Questions on overhead presses [Forum Archive]

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Questions on overhead presses

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Posted by: the OMU

1) In a book ive read a wile ago it said that when doing an overhead press or any kind of press that pushes a weight directly overhead your medial/lateral deltoids actually do the work of pushing the weight up, eventhough when doing it you feel the tension on the front part of your middle head. If this is true than why is it that everywhere i read on line it says that the front delts are targeted?

2) When doing seated db shoulder presses, is there really a good amount of motion for the middle head of the delts to be getting a good workout?

3) When performing db shoulder presses should your palms be facing forward or towards the ceiling? Or does it not matter?

4) And out of all these please answer this: Is there a safe approach to doing behind the neck presses? It seems like pretty much the best shoulder exercise since it also puts the rear delts into play and puts extra tenstion on the medial delts.

Sorry if I put too many questions here, im not overthinking anything just curious if what i read and hear around is true or not.

Posted by: Double D

I really do think that you are overthinking it. IMO it works exactly where you feel it.

Posted by: mike456

Quote:

Originally Posted by the OMU

1) In a book ive read a wile ago it said that when doing an overhead press or any kind of press that pushes a weight directly overhead your medial/lateral deltoids actually do the work of pushing the weight up, eventhough when doing it you feel the tension on the front part of your middle head. If this is true than why is it that everywhere i read on line it says that the front delts are targeted?

2) When doing seated db shoulder presses, is there really a good amount of motion for the middle head of the delts to be getting a good workout?

3) When performing db shoulder presses should your palms be facing forward or towards the ceiling? Or does it not matter?

Sorry if I put alot of questions here, im not overthinking anything just curious if what i read and hear around is true or not.

1) both heads get worked

2)yes unless your using a short ROM

3)I do them with my palms facing forward

Posted by: viet_jon

Quote:

Originally Posted by Double D

I really do think that you are overthinking it. IMO it works exactly where you feel it.

as simple as it sounds, that should a b and c.

d. I like them. I was advised not to do them on here, but for some reason.....they feel more natural to me than any other OH pressing. And even without rotator work before hitting sets, I never feel pain in my shoulders doing them behind the neck.

I can't do front Oh pressing without rotator work beforehand.

Posted by: Double D

DB Presses are my favorite. That is only if I got a spotter to help me get them to the correct starting point. Its kinda funny because whenever using DB's I use like 80's for sets, but whenever I am using a barbell I only do 140lbs on it. Makes very little sense to me.

Posted by: CowPimp

1 - This is why thinking in body parts doesn't really make sense a lot of times. Both heads are involved to a large extent. This is a compound movement, so there are a multiple prime movers involved.

2 - Yes.

3 - Forward. Don't just let your wrists go limp.

4 - First of all, this exercise doesn't really involve your rear delts as a prime mover. They may be mildly involved in maintaining that state of external rotation, but not like you are thinking.

I don't see why you feel the need to stress your shoulders with this exercise when there are plenty of alternatives. If you absolutely must use them, I don't see why you couldn't use them on occasion, but I wouldn't constantly have them in your routine. You could also cut out back squats for a little bit to take some of the same kind of stress off your shoulders while keeping this movement in.

Posted by: the OMU

Nah im doing alot of exercises for my shoulders. I have regular standing barbell military presses, lateral raises and seated db presses. I just thought it would make sense to put another variation but behind the neck since there are already too many infront of the neck movements.

On one day i would do bb military presses for strength mainly and but for size as well
On another day i would either do behind-the-neck presses or dumbell presses to get some abduction for real shoulder thickness
And on the last day i would do db lateral raises for shoulder width and some other pulling movements to get the rear delts big

Dont get me wrong, i work alot of other muscles and movements too. The shoulder muscles are just another group of muscles in the body, they just happened to be shown when wearing a sleevless shirt.

Posted by: AKIRA

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowPimp

1 - This is why thinking in body parts doesn't really make sense a lot of times. Both heads are involved to a large extent. This is a compound movement, so there are a multiple prime movers involved.

2 - Yes.

3 - Forward. Don't just let your wrists go limp.

4 - First of all, this exercise doesn't really involve your rear delts as a prime mover. They may be mildly involved in maintaining that state of external rotation, but not like you are thinking.

Are the Post. Delt's primary function external rotation? I may be confusing it with something else... From my experience, every time I want to emphasize on the rear delts or know that they are involved in compound movments, I am almost always pulling, not pressing.

Behind the neck presses more natural? I dont know. I fucking HATE moving my head back and forth when doing a barbell press in front of my face, but I equally hate doing it when its behind my neck. OR. I can just leave my neck flexed forward and continue pressing, but that just sounds like a recipe for neck pain. Id say, if both are uncomfortable, DB pressing would be the answer.

I do both, so

Posted by: CowPimp

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKIRA

I dunno whether to quantify it as one of their main functions or not. You are right though, pulling movements hit the rear delts the best. Shoulder extension is one of their functions as well.

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