Behind The Neck Press - Evil??

**domeyeahaigh** · 07-12-2007, 09:33 PM

Someone clear this up for me, I have heard so much bad about behind the neck press and never believed it until I actually fractured my clavicle last august doing it.

It was one of my favorite workouts and my gains were constant, also I noticed whatever I could do on behind the neck press I could do on incline so as that went up so did incline I loved this!

Someone please clear this up for me as I realize that I probably made some mistakes in my form but is there a safe way to do it or should we just always stick with in front of the head??

**kaberle_15** · 07-12-2007, 09:43 PM

Since you have already injured yourself I would say the safest thing is not to do it at all or use a light comfortable weight.

**JAYROD** · 07-12-2007, 09:58 PM

i never do them behind the neck for that very reason. that and it just feels awkward to me anyway. i only use db's and sometimes machines for any shoulder pressing movements.

**Squatman51** · 07-12-2007, 10:05 PM

i like doing them i never have any pain though if i did i would not do them

**(1*)** · 07-13-2007, 03:42 AM

i read an article one time that said it is not worth the risk doing them and actually works the muscles in a less effective way.

**Kale** · 07-13-2007, 05:47 AM

IMO one of the most retarded and unnatural exercises around !!!

**rodosman** · 07-13-2007, 08:13 AM

I use behind the necks at the end of my workout using lighter weight for reps of at least 10. I think if you do them first and do them heavy it can be dangerous. Also, smith machine is very helpful for this exact exercise

**dwaynewade** · 07-13-2007, 08:32 AM

I read somewhere that long ago barbell sh presses was the most popular exercise for the upper body. The article I read compared and contrasted the bench press and sh press and its relation to shoulder injuries and strength. In conclusion based on tests and studies. The shoulder press increased more strength in the upper body and also showed a decrease in shoulder injuries.

IMO i think Sh presses are fine if performed on your frontal plane and only lowered to 90 degrees or slightly lower...

**yungfaceb3** · 07-13-2007, 10:44 AM

In doing barbell shoulder presses behind the neck I will never go below the point at which the bar is even with my ears..this provides me with a good 90 degree motion that i actually feel alot and recieve a great pump from. It works the muscles differently than bb sh presses to the front and should be done to help achieve overall strength and development. I have never had any problems with doing them and even when going heavy i always do them safely. In regards to babrbell sh presses to the front i will lower the bench only a single knotch so it is only like 7-10 degrees (depending on the bench) away from being 90degrees to the floor and will lower the bb all the way down to my collar bone or just above it...this really isolates the fron delts and provides a crucial muscle contraction and stretch that forces my shoulders into growth.

**godkilla** · 07-13-2007, 03:47 PM

ok so lemme get this straight. you didnt beleive people when they told you behind the neck shoulder press was not good for you. you then broke your collar bone doing behind the neck shoulder press. and now your asking us if its ok to do behind the neck shoulder press?!

**passthetest** · 07-14-2007, 12:38 PM

haha yah what the hell obviosly something is wrong with it if you broke your collar bone.

**jerseyboy** · 07-14-2007, 07:03 PM

I can't even get my arms back that far. I have a hard time getting my hands on the bar doing squats.

**anaBROLIC** · 07-14-2007, 09:06 PM

ya the excercise is pretty pointless. it does more harm then good. i had made my rotator cuff injury worse then it was when i was younger. i have garbage shoulders now but dont get much of any pain in them unless i come close to that movement.

**the big lebowski** · 07-16-2007, 11:50 PM

i think the reason most cant do this exercise (without injury) is because they dont do any rotator cuff warm up at all.i do 3 minutes of jump rope then sidelying L flys, arm circles, and a couple other rotator cuff warm ups all at a low weight (like 5lbs)high rep and my shoulders have never felt better when doing bench or behind the neck press

**C_Bino** · 07-17-2007, 12:04 AM

Originally Posted by jerseyboy

I can't even get my arms back that far. I have a hard time getting my hands on the bar doing squats.

Why is that? Did you previously have a shoulder injury as well?

**InsaneInTheMembrane** · 07-17-2007, 12:41 AM

That exercise puts your body in a very awkward position. If you go heavy, it can wreck havoc, like you experienced first hand. I did it once and will never do it again.

With so many exercises out there, I think you can afford to pass on this one. After your clavicle injury , you'd be foolish to continue with it.

**Superhuman** · 07-17-2007, 12:02 PM

I don't do presses or pulldowns behind-the-neck because it's too dangerous... I know SOOO many people who have f*cked up their shoulders/rotator cuffs with those exercises

**hagan981** · 07-17-2007, 12:26 PM

I have never read anything good about behind the neck presses. They allign everything in your shoulders up the wrong way. If you are going to do them make sure you do them light. Seeing as though you already hurt yourself i would have to agree that you should stay away. Personally they hurt my shoulders when i do them.

**jerseyboy** · 07-17-2007, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by C_Bino

Why is that? Did you previously have a shoulder injury as well?

I have bone spurs in both shoulders. The doc says it's from working over my head alot as a mechanic. They wanted to do arthroscopic surgery and shave down some bone but I said to hell with that. It doesn't hurt that much.

**domeyeahaigh** · 07-18-2007, 11:18 AM

actually I mean I hear conflicting reports on it all the time obviously got a little too strong a little too quick was working with 205 wei***ng 155-165 repping it out nicely, someing in my clavicle cracked a little bit and it just has not been the same since, but I did get awesome exercises from it and I love it but just wont do it anymore

**domeyeahaigh** · 07-18-2007, 11:19 AM

as i typed that out i realized that after 1 full year my shoulder is mostly back to normal

**domeyeahaigh** · 07-18-2007, 11:19 AM

but I will no doubt stick with front press all the time now

**Pro_built7** · 07-18-2007, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by godkilla

ok so lemme get this straight. you didnt beleive people when they told you behind the neck shoulder press was not good for you. you then broke your collar bone doing behind the neck shoulder press. and now your asking us if its ok to do behind the neck shoulder press?!

LMFAO.... man that cracked me up.

dude, exactly. i suggest not doing them anymore