ParamountStrong
First Post
To the Barbell folks out there.
I've received much criticism for my use of the behind the neck press, but have never subjected my reasoning for using it to critiques by other barbell enthusiasts. The following is an article I wrote last year explaining how we use it and why. I'm looking to open a debate on this movement and find out a little bit more on why it's been banished from our strength toolbox. Don't pull any punches. I'm here for StrongFirst's opinions.
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The standing front press is a fantastic exercise for the development of the upper body, but many folks run into trouble with long plateaus and pain or pinching during this lift. The pain associated with the front press often keeps people from training it resulting in the loss of this training staple. So, what’s the secret you ask? Behind the neck presses. I know that so-called fitness experts, gurus, and supposed specialists have condemned this lift, but I’m here to say that anything done wrong is bad for you. The simple truth is that the behind the neck press, done right, is great for you. Sure, if you do the behind the neck press with a very narrow grip or too much weight it can be an issue, but done properly this lift will cause your front press to skyrocket, eliminate shoulder instability, and cause your testosterone to shoot up so high that you can impregnate women just by looking at them. It’s science.
The shoulder in most American men is trained inappropriately. If you don’t believe me go into a 24 hour fitness on International Bench Press Day (Monday) and count the dudes in line for the 4 bench press stations. Next hang out at the one powerrack all week and count how many people are doing presses. This example is to say that the front of the shoulder is focused on while the rest of the shoulder and it’s constituents are hung out to dry.
This is also obvious in the rounding of the shoulders forward in most built American men. The overpowering front delt pulls the shoulder forward out of it’s appropriate articulation. This is not a great place for the shoulder to take copious amounts of stress, i.e. lifting bar bending weights above one’s head. The forward articulation of the shoulder causes the bar to travel forward during the upward motion of the press. This creates a moment arm (physics) on the shoulder creating an inappropriate amount of stress on the rotator cuff. This is where all that pinching business begins and press training ends.
The Remedy: Behind The Neck Presses
Once you’ve encountered a plateau in your press or a pinch in your range of motion it’s time to switch to behind the neck presses for a while. You see, the front press focuses on primarily anterior (front of the body) muscles. The behind the neck press recruits the triceps, lateral delts, traps, and rhomboids. Training the muscles behind the shoulder and that support the shoulder is the best way to increase shoulder stability and blow past plateaus. To start you want to perform a few behind the neck presses with a broom handle, PVC pipe, or empty barbell. You’re going to take a grip that is wider than shoulder width and place the bar in the same place it would go in the back squat. Stand straight up, squeeze your abdomen, and glutes, as you drive the bar to full extension above your head. You want to keep this bar right behind your ears during it’s whole travel. Lower the bar slowly to the hairline on your neck and return to full extension. The only rep your performing off of your back is the first one. When the reps are completed lower the bar slowly to the back squat position bending your knees to absorb the impact and take stress off the shoulder. Once you’ve done a few reps and sets with little to no weight at all it’s time to move on to the weighted behind the neck press. START WITH THE BAR. A 45lb bar is plenty. Do 3 sets of 12 three times a week (M-W-F). Every workout add a 5lb plate to each side. When you plateau with this take 10lb. off the weight you failed on and perform that weight for your next workout. When you reach your second plateau it’s time to go back to front presses. You’re shoulder won’t pinch anymore, you’re press will shoot up, and you’ll impregnate women just by looking at them
I've received much criticism for my use of the behind the neck press, but have never subjected my reasoning for using it to critiques by other barbell enthusiasts. The following is an article I wrote last year explaining how we use it and why. I'm looking to open a debate on this movement and find out a little bit more on why it's been banished from our strength toolbox. Don't pull any punches. I'm here for StrongFirst's opinions.
______________________________________________________
The standing front press is a fantastic exercise for the development of the upper body, but many folks run into trouble with long plateaus and pain or pinching during this lift. The pain associated with the front press often keeps people from training it resulting in the loss of this training staple. So, what’s the secret you ask? Behind the neck presses. I know that so-called fitness experts, gurus, and supposed specialists have condemned this lift, but I’m here to say that anything done wrong is bad for you. The simple truth is that the behind the neck press, done right, is great for you. Sure, if you do the behind the neck press with a very narrow grip or too much weight it can be an issue, but done properly this lift will cause your front press to skyrocket, eliminate shoulder instability, and cause your testosterone to shoot up so high that you can impregnate women just by looking at them. It’s science.
The shoulder in most American men is trained inappropriately. If you don’t believe me go into a 24 hour fitness on International Bench Press Day (Monday) and count the dudes in line for the 4 bench press stations. Next hang out at the one powerrack all week and count how many people are doing presses. This example is to say that the front of the shoulder is focused on while the rest of the shoulder and it’s constituents are hung out to dry.
This is also obvious in the rounding of the shoulders forward in most built American men. The overpowering front delt pulls the shoulder forward out of it’s appropriate articulation. This is not a great place for the shoulder to take copious amounts of stress, i.e. lifting bar bending weights above one’s head. The forward articulation of the shoulder causes the bar to travel forward during the upward motion of the press. This creates a moment arm (physics) on the shoulder creating an inappropriate amount of stress on the rotator cuff. This is where all that pinching business begins and press training ends.
The Remedy: Behind The Neck Presses
Once you’ve encountered a plateau in your press or a pinch in your range of motion it’s time to switch to behind the neck presses for a while. You see, the front press focuses on primarily anterior (front of the body) muscles. The behind the neck press recruits the triceps, lateral delts, traps, and rhomboids. Training the muscles behind the shoulder and that support the shoulder is the best way to increase shoulder stability and blow past plateaus. To start you want to perform a few behind the neck presses with a broom handle, PVC pipe, or empty barbell. You’re going to take a grip that is wider than shoulder width and place the bar in the same place it would go in the back squat. Stand straight up, squeeze your abdomen, and glutes, as you drive the bar to full extension above your head. You want to keep this bar right behind your ears during it’s whole travel. Lower the bar slowly to the hairline on your neck and return to full extension. The only rep your performing off of your back is the first one. When the reps are completed lower the bar slowly to the back squat position bending your knees to absorb the impact and take stress off the shoulder. Once you’ve done a few reps and sets with little to no weight at all it’s time to move on to the weighted behind the neck press. START WITH THE BAR. A 45lb bar is plenty. Do 3 sets of 12 three times a week (M-W-F). Every workout add a 5lb plate to each side. When you plateau with this take 10lb. off the weight you failed on and perform that weight for your next workout. When you reach your second plateau it’s time to go back to front presses. You’re shoulder won’t pinch anymore, you’re press will shoot up, and you’ll impregnate women just by looking at them