How to do the barbell press from behind the head in any of the positions: sitting or standing. The technique for performing the exercise is also described in the video. Large, muscular shoulders are the defining trait of a strong man, which will impress women and command respect from other men. Bodybuilders, bodybuilders, and other athletes are focusing on developing their deltas.
The overhead press perfectly complements the military press and adds variety to your routine shoulder workout.
All standing and seated presses focus their work on helping to build beautiful, muscular shoulders. The barbell press behind the head is an effective basic exercise that involves several muscle groups at the same time. It serves as an occasional replacement for the classic bench press, and adds a twist to the upper body workout split.
Pressing the bar from behind the head is much more difficult than pressing from the chest, since the shoulder girdle and spine take an unnatural position and the shoulder joint is limited in range of motion. That is why it is recommended to take a little less weight when pressing from behind the head than with a classic press.
The main goal of the exercise is to pump your shoulders qualitatively. The main load when performing a bench press falls on the anterior and middle bundles of the deltoid muscles. Additionally, triceps, trapezius and rhomboid muscles of the back, supraspinatus muscle, serratus anterior muscle work in the process. Weights work well on the upper body, stimulating the growth of strength and mass in the shoulder girdle.
To perform the bench press from behind the head while standing, you need the minimum that exists in any gym - a rack with a barbell and pancakes to increase weight. To do a seated press, you need an incline bench with an almost straight back. In addition, in both cases, you should get special shoes (weightlifting shoes) and a weightlifting belt if the athlete's plans for the future set goals to work with large weights. The latter will reduce the risk of traumatic situations due to rigid fixation of the spine and stabilization of intra-abdominal pressure.
Technique for performing a barbell press from behind the head
Many coaches advise not to overuse the overhead press and only use it on special occasions. When performing the exercise, the deltoid muscles are loaded to the maximum - this is a plus; at the same time, the shoulder joints almost cry from their unnatural position - this is a tangible minus.
It turns out that the press from behind the head is effective, but you need to approach it with full responsibility and not chase the regular increase in the load. It is advisable to perform it with minimal weight as an auxiliary exercise. At the introductory stage, you can even use a gymnastic stick so that the shoulders "accept" the biomechanics of actions and develop good flexibility.
- Straighten up in the back, without large deflections in the lower back, and even more so without a hint of stoop. The head should also be held in a fixed position throughout the set and looking straight ahead.
- The abs and back muscles must be constantly under static tension to maintain balance.
- Remove the bar from the stops and take it on your chest with a straight grip slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Inhale and with a powerful muscle effort lift the bar up so that the bar is overhead, without bending forward or backward. At the top, hold your breath and tighten your shoulder muscles even more.
- The position of the elbows should be strictly perpendicular to the bar, both in the upper and in the lower phase of the amplitude. Make sure they "look" away from the body.
- As you exhale, gently lower the barbell behind your head until your elbows are bent at a right angle. If the exercise is performed while sitting, the projectile is allowed to touch the upper back (just below the shoulders), if standing, the bar should be suspended.
- Do the scheduled number of repetitions.
Pressing from behind the head while sitting more clearly accentuates the load on the shoulder girdle, because the work of the muscles responsible for maintaining the body in balance is significantly reduced here. When the target muscles are loaded, the connective tissue is in a static position because the compression load does not pass through the legs. As a result, the seated press is less effective for gaining muscle mass. There are many machines that allow you to do the overhead press in a simplified and safe way. One of these is the Smith simulator. On the simulator, you can hone your technique to the ideal and only then switch to free weights.
Indications and contraindications for performing the exercise
It is not recommended to include the press from behind the head in their programs for people who have previously had injuries in the shoulder area or who are unsure of their shoulder joints, since in these cases the risk of an accident increases significantly even if all safety rules and correct execution technique are followed …
Each time the barbell is lowered behind the head, the shoulder joints assume a rather unstable position, especially when it comes to using large weights. Weak muscles that hold the joint in the correct position can pump up and present a not very pleasant surprise in the form of dislocations and subluxations of the articular head of the humerus.
For all other athletes, the overhead press will be a good addition to the list of upper body loads. The exercise is suitable both for beginners, who are just at the beginning of the path to beautiful deltas, and for experienced athletes who are constantly preparing for serious competition.
Both at the stage of familiarization with the press, and during work with large weights, one cannot neglect the services of a trainer or the help of a gym partner, who will help to apply the barbell to straight arms and insure when lifting from the lowest point of the amplitude.
Using a variety of techniques to perform the bench press will surprise and shock your upper body muscles every time. Therefore, the training arsenal must include both the classic army bench press and many other variations of the exercise.
Even if you have sufficient training experience, the first step is to do a full-body stretch and warm-up sets of an empty bar press, which will prepare the muscles for a serious load. Regular strength training will surely thank you with broad, rounded shoulders of a voluminous "appetizing" shape.
Video about the technique of performing the barbell press exercise from behind the head:
