pressing to the neck

[rocco]

Ive been doing flat and incline presse on the smith machine and bringing the bar to my neck and pausing and it is felling awesome.the stretch and pump is nothing ive ever felt before.The soreness is so deep.I suggest addding these if you dont do them.

 

[Gstacker]

What's a smith machine?

 

[fixxer]

Man, I can almost feel the pain in my shoulders just thinking about it. It doesn't bother you to flare your elbows out like that?

What's a smith machine?

A smith machine is a very useful tool. I use it very often.

 

[AllTheWay]

What's a smith machine?

 

[IronInsanity]

I alternate between smith and db's for shoulder presses. Yeah it limits the stabilizer muscles but as long as you're doing other free weight stuff, it's a good tool. I mean I can shoulder press 350 on a smith and I'm sure I couldn't get near that with a barbell. But for me, alternating the db work in hits the stabilizers enough for me.

 

[ketsugo]

Great points Rocco and iron, some people do partials by stopping at ear level, but yup they miss out on the full stretch. I think full stretch and full contraction should be something one pays very close attention. I also perform both lifts. Sometimes I do both and I may also perform one over the other ad part of varying my workouts to prevent staleness. Press behind neck pay special attention. I'm sure the research hounds will chime in because many physiologists and trainers caution against performing this move as it places the rotator cuff in a very weak position. However, I love press behind neck for my main shoulder exercise. If I go heavy I use smith machine , if I don't have a spot. Dim bells one can actually stretch even further at the bottom, plus the benefit of balancing the single dumbbell .
One of my favorite shoulder variations to increase the burn is to pump out 8-10 reps on smith machine press behind neck , then quickly before my delta recover, I jump on the bench and do upright rows , utilizing the biceps that are still fresh to further work my delta. I use a flat bench at smith machine to work my core- no belt iron insanity ha ha ha for both exercises.

 

[ketsugo]

Man, I can almost feel the pain in my shoulders just thinking about it. It doesn't bother you to flare your elbows out like that?





A smith machine is a very useful tool. I use it very often.

You are not alone my brother! Many avoid this cause of pain. Ironically it's the flaring out of the elbows that makes this more effective for the entire shoulder as oppose to presses with elbows somewhat forward .
What is more bizarre , my shoulder tendinitis is relieved by what hurts you lol. All of us have our ailments and make adjustments accordingly.
Every man walks several roads before he finds the true path toward himself , grasshopper