are very hard on the shoulders..i guess you kinda found that out lol..personally, i like the icarian shoulder press unit.. although it is a selectorized unit, you could adapt it to plate loaded..it is the only one i can use when i have my shoulder problems..it has the perfect angle and the handles have two different options..the plates could be loaded right on the arm frame..the other one i like just the plain old smith machine front press..

amenselah · Oct 15, 2003

I like the hammer front military press machine it feels like a very incline bench press...the hammer behind the neck machine kills my shoulders..

bigman · Oct 15, 2003

Thanks for replying Wolverine and Lats. The hooks are a great idea, but wouldn't the bar to hook the DB's on to either have to be in front of you or in back of you enough to allow room for you to lift. I am going to check out the Icarian press Lats.

knucklehed · Oct 15, 2003

smith machine

If I were building a home gym, the smith would be the first piece of equipment i'd buy. I use the smith for military presses as my prferred, even though I have access to Hammer, Nautilus and cybex options. I guess I like it simple.
KnuckleHed

Mr Pickels · Oct 15, 2003

my shoulders are all jacked up and i like the nautilus overhead press.... the hammer behind the neck is ok on some days....

Bjorn Schlotsky · Oct 16, 2003

Personally, I'd suggest getting a cage, and using a bar rather than dumbbells. When I started lifting at home a long time ago, that is what I did. If you position the stop bars, you will be totally safe, and still able to lift as much as you can.

If you really want to use dumbbells, and no one can fault you for that, you could do them alone after you are pre-exhausted with the bar.

Good luck!

--Bjorn