Behind-the-neck Military Press......What does it work?

[Prime Rib]

I tried doing some today, couldn't actually figure out what this is suppose to do. I felt it MOSTLY in my triceps. What is this lift mainly for? Shoulders? Back?

 

[crew9]

It's good for messing up the shoulders of lots of people, not everyone, and also making me miss a few weeks of my vball season.

 

[gymtime]

It's a shoulder excercise. But injury prone. If you have weak rotators, I'd avoid them.

 

[ANABOLICK1]

I can't fathom how anyone can do those. It's a VERY unnatural movement. IMO, totally unnecessary for developing shoulders.

 

[The Red Dragon]

Behind the neck military press

Target

Deltoid, Anterior
Synergists

Deltoid, Lateral
Supraspinatus
Triceps Brachii
Trapezius, Middle
Trapezius, Lower
Serratus Anterior, Inferior Digitations
Dynamic Stabilizers

Triceps, Long Head
Stabilizers

Trapezius, Upper
Levator Scapulae

VS

Regular military press

Target

Deltoid, Anterior
Synergists

Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
Triceps Brachii
Deltoid, Lateral
Trapezius, Middle
Trapezius, Lower
Serratus Anterior, Inferior Digitations
Dynamic Stabilizers

Triceps, Long Head
Biceps Brachii, Short Head
Stabilizers

Trapezius, Upper
Levator Scapulae


They're similar but not exact, but it's not worth ruining your shoulders. You might as well do regular military press. Plus reg.military helps you build a thick upper chest apparently. Few people are biomechanically designed to handle a behind the neck press. If something feels awkward and unatural I wouldn't bother doing it.

 

[megad]

Just bring them to the top of your chest and push back up. They works great for me at 5x5., been adding 10lbs a week without a problem lately.

 

[gymtime]

Behind the neck military press

Target

Deltoid, Anterior
Synergists

Deltoid, Lateral
Supraspinatus
Triceps Brachii
Trapezius, Middle
Trapezius, Lower
Serratus Anterior, Inferior Digitations
Dynamic Stabilizers

Triceps, Long Head
Stabilizers

Trapezius, Upper
Levator Scapulae

VS

Regular military press

Target

Deltoid, Anterior
Synergists

Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
Triceps Brachii
Deltoid, Lateral
Trapezius, Middle
Trapezius, Lower
Serratus Anterior, Inferior Digitations
Dynamic Stabilizers

Triceps, Long Head
Biceps Brachii, Short Head
Stabilizers

Trapezius, Upper
Levator Scapulae


They're similar but not exact, but it's not worth ruining your shoulders. You might as well do regular military press. Plus reg.military helps you build a thick upper chest apparently. Few people are biomechanically designed to handle a behind the neck press. If something feels awkward and unatural I wouldn't bother doing it.

Agreed. I'll do behind the neck once in a great while for a change up. I've never had shoulder problems and I admit they do feel good to me. However I mostly stick to military with bar or dbs.

 

[The Red Dragon]

Maybe you have well designed shoulders. It feels awkward to me.

 

[Ivan Danko]

It's good for messing up the shoulders of lots of people, not everyone, and also making me miss a few weeks of my vball season.

I think that if done correctly this exercise is not dangerous at all. Although if you have been doing all of your shoulder and chest work in the anterior you will need to start extremely light with these. Also for volleyball i would say these are almost a must becuase of serving and spiking movements. In these you come from the posterior anyway i think by not diong them you are setting yourself up for injury.

 

[gymtime]

Well it's certainly not the most comfortable lift I do. And I never put up a bunch of weight on them. But I do like stretch i get in the front delts.