Shoulder Presses

[IronInsanity]

I have a couple of questions regarding shoulder presses, whether barbell, dumbbell or smith:

1. What is your opinion (if seated) on whether you should put the back of the bench in full upright position or back slightly (~10 degrees)?
2. What is your opinion on ROM, how far down you should go? nose, chin, below chin, clavicles?

I have been doing seated on smith and DB standing. I was taught to bring the bar at least to the nose and no lower than the chin because at that point the chest takes over. I have also adopted the practice of putting the bench back about 10 degrees, when doing seated on the smith. I'm sure this allows me to lift a little more, as the full upright is rather uncomfortable with the fixed plane of the smith. Obviously, the standing DB presses don't fall into this category. Today I experimented around with the full upright, doing some sets up to about 85% of the weight I use with the 10 degree position. I also brought the bar slightly below my chin. It was a little awkward on the position and like I said, the load felt heavier in that position. But I'm not really concerned about the weight as I just want to develop the delts.

I also asked a very knowledgeable friend for his input and this is what he said:

I agree with you on setting the bench back a few degrees. Sitting bolt-upright on a bench is about the most awkward position someone can be in, IMO. You're never going to be able to completely eliminate the pecs' involvement with any OHP, no matter what angle the bench is set at, so your best bet is to use the least angle that feels comfortable.

As far as ROM on a Seated Press is concerned, it's my opinion that there is not much to be gained by dropping the upper arms much more than a couple of inches below parallel to the floor. At the other end of the ROM, going up to just short of lockout will keep maximum tension on the delts.

How do you do yours and why? I appreciate your feedback.

 

[Lenny89]

when am on the smith i put the bhind my head and the seat one position back from upright, and same when doing db presses, when seat is upright i feel its much harder

 

[afton]

Im a big fan of the smith (i train alone) and use it for shoulder presses. I have the back of the bench slightly back, usually one setting. Straight upright and it feels like the bar is out in front of me too much, feels awkward and just screams injury to me. I bring it down as close to my head as possible and go to chin or just slightly below, no more than 1/2" though. I used to bring it down all the way but I ended up with some nasty pains/strains in my delt/pec tie-in. Im getting way more out of it bringing it to the chin than I used to and my delts are growing great from it. One of my favourite exercises.

 

[jandj0821]

I do standing Over head press's. Full RoM. II u got to do what is best for u and ur body. Some people go full and it tears them apart. I was reading ur log and halo and I were talking earlier. I will do partials and load up the weights on certain movements for both shock to my CNS and joints need to feel the presure from the higher weights. Look at it this way. How many people use boards on bench press and why!! Food for thought

 

[Lizard King]

I like to go 1 click down on the bench for an incline and I bring the bar down to about my nose, anything deeper and I start to feel that nasty pulling in the shoulder.

 

[midevil]

before I switched to db's I would lower the weight (seated bar) to my chin ... a herniated disk ruined that exercise.

Now with db's (seated) I lower the weight till it almost touches the top of my shoulder ... bottom of my arms are much lower then paralell....(45 degree ish).

In my experience many want to lift too heavy...thus taking away range of motion. my take on it is if you can't run full rom you are only cheating yourself in an attempt to look cooler at the gym.

Injuries are an exception to that rule. I had a torn cuff (summer of 2010) and rom was effected until I healed. Lots of rot cuff exercises and going lighter helped 100%. Now with much patience rom is gtg on all lifts.

 

[Lizard King]

Yeah, dumb bells I hit the shoulders, no problem, its the bb or smith where my rom sucks

 

[PillarofBalance]

With dumbbells (and I prefer dumbbells) I have the flexibility to put the head of the dumbbell on my shoulder and push back up with no problem.

If using a barbell the slightly forward rotation of the shoulder puts a terrible strain on my lower traps if I bring the bar below my chin, so I stop just below the nose... Oddly though, when standing with a barbell I can drop the bar to a stop on my chest.

On the smith, maybe because I'm more confident, I throw everything I have at it. I bring it to my chin and I can put much more weight on...

As for the bench, I keep it one click back... I don't care if its involving some pec... Its a compound movement. It should involve some pec!

 

[Mindlesswork]

Yeah, dumb bells I hit the shoulders, no problem, its the bb or smith where my rom sucks

DB's feel more natural to me as well than bb bench or presses as I have an impingement in my left shoulder due to breaking it at the acromion (never healed right) when I a kid

 

[SHINE]

DB's feel more natural to me as well than bb bench or presses as I have an impingement in my left shoulder due to breaking it at the acromion (never healed right) when I a kid

Your actualy working out now?

 

[PillarofBalance]

lmao ^^^^^^^^

 

[SHINE]

Poundstone showing killer technique with FreeWeight. AND I bring the bar down to chin level, but if you have shoulder issues better off lowering the bar at the level it doesn't hurt to avoid injury.
IF your not training that exercise for competitive lift why worry to much.