Thread: What is better for Shoulder development?

Originally Posted by themamasan

Out of Barbell bench press and Barbell Incline press, what do you think targets the shoulder more? I always felt it was Barbell bench, but my shoulder seems to hurt now, so I may start doing more Barbell Inclines. So just wondering if it is just as good.

Incline hits the delts more.

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

Incline hits the delts more.

true

I have heard from people that the barbell bench press puts a lot of stress on your shoulders. I don't hear these same things happening from the barbell incline press. So if I am having light pain in my shoulders from barbell bench press ( or the other culprit being machine decline press ), would it be safe to do the barbell incline press as a substitue ( as long as no pain comes about )?

Originally Posted by themamasan

I have heard from people that the barbell bench press puts a lot of stress on your shoulders. I don't hear these same things happening from the barbell incline press. So if I am having light pain in my shoulders from barbell bench press ( or the other culprit being machine decline press ), would it be safe to do the barbell incline press as a substitue ( as long as no pain comes about )?

I have heard people recommend doing inclines to minimize the possibility of shoulder injury. So yes incline away.

People make general statements like "puts stress on your shoulder" without fully describing what this means, or outside of the context necessary for understanding.

Bench pressing puts a lot of stress on your shoulder complex, as in the joint structure. Incline pressing puts more stress on your anterior delts, as in the muscle. However, inclines still put a lot of stress on your shoulder complex, but it should be reduced relative to a flat bench by virtue of the fact that you can't move as much weight during an incline press.

#1 rule is ignore all IRON MANS advice.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

People make general statements like "puts stress on your shoulder" without fully describing what this means, or outside of the context necessary for understanding.

Bench pressing puts a lot of stress on your shoulder complex, as in the joint structure. Incline pressing puts more stress on your anterior delts, as in the muscle. However, inclines still put a lot of stress on your shoulder complex, but it should be reduced relative to a flat bench by virtue of the fact that you can't move as much weight during an incline press.

so what's best for gaining overall shoulder mass?? puting stress on the shoulder complex or inclines wich put stress on the anterior??or both

Originally Posted by assassin

so what's best for gaining overall shoulder mass?? puting stress on the shoulder complex or inclines wich put stress on the anterior??or both

You don't want to put stress on the joint; that does no one any good. When I say shoulder complex, I am referring to the collection of 4 different joints: acromioclavicular, sternoclavicular, glenohumeral, and scapoluthoracic joints. There is also a 5th "joint" which isn't actually a joint, but more of a reference point (From my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong) called the coracoclavicular joint.

So, the one that is better for mass gains would be the one the places more tension on the muscle, not more stress on the joint.

Originally Posted by CowPimp

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So, the one that is better for mass gains would be the one the places more tension on the muscle, not more stress on the joint.

gr8 so that will be the inclined stuff......

Well, they're both primarily chest workouts, so why would you use them for exercising your shoulder? When you're doing your incline bb for your shoulders, you could be doing military presses, which does your shoulders more effectively.

Originally Posted by 99hawkins

Well, they're both primarily chest workouts, so why would you use them for exercising your shoulder? When you're doing your incline bb for your shoulders, you could be doing military presses, which does your shoulders more effectively.

A 45 degree incline press beats the shit out of your shoulders, in a good way. That's pure speculation that a military press is more effective at stimulating your shoulders.

Don't all pressing movements to some degree activate the shoulders?

Also, as was stated a while ago (maybe 1 month) by P or CowPimp, some people use their shoulders more than others when they bench, even when the bench is flat.
For me I would just experiment, your body will tell you what is or is not working.

Originally Posted by 99hawkins

Well, they're both primarily chest workouts, so why would you use them for exercising your shoulder? When you're doing your incline bb for your shoulders, you could be doing military presses, which does your shoulders more effectively.

Adding to what CowPimp said, I have never felt soreness or muscle fatigue in my shoulders from doing military presses. I do feel they are great, but work my stabilizer muscles around my shoulder more than anything. I always feel I get a better shoulder workout doing compound pressing movements. And I contribute this mainly to the fact I can press a lot more weight during those movements versus the military press.