I have a good OHP for my BW, but I want more boulder shoulder effect. I find my traps take a lot of the hit from lateral DB raises. Any high intensity OHP variants to hit at least the mid delt a little harder? Everyone and their mother says to avoid behind the head presses hence my asking here.
MESO-Rx
Anabolic Steroids
Best OHP variant for med/post delts
- Thread starter cfreetenor
- Start date
Behind the neck presses are OK if they don’t hurt and aren’t done every session.
In general pressing will always be front delt dominant. But you can try sitting backwards on a HS Shoulder Press (facing into the pad) and working your way up in weight.
If you’re feeling raises in your traps it’s bexusee you’re not focusing on:
-locking your scapulae down and keeping them from moving
-moving the dumbbell “out” from you instead of “up”
The only thing that matters is how high your elbow goes, and if you’re shrugging a raise it’s too heavy or your form was never good.
High Rows are a great medial delt movement as well if they don’t hurt.
In general pressing will always be front delt dominant. But you can try sitting backwards on a HS Shoulder Press (facing into the pad) and working your way up in weight.
If you’re feeling raises in your traps it’s bexusee you’re not focusing on:
-locking your scapulae down and keeping them from moving
-moving the dumbbell “out” from you instead of “up”
The only thing that matters is how high your elbow goes, and if you’re shrugging a raise it’s too heavy or your form was never good.
High Rows are a great medial delt movement as well if they don’t hurt.
Behind the head feels fine for me thanks for the confirmation. I did a single a long time ago 155lbs at rpe8 after repping 135. No pain or dysfunction following.
What’s your cues for high rows?
What’s your cues for high rows?
LeoTC
Member
This.
Medial and Posterior Raises are for the delts. But a lot of people load up the weight, keep loose through the scapula, and end up using their rhomboids and traps to move the weight.
I've never really gone over 25lbs with either movement. I can, but I'd be better off just rowing at that point.
Hit a tri-set of vertical rows, medial, and posterior flies. Three sets on both chest and shoulder day as a finisher will round you out pretty quickly.
And shit'll fry you. :/
But in a good way.
For high Rows, grab whichever bar feels best on your wrists (I find gripping an ezbar on the “outward” facing angle is best). Keep your hands inside shoulder width but not crazy close. Drive your elbows out until they stop coming up. People exaggerate this movement and create stress in the joint. The row stops once elbows stop rising.
The real cue here is get your elbows as far apart as possible.
You can make this an overall shouldr girdle mass builder by not focusing on elbow drive outward and focusing on “pulling” but again, once the elbows stop rising the concentric should end.
This can also be done with DBs, but i find that’s a bit more advanced once you’ve mastered the bar movement. Much more difficult to be consistent with DBs.
Worf
Member
Upright rowz, side lateral raises
This was all very helpful thank you very much.
Wide snatch grip presses with waiter walks after. Think me later.
LeoTC
Member
Great for overhead shrugs.
But actually tried pressing that way once, like to try new things, and only got like a 3" range of motion. It also blew the fuck outta my shoulders.
Ever use a trap bar to finish off an OHP/Shoulder day?
Wide grip presses blow me too. My upper back and traps are blown up and take over if I’m not careful. Behind the head works better for me because I can set the traps and lats tight and shave that tension into the delts.
I use the trap bar often, many times even in the main lift. Love it.Great for overhead shrugs.
But actually tried pressing that way once, like to try new things, and only got like a 3" range of motion. It also blew the fuck outta my shoulders.
Ever use a trap bar to finish off an OHP/Shoulder day?
And you have to have good shoulder mobility to do the snatch grip press. At least try the waiter walks with a wide grip. The angle puts the delts in slight occulusion similar to blood flow restriction training does for other muscle.
weighted chinup
Member
Seated Dumbbell Press with band tension (red mini bands) actually produces a nice effect for side delts when performed properly with a sensible weight. I incorporate this lift during a 10-12rm mesocycle.
It would still be considered and tracked as front delt volume, however, but if you want a bit more "spill over" then it's a good choice.
I would strongly advise further experimentation with cues and technique to nail the execution of your lateral raises, however. There are simply too many variants to rule it out.
BTN presses have mobility requirements that the average lifter doesn't meet. If you meet them, incorporate them sparingly with a conservative approach to overloading.
It would still be considered and tracked as front delt volume, however, but if you want a bit more "spill over" then it's a good choice.
I would strongly advise further experimentation with cues and technique to nail the execution of your lateral raises, however. There are simply too many variants to rule it out.
BTN presses have mobility requirements that the average lifter doesn't meet. If you meet them, incorporate them sparingly with a conservative approach to overloading.
