Barbell shoulder press. Behind or in front?

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HvymetalMG
HvymetalMG Posts: 93 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
When doing standing shoulder presses with a barbell, is it preferable to do it in front or behind the neck?

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  • Tic78
    Tic78 Posts: 232 Member
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    Front nowadays
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    I can't imagine having the ROM to be able to do behind the neck. :#
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
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    Front.
  • Drake940
    Drake940 Posts: 39 Member
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    Keep it at the front.
    Behind the neck stimulates all heads of the deltoids more but it’s dangerous and shoulders are the weakest joints. Once you mess them up, you can’t do anything.

    Keep doing front and gradually increase the weight. Also do lateral raises to target the lateral deltoid. But avoid the behind the neck because it isn’t worth the risk as you can get enough shoulder stimulation from the front pressing.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    Front...you're going to jack your shoulders up doing them behind.
  • HvymetalMG
    HvymetalMG Posts: 93 Member
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    Thanks. Front it is
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    If you are doing front correctly with your traps pinched together at the top hold with barbell over midfoot, front is all you will need.
  • mike_bold
    mike_bold Posts: 140 Member
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    I've been doing both variations for years, I can't recall any related shoulder injuries brought on by behind the neck. I ran 531 for nearly a year with behind the neck - no issues.
  • magnussg67
    magnussg67 Posts: 252 Member
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    Behind the neck isolates the front delt a bit more than front presses do, takes away the assistance from the upper chest. Doesn’t to much at all for rear and side. Upright rows, side/rear laterals and face pulls, hit those better. If you’re flexible and they don’t hurt you can do them, I personally can’t I Have a shoulder that doesn’t all me to rotate that far back. It’s even difficult to do standing presses so I opt for seated front presses
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    Standard strict press in the front, Klokov press (snatch grip) behind. I like to work the hell out of my shoulders on overhead day.
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    edited June 2018
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    Front press it is; more front delt, some lateral delt. Lateral side raises = gold standard for lateral delts (ideally with cables for constant tension throughout the movement). Lift through the elbows (some cue through the pinkie finger)

    Upright rows - albeit a controversial movement due to impingement potential - can be very effective (mostly lateral head) as well done with a wide grip & "partial" ROM (around nipple/lower chest height).

    High pull - olympic-esque lift is also another option (I generally do not do olympic type lifts because they are waaay too technical to execute properly)

    *Form >>> weight (DB lateral raises with 10-15lbs X 15-20 reps is quite challenging enough with no arm bend/no extra assistance lever from bend)
  • seanlovegrove
    seanlovegrove Posts: 58 Member
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    I’ve had issues with my rotator cuff and shoulder subluxation so I will never do behind the back shoulder press.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    seanlovegrove wrote: »
    I’ve had issues with my rotator cuff and shoulder subluxation so I will never do behind the back shoulder press.

    That's why I went to Klokovs. The snatch grip allows you to work behind the neck, and transfers most of the loading to the mid and lower traps. Believe it or not, heavy bench work, no matter the grip, is more hell on my shoulders than Klokov presses are.
  • LiftHeavyThings27105
    LiftHeavyThings27105 Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Keto_Vampire wrote: »
    Front press it is; more front delt, some lateral delt. Lateral side raises = gold standard for lateral delts (ideally with cables for constant tension throughout the movement). Lift through the elbows (some cue through the pinkie finger)

    Upright rows - albeit a controversial movement due to impingement potential - can be very effective (mostly lateral head) as well done with a wide grip & "partial" ROM (around nipple/lower chest height).

    High pull - olympic-esque lift is also another option (I generally do not do olympic type lifts because they are waaay too technical to execute properly)

    *Form >>> weight (DB lateral raises with 10-15lbs X 15-20 reps is quite challenging enough with no arm bend/no extra assistance lever from bend)

    I know that lots of people do this behind the back. I see it all the time - both at Workout Anytime an Planet Fitness. I used to do that, too! But, the possibility of impingement is just not worth it - to me. To each their own!

    I wanted to weigh in on that and I also wanted to emphasis the point about 10 - 15lbs (and not more) with the lateral raises (dumbbells). Really, that is enough. I am 6'0" @ 205lbs and that is about all I do (I might do 20lbs if I am feeling really strong) but 10 -15lbs is actually more than enough.

    End rant! :-)
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
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    Will have to look into Klokovs. Still somewhat defeats the purpose of hitting lateral/rear delts more if load shifts more emphasis onto the traps though, but interesting nonetheless
  • squattingduck
    squattingduck Posts: 3 Member
    edited July 2018
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    behind the head? duck that!

    definitely front, and what's even better frankly is using dumbbells (DB)
    this lowers the likelihood of imbalances and gives your shoulders an even freer? free-er? more-free? range of motion (ROM)
    i'm recovering from some inflammation and impingement right now and IT STINKS
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
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    squattingduck wrote: »
    behind the head? duck that!

    definitely front, and what's even better frankly is using dumbbells (DB)
    this lowers the likelihood of imbalances and gives your shoulders an even freer? free-er? more-free? range of motion (ROM)
    i'm recovering from some inflammation and impingement right now and IT STINKS

    Thought I would just mention the Viking press variation - hands in a neutral position - so there is no excess flaring of the elbows. Fine with Dumbbells and can also be done on most squat machines using the handles if the shoulder pads extend high enough. Other less common variation is using a land mine with the appropriate attachment
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited July 2018
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    Pshaw to all the behind the neck nay-sayers. Hello? Anyone ever Squat Snatch? Overhead squat? Overhead Jerks? Push jerks? Where do you think that bar is? How do you think it got there?

    I do both (front and back) and have been pressing behind the next for around 20 years, no problems. I prefer behind the next because it carryovers better to bench. Of course, there is a wrong way to perform the movement and wrong way — just like about every exercise.



    I don’t train this movement as much as I used too, but I don’t have holes in my shoulders —or impingement— just strong ones.

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