What Does Dumbbell Shoulder Press Work?

[iFlexxBrahh]

I'm confused, Does it work the front head of the shoulders or the middle(The part that makes your shoulders look wide) head of the shoulder?

Let me know. Thanks.

[drudixon]

I'm confused, Does it work the front head of the shoulders or the middle(The part that makes your shoulders look wide) head of the shoulder?

Let me know. Thanks.

Exercise forum »»»

[Brackneyc]

Exercise forum »»»

I'd like an answer to that too, but no way in hell am I going to the exercise forum. Worse than the misc forum. (SRS).

[iFlexxBrahh]

I'd like an answer to that too, but no way in hell am I going to the exercise forum. Worse than the misc forum. (SRS).

lol so true, i'll go and ask there anyway

[Old-Time-Lifter]

The answer is going to be both but to different degrees based on your individual form in performing the lift. But overall the anterior head (front delt) is going to bear the brunt of the effort but the lateral head will also come into play to a varying degree depending on your form etc.

[mslman71]

Both, but primarily the anterior deltoid.

[iFlexxBrahh]

The answer is going to be both but to different degrees based on your individual form in performing the lift. But overall the anterior head (front delt) is going to bear the brunt of the effort but the lateral head will also come into play to a varying degree depending on your form etc.

Thank you, That was very helpful. Reppdd

[Minotaur]

[QUOTE=Old-Time-Lifter;804836321]...But overall the anterior head (front delt) is going to bear the brunt of the effort but the lateral head will also come into play to a varying degree depending on your form etc.

Both, but primarily the anterior deltoid.

Does this apply to barbell overhead pressing too?

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Does this apply to barbell overhead pressing too?

If you're pressing in front you'll use more anterior, if you're pressing behind your head you're going to use more lateral. But either way you're going to be hitting both heads to varying degrees.

[mslman71]

Does this apply to barbell overhead pressing too?

Yep. Look at the picture above. Muscles can only contract/relax. Look at the insertion/attachment points and you can go a step further by imagining how the humerus rotates from the start to finish position of a bar or DB press.

[TouaregV8]

Does this apply to barbell overhead pressing too?

Yes, but barbell overhead presses will recruit the triceps as well.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Yes, but barbell overhead presses may recruit the triceps to a greater degree.

I fixed that for you. The amount of tricep activation is again going to depend on the individuals form and range of motion.

[TouaregV8]

I fixed that for you. The amount of tricep activation is again going to depend on the individuals form and range of motion.

Agreed. Thank you.

[Minotaur]

If you're pressing in front you'll use more anterior, if you're pressing behind your head you're going to use more lateral. But either way you're going to be hitting both heads to varying degrees.

Very good, thanks. I only do front presses. Behind the neck will tear up my shoulders.

Yep. Look at the picture above. Muscles can only contract/relax. Look at the insertion/attachment points and you can go a step further by imagining how the humerus rotates from the start to finish position of a bar or DB press.

Will do, thanks. I never thought of that.

I have to focus more on these movements... my front delts have been greatly lacking.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Very good, thanks. I only do front presses. Behind the neck will tear up my shoulders.



Will do, thanks. I never thought of that.

I have to focus more on these movements... my front delts have been greatly lacking.

Frank have you seen this one??

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glasscut1.htm

Watch the video, I am currently using his style on both front and lateral delt raises and prefer them to other styles.

[yakabebe]

Watching guys do this and as one who uses it in my mix, the biggest thing I see guys doing really wrong is recruiting just about every other part of their body to lift the weight.

A truism that is more abused with that exercise than just about another is "Work the muscle... dont lift the weight!"

They maneuver the weight at the end of their sets to recruit gravity, fulcrum points, back muscles, spotters, momentum...anything BUT the muscle groups they're intending to hit!

For mine, the anterior head bears the most followed by the lateral head and the rear gets SFA.

And the more upright you go the more the share occurs.

As for going behind the head....I, for one, would say DON T DO IT THAT WAY. For mine, from a bio-mechanical point of view - particularly if you are predisposed to shoulder girdle injury...as an exercise... its alien to load up the joint at that angle. And the heavier you go, the more stresses and strains (unnecessary, in my view) you bring to bear.

FWIW and IMO.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Watching guys do this and as one who uses it in my mix, the biggest thing I see guys doing really wrong is recruiting just about every other part of their body to lift the weight.

A truism that is more abused with that exercise than just about another is "Work the muscle... dont lift the weight!"

They maneuver the weight at the end of their sets to recruit gravity, fulcrum points, back muscles, spotters, momentum...anything BUT the muscle groups they're intending to hit!

For mine, the anterior head bears the most followed by the lateral head and the rear gets SFA.

And the more upright you go the more the share occurs.

As for going behind the head....I, for one, would say DON T DO IT THAT WAY. For mine, from a bio-mechanical point of view - particularly if you are predisposed to shoulder girdle injury...as an exercise... its alien to load up the joint at that angle. And the heavier you go, the more stresses and strains (unnecessary, in my view) you bring to bear.

