seated dumbell press?

[bigboi]

Hello when doing seated dumbell preses for your front shoulder.... do u bring the bar down to the front of your head or back of your head?

[Saurus]

Originally Posted by bigboi

Hello when doing seated dumbell preses for your front shoulder.... do u bring the bar down to the front of your head or back of your head?

I assume you mean seated barbell press...

Always bring the bar down the the front!

If you bring it down behind your neck, your posture is wrong, and you risk back inury, and also, your shoulders are in an unusual position and are likely to get injured. Try the motion right now as you sit - in front is comfortable. Behind, you will feel the stress on your shoulders. And you never want a bent back while holding heavy weight! (ie. by putting your head down forwards)

[Michael]

I like to bring the bar behind the neck. I am more comfortable this way. I also feel that it hits more than one part of the shoulder; thus giving me a better workout. See which you are more comfortable with.

[bigboi]

hmmm as in pictures i shall do it infront....eitha way it workes the shoulder ..rite?

[Saurus]

Originally Posted by bigboi

hmmm as in pictures i shall do it infront....eitha way it workes the shoulder ..rite?

Yes. Doing shoulder presses behind the neck hits all three delts equally, whereas to the front tends to hit the front delt harder. To the back is, therefore, a better exercise.

HOWEVER, due to the stress it places on the shoulders and the risk of injury, i still do not recommend it. What use is a better exercise if you're going the spend half the time in recovery...

As Michael says, some people can do the exercise to the back without any problems at all, but I don't agree with trying it to see if it works for you. That's a bit like saying "I'll try it to the back, and if I tear my shoulder muscle, I'll stop." Is it worth the risk to you?

I know some people (and some books) disagree with me, and say you should do them to the back, simply because it is the better exercise. This is just my opinion, and, unlike those books, I will sacrifice some results for my health.

[Doug]

I agree with Saurus, the press to the back of the neck is a good exercise for getting shoulder injuries, one of the main reasons is that weight trainers dont perform adequate warm ups, or flexability exercises and as such the press behind the neck will cause rotator cuff injuries at some time if you use them all the time. Personally I wouldnt recommend them in a training routine...

Saurus rep + for your post

[bigboi]

Originally Posted by Doug

I agree with Saurus, the press to the back of the neck is a good exercise for getting shoulder injuries, one of the main reasons is that weight trainers dont perform adequate warm ups, or flexability exercises and as such the press behind the neck will cause rotator cuff injuries at some time if you use them all the time. Personally I wouldnt recommend them in a training routine...

Saurus rep + for your post

thanks 4 da info lads

[Michael]

Yes I agree, it is definately an exercise that you must be very strict about. Unfortunately, I have never been able to do them in the front; I get a slight pain if I do them that way.

[Michael]

I think he meant seated barbell presses not the d.b press. By the way Bigkat, I gave your trap workout a try. Usually I do not get a good burn in the traps, but I read what you said about pausing for ten seconds on each rep and what a difference. Thanks for sharing.

[Michael]

Originally Posted by Bigkat

Awesome! Glad that it worked for you too.

My muscles tend to have quite a bit of endurance, so I gave that technique a try, and like you, it was just what my muscles needed as a change of pace and it really hit my traps better.

Thanks for the feedback, glad that it helped ya bud!

Rep+