Rear Delt Rows and Lateral Deltoids

[UFC rocks]

can anyone help with my questions.

 

[Biggly]

i know that behind the neck shoulder presses can can bad for the shoulders, because when you start to push the bar up it can hurt your shoulders

More to the point the weight is pushing down on your shoulders at an awkward angle - that you can easily hurt yourself resisting it as much as actually lifting is why so many people don't advise that move. It's just totally un-natural, you'd never naturally lift like that so why do so? You're subject your shoulder joints to weird angles under pressure, so resisting or pushing you're likely to do harm.

However you ask if pull-ups behind the neck are OK and for that I'd say sure, as you cannot go further than your own muscles can lift you. The weight, ie your bodyweight, is actually resisting you going too far rather than crushing down on you. It's a perfectly natural movement that fits in with the mechanics of the human body.

The biggest issue I see is bending or straining your neck too low or even striking it with the bar while already flexed but where your shoulders are concerned it shouldn't be a problem.

Can't remember what your other questions were as they're on the previous page but regarding delts, going by the superset theory of driving nutrients and blood-flow into the area then by all means hit the delts at every angle. I'm not 100% convinced by that theory but it does seem a tad silly to save one angle for another day when you're working them anyway.

I guess it depends on the rest of your workout and your need to avoid working them too close together but the science says you can work a muscle every 48 hours so I wouldn't sweat it too much.


B.

 

[UFC rocks]

thanks for the reply biggly.

the reason i asked was because i was watching a Rocky marathon a the a few days ago, (those movies rock), and in the Rocky 2 here he is training he is doing a barbell shoulders press, but he does a rep to the front, then one to the back off the neck, then one to the front again ect... and then in Rocky 4 were he is training he does pullups in the same way one to the front then one to the back off the neck, then one to the front again ect... I thought that they were a good variation and i enjoyed doing them.

but its funny how in Rocky 4 he is training in the frezzing cold, but gets into the ring with a great tan, not really realistic, but hey who cares the movies are still great.

 

[Minhkey]

you may need to check your form, or reduce the weight you are doing. what problem is it that you are having with the shoulder presses?

Whenever I do shoulder presses, my traps seem too press together too much and it doesn't feel right.

 

[tomuchgear]

i would check your grip. there again though i believe it was witchblade that pointed out a shoulder problem. i have a client that cant do the upright row. there is some thing wrong with his back so he cant get the form right. he does face pulls instead. like i said though change your grip that may fix the problem could be form though to. when in doubt i look up the exercise find a vid of some one doing it then memorize the vid so i know i am doing the exercise right. that is just a couple suggestions your call on what to do. hope that helps at least a little to answer your question.

 

[tomuchgear]

also how are you doing the shoulder press? as in a machine, db's, or bb's? are doing them seated?

 

[Minhkey]

barbells, sometimes seated sometimes standing. maybe i should try dumbells.

 

[tomuchgear]

try seated to brace your back, with the dbs.

 

[Minhkey]

Do they all work equally as well?

 

[buening]

I would not recommend vertical rows before incorporating rotator cuff exercises to strengthen that region. Vertical rows wreak havoc on the rotator cuffs. Behind the neck presses are not well accepted by most lifters due to their affect on the shoulder girdle. They also make you look down during the lift, which is a no-no in any kind of lift.

 

[buening]

And for working your lateral delts, I'd go with some DB lateral raises. Start with the DBs at your sides and raise them to near parallel with the ground, then lower then till they are about 3" from touching your sides. Lowering the dumbbells in front of your body till they touch just allows the muscles to rest. Keeping them to your sides and a bit away from the body keeps them under constant tension.

Military or seated presses work more of the anterior delts and not so much the lateral delts. Bent delt rows work the posterior delts.