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  1. #1
    MilitiaGuy's Avatar
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    behind the neck or infront??

    what do u think it is better for size behind the neck press or infront the neck press i actualy prefer behind the neck

  2. #2
    BigGreen's Avatar
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    While both will hit your delt complex nicely, the consensus seems to be that behind the neck presses will hit certain angles of the traps and touch on the rear delt more so than standard military presses. Additionally, i know very few people who can undertake behind the necks without serious discomfort...myself included, and for that reason i can't justify including them in my routine. WHen i do feel the need to move the plane of resistance slighly towards the back, i'll use dumbells so that i'm given some flexibility as to where exactly I want the line of movement to be (obviously, without the issue of a bar hitting your head, you can dictate entirely how far back you desire to be.

  3. #3
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    behind the neck presses are better for size but for long term training they are terrible. they do more damage to the shoulder joints than any other shoulder exercise. if you do them do them to the front as your shoulders will last longer

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    Behind the neck!?! Ouch! Don't do it, there is way too much of a risk for injury my friend.

  5. #5
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    I do both, like them both, I do behind first for 5 sets and military for 5 sets. Never a shoulder problem here, I am using a smith machine though. See how they treat you.

  6. #6
    MilitiaGuy's Avatar
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    Originally posted by scottp999
    I do both, like them both, I do behind first for 5 sets and military for 5 sets. Never a shoulder problem here, I am using a smith machine though. See how they treat you.
    5 sets behind neck and 5 infront wow how many sets do u do for shoulders i am only doing 6 sets for my shoulders

  7. #7
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    I have to agree with the others - behind the neck presses aren't really worth the risk. There are lots of other exercises you can do that aren't as damaging, and longevity is the key to bodybuilding - how big are your delts going to get if you can't press because of rotator cuff damage?

    Just something to think about.

    def

  8. #8
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    Thumbs down Neither

    I quit doing behind the neck years ago, and I rarely do them in front. I find that what works best for shoulders is dumbells. I don't believe in being too regimented in my workouts but I find that shoulders is an exception.

    Dumbells allow your arms and shoulders to follow their natural path. I've found that I've added lots of strenght and size since using only dumbells. You hit the rotator cuffs more (less stability), thus giving better size and shape .... and the aim of the game in Body Building is shape.

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    Yeah, I also use dumbbells demetri, much better range of motion and a more natural path as well. But I don't do too much shoulder work that often, I feel I get enough from rows and bench presses.

  10. #10
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    I do them behind the neck and I do them heavy. There was a previous thread bout this and the discussion became pretty heated. I think that doing them behind works the entire shouder, while in front puts most of the stress on the front delt. I don't really believe all the talk of harm to the shoulder joint from behind the neck either. If you do a weight that you can control and keep perfect form, the risk of injury is no more than with in front, and the reward is fully developed, round shoulders, rather than looking like one of those guys that only does bench press when he goes to the gym.

  11. #11
    demetri's Avatar
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    Originally posted by The French Curler
    Yeah, I also use dumbbells demetri, much better range of motion and a more natural path as well. But I don't do too much shoulder work that often, I feel I get enough from rows and bench presses.
    I do 4 sets of presses and that's it. I too find that my shoulders get enough work from bench and rows. I believe that rows have made a huge impact on the shape and size of my rear delt.

  12. #12
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    Originally posted by demetri


    I do 4 sets of presses and that's it. I too find that my shoulders get enough work from bench and rows. I believe that rows have made a huge impact on the shape and size of my rear delt.
    I don't mean to sound arrogant or anything, but if your delts are getting enough work from bench press, maybe you need to look at your bench press form. Most of the time, I see guys benching really heavy and using their front delts to cheat rather than building their chest. I don't lift for my ego, I lift to build the muscle I am targeting.

  13. #13
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    Well you can't bench without using your shoulders or triceps. I personally like to alternate between barbell and dumbbells.

    I can guarantee you that I have pretty good form. No ego boost for me. No back arching (I mean what's the point of turning your flat bench into a decline). I keep my head flat on the bench. I do a 3 count on the negative and keep a nice a controlled push on the muscle contraction.

    When I do bench I feel it in my chest, granted my shoulders and tri's get a pump, but if they didn't get incorporated then how would your arms stay in their sockets.

    I guess that should have been "Almost enough work...." as if it was enough I wouldn't bother with any shoulder exersizes at all.

    I can see what you mean by heated.
    Last edited by demetri; 09-02-2002 at 02:09 PM.

  14. #14
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    i love to do them i first start out with them and run 5 sets then go to front presses for 4 sets with intensity. have had no problems with any pain "knock on wood"!!

  15. #15
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    me 2 i do 3 sets behind and 3 latetral raises then next week 3 sets infront 3 sets dumbell presses and i go like this switching btw them from week to week the key is to use a weight u can handle ...thas all my shoulder workout

  16. #16
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    a sports dr who was into training many athletes told me if i want shoulders later in life cut behind the neck presses
    also i have seen so many injuries in the gym and friends talking from doing shoulder presses

    when i cut them out a year and a half ago(only very occasional do them in front) and relied on bench press and db lats thats when my shoulders got big

  17. #17
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    behind the neck hurts my back too much :P

  18. #18
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    What about behind the neck pulldowns, I was doing them in the gym the other day and a guy told me that it can cause rotator cuff damage, opinions please?

  19. #19
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    Originally posted by jamotech
    What about behind the neck pulldowns, I was doing them in the gym the other day and a guy told me that it can cause rotator cuff damage, opinions please?
    i have herd the same thing, also on the machine it says warning not to do the excercise behind the neck because of shoulder injury

    i still do them though!

  20. #20
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    i know im gonna get some sh!t for this but, behind the neck or in front is about the same if you wanna get your rear do bent over laterals , behind the neck just really gets you a good stretch although there is some trap movement involved in both not really enough to burn, another great for delts up-right rows then straight to overhead raises without letting weights rest that'll give you a burn! just my opinion

  21. #21
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    i know behind the neck can cause injury i am a behind the neck-holic i cant stop doing it it help me a lot adding mass on my ripped shoulders coz i am a hard gainer it is like the mc-donald fries u know it is bad but u eat it

  22. #22
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    we have this bar at our local gym that has a U-shaped area in the middle that allows you to do military presses and let the U be where the bar would meet your head if it wasn't U-shaped. Did everyone understand that? It allows you the flexibility to move it anywhere from in-front to behind the head - I do it right on top of my head at an area that is impossible to do with a normal straight bar because your head would get in the way.

    Okay honestly I don't use that bar much I usually use the smith machine and i've found that behind the head is too stressful on the shoulders. I like to lay my head back as far as I can and lower the bar to about the top of my chin but down to my chest at the collar bone. I'm looking straight up at the ceiling. This is pretty much about as close to middle as I can get.

    Barbells for some reason seem to hurt my soulders more than the smith machine does. Maybe that's because it gives me the freedom and the opportunity to move the weights where they shouldn't be? The smith machine disciplines my movements to stay in the right line of motion.

  23. #23
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    I prefer in front, but will occasionally do behind the neck just to change things up.

    9

  24. #24
    anabolicmyo is offline Junior Member
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    During the bottom third of the lift the potential stresses of the upper arm
    are externaly rotated, so it is wise to only skip this style lift if;

    1.you have a history of subluxation at the delt girdle
    2.have a condition of hypermobility at the shoulder joint
    3.receantly had surgery of the upper body

    if you do not have a pre-existing problem or flexibility issue, then benind the neck presses or pull-downs are great.

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