FWIW and IMO.

I don't do behind the head either but if somebody is going to do them don't go any lower than your ears. But I agree there are plenty of other movements that don't bear the potential for injury that behind the head presses do.

[Minotaur]

Frank have you seen this one??

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/glasscut1.htm

Watch the video, I am currently using his style on both front and lateral delt raises and prefer them to other styles.

Yeah, I just saw it. Someone told me about it...

Wait wut... oh you did.

Good video, thanks.

I should start doing them seated; I have a tendency to "throw" them up. With palms facing back for lateral raises, even without weight, I felt a difference. With palms facing each other for front raises, I felt a difference, even without weight.

Doing them this way used less pecs (srsly); my chest is sore from last night, so I could feel the difference. Doing the movements Glass's way does indeed isolate the delts. For the Smith presses that's exactly how I do them... seated upright and my nose as a gauge for closeness. For the upright rows, I do them wide grip, but I come up higher, which is actually a high pull for the traps. I'll have to try all these from the video.

[Meatpants]

Exercise forum »»»

Very helpful post. What would you rather we discuss in here. How polos cover too much of your bicep?

Thank you, That was very helpful. Reppdd

Lulz.

[graffiti36]

correct form- mostly anterior
just think of it this way:
press-anterior deltoid
lateral raises- lateral deltoid
face pull / bent over raises- posterior deltoid
its all about the angle and form.
note: these are the exercises that put more emphasis on each deltoid muscle

[billrich210]

If you do them standing, with good form, they work many muscles of your upper body....like pull ups.

[Getsum]

I don't do behind the head either but if somebody is going to do them don't go any lower than your ears. But I agree there are plenty of other movements that don't bear the potential for injury that behind the head presses do.

Yeah, I know there's a few exercises that I just keep light and work in the higher rep range. I did behind my head presses for years and now if I do them, I keep them on the lighter side. My shoulders can take front presses a lot better. Side laterals and upright rows are two other exercises I tend to stay light on.

[BergMuscle]

I've been doing my DB presses with my elbows forward (more like a "hammer press") and I'm finding it focuses the hit more solidly on the anterior delt.
This video is what I'm doing. (He calls them a "front raise"; some of us call them a "Scooby press" due to the guy's online name.)

[Old-Time-Lifter]

I've been doing my DB presses with my elbows forward (more like a "hammer press") and I'm finding it focuses the hit more solidly on the anterior delt.
This video is what I'm doing. (He calls them a "front raise"; some of us call them a "Scooby press" due to the guy's online name.)

That looks like a pretty good isolation on the anterior head. I'll have to give those a shot this saturday.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

Yeah, I just saw it. Someone told me about it...

Wait wut... oh you did.

Good video, thanks.

I should start doing them seated; I have a tendency to "throw" them up. With palms facing back for lateral raises, even without weight, I felt a difference. With palms facing each other for front raises, I felt a difference, even without weight.

Doing them this way used less pecs (srsly); my chest is sore from last night, so I could feel the difference. Doing the movements Glass's way does indeed isolate the delts. For the Smith presses that's exactly how I do them... seated upright and my nose as a gauge for closeness. For the upright rows, I do them wide grip, but I come up higher, which is actually a high pull for the traps. I'll have to try all these from the video.

Good luck let us know how you like them.

[JerryB]

I find doing dumbbell shoulder press works my middle deltoids to a greater degree that using a barbell for shoulder press. I try not to extend the dumbbell in the up position to the point of engaging the triceps too much.

More direct training of the middle deltoids are dumbbell or cable side laterals.

[Old-Time-Lifter]

I find doing dumbbell shoulder press works my middle deltoids to a greater degree that using a barbell for shoulder press. I try not to extend the dumbbell in the up position to the point of engaging the triceps too much.

More direct training of the middle deltoids are dumbbell or cable side laterals.

Have you ever tried Charles Glass's style of doing db side laterals? If not give it a whirl sometime.

[pharmamarketer]

I will give those a whirl. Do you prefer to do them seated or standing?

I've been doing my DB presses with my elbows forward (more like a "hammer press") and I'm finding it focuses the hit more solidly on the anterior delt.
This video is what I'm doing. (He calls them a "front raise"; some of us call them a "Scooby press" due to the guy's online name.)

[JerryB]

Have you ever tried Charles Glass's style of doing db side laterals? If not give it a whirl sometime.

I read about his style. If you know of a website showing or describing how to do them, I would appreciate the reference. I'll try Google too.

[AugustusMcCrae]

The answer is going to be both but to different degrees based on your individual form in performing the lift. But overall the anterior head (front delt) is going to bear the brunt of the effort but the lateral head will also come into play to a varying degree depending on your form etc.

This!

The best thing to do is perform multiple sets with multiple rep ranges and weight, and determine where it most effects you.