Question about the Military Press, Standing

[Longhorn85]

I like to do miliary presses with dumbells while standing. I like the way it works my delts, but it seems like I lean back a little too much as the weight gets heavy. I am wondering what muscles do or do not get worked as I lean back?

 

[Lord_Suston]

as you start to lean back your pectorals are going to be used, imagine you can lean back even further, it rtesembles an incline press and we all know that uses chest...

 

[Longhorn85]

So how do you focus/isolate the delts while doing standing MP? I prefer standing over sitting.

 

[Lord_Suston]

When I lift doing standing I partialkly squat so I have a good center of gravity, then I usually look staright ahead so I don't tilt back. Also having a spotter who put his hand on your back to make sure you don't lean helps as well....

 

[Longhorn85]

When I lift doing standing I partialkly squat so I have a good center of gravity, then I usually look staright ahead so I don't tilt back. Also having a spotter who put his hand on your back to make sure you don't lean helps as well....

good tip, thanks

 

[gymtime]

I know I'm gonna get killed for this, but the leaning thing is one good reason I do behind the neck presses. I know they're injury prone, but I've never had so much as a strain in any shoulder muscle in several years. I like them because you can do them seated, and they are cheat proof.

 

[Longhorn85]

by behind the neck you mean using a barbell?

 

[gymtime]

Yessir

 

[Longhorn85]

but won't you get a more symmetrical workout using dumbells?

 

[gymtime]

but won't you get a more symmetrical workout using dumbells?

Symmetry stopped being a concern for me long ago. All I care about now is looking decent in a tshirt!

As for the dbs, I do use them on military presses. Only when I do, I purposely lean back on a straight back bench and go for the front delts a little more. I'll typically go two or three weeks with dbs, then two or three on the bar either behind the neck or in front.

 

[b fold the truth]

Yeah...I hate it when I am not symmetrical...lol...

Seriously...worry about being "pretty" when you are big enough...NOT now!!!!

B True

 

[Longhorn85]

Yeah...I hate it when I am not symmetrical...lol...

Seriously...worry about being "pretty" when you are big enough...NOT now!!!!

B True

Come on now B, all of us don't have the same goals. I am not going to compete with you for strongman (which you'll win, of course). At 6', 210 I want to be strong, cut and symmetrical.

 

[b fold the truth]

I understand that...but if you spend all of your time, or a lot of it anyway, focusing on being cut and symmetrical...you will never have the size needed to do well in bodybuilding...

People ask me all the time how I have gained my OVERALL thickness. Not just big pecs, shoulder, etc...but OVERALL thickness. I have always done heavy compound movements...movements which make EVERYTHING grow...

B True

 

[Longhorn85]

I'm all for the major compound movements. As an army guy I'm required to run so much and keep my weight around 200 for my height. So it won't be until after I hang up the boots for good that I'll go huge. I can retire in 3 yrs, and if I do, I'm looking to grow up to about 240!