# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > WORKOUT AND TRAINING >  Behind the neck press vs military?

## IM708

Anyone have a preference? I have always done behind the neck press. But I do have some questions about it.

-The form I always use for it is I bring the bar down until my upper arm reaches parallel with the floor. From my understanding you are more susceptable to injury from choosing behind the neck vs military which is why I only go to parallel. Is that correct or is my logic flawed?

-Anytime you change position you target muscles differently. Is behind the neck more isolatory to the delts vs military or is there not a significant difference?

-Would you recommend military press in place of it and if so, why?

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## PC650

behind the neck!, but i usualy switch every couple weeks to military,but i still love behind the neck better! :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## stpete

You are correct. I've always been told not to do behind the neck just for that reason. A majority of people in my gym don't do them.

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## Papa Smurf

Im 47, had both rotor cuffs repaired and I love behind the neck presses. Just wished someone had told me to only go 90 degress with arm. Maybe would have saved a shoulder or 2.

So easy to cheat on military presses. Movement gets heavy, out slides your butt and your doing an incline!

Behind the neck is do or die! Hard to cheat that movement.

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## irish_2003

i like bnp for delt development more than military press, however, bnp has always reaggravated my rotator cuff injuries and i can't go heavy or mid reps on them anymore so i always fall back on front press anyway

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## F4iGuy

I avoid behind the neck. It was my favorite exercise but all it took was 1 set of improper form and boom.... injury. If you do it don't go below your ears on the way down.

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## dangerous dan

> I avoid behind the neck. It was my favorite exercise but all it took was 1 set of improper form and boom.... injury. If you do it don't go below your ears on the way down.


wish i had read this thread erlia, usualy no probs with behind the neck....but at this moment in time, i feel as though i have strained my neck just got back from gym and its in agony :Frown:

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## operationgetbig

behind the neck is good cause it hit all 3 heads of the deltoid. i usually go in front then make sure i hit my rear delts extra hard.

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## Narkissos

> So easy to cheat on military presses. Movement gets heavy, out slides your butt and your doing an incline!
> 
> Behind the neck is do or die! Hard to cheat that movement.


Agreed.

It's been my primary delt exercise for as long as I've been training.

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## Ronnie Rowland

The behind the neck press puts more emphasis on the meidal deltoid than front presses. I like using a smith machine with this exercise to gain more control.

I also like seated cables presses because it allows me to keep the elbows back without pushing my neck in a forward position.

I also agree oen should not come down too far and that many people turn shoulder presses into an upper chest movement by arching their lower backs in order to lift more weight.

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## rockinred

Good bro advice on here... but everytime I try behind the neck with some good weight, I feel a ton of stress and stretch on the front.. almost to the point were it hurts... so I chicken out and stick to the front.  :Smilie:

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## IM708

> Agreed.
> 
> It's been my primary delt exercise for as long as I've been training.





> The behind the neck press puts more emphasis on the meidal deltoid than front presses. I like using a smith machine with this exercise to gain more control.
> 
> I also like seated cables presses because it allows me to keep the elbows back without pushing my neck in a forward position.
> 
> I also agree oen should not come down too far and that many people turn shoulder presses into an upper chest movement by arching their lower backs in order to lift more weight.


^^^Quality resonses (including ones I didn't quote), thank you 




> Good bro advice on here... but everytime I try behind the neck with some good weight, I feel a ton of stress and stretch on the front.. almost to the point were it hurts... so I chicken out and stick to the front.


 When I first started doing it was uncomfortable. But after enough repetition with controlled good form it starts to feel natural.

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## ninesecz

I actually do both... I try and do sets of 10.. 1 i front to my chin, one in back one in front one in back etc.etc.. when i get done with 4 sets of those and 2 sets of heavy DB arnold presses, my shoulders are on FIRE

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## kickinit

I just wanted to add I did shoulders last night and I do laterals for a warm-up, Military press with dumbells (machine, good squeeze), and then behind the neck on the smith machine (love it) this is where the good pain/pumps is KICKIN LIKE BRUCE LEE.... I love behing the neck, but yes you got to be careful. I never go lower then my ears with the bar, and never push too much weight. 225lbs is about my max, I know I could lift more, but I get an excellent pump doing one heavy and then switching to like 135lbs and little higher reps but slow and controlled.

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## eatrainrest

> *behind the neck is good cause it hit all 3 heads of the deltoid. i usually go in front then make sure i hit my rear delts extra hard*.


behind the neck presses do not target the posterior delt, nor does military press. and there is more risk of injury associated with doing behind the neck presses

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## swol_je

If I do behind the neck presses, it has to be on a smith machine, but I find that standing presses to the front work just as well. I always try to throw in some smith machine every now and then.

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## xnotoriousx

Military press, seated DB and standing overhead presses for the mother load of love movements

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## IM708

> behind the neck presses do not target the posterior delt, nor does military press. and there is more risk of injury associated with doing behind the neck presses


 That is true there is greater risk but that's why you do it right and likely hood drops dramatically.

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## eatrainrest

> That is true there is greater risk but that's why you do it right and likely hood drops dramatically.


military press will target the same muscle groups with less likelihood of injury... my top choice of the two

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## FireGuy

This is one exercise where I feel DB's are the best option. I agree front presses to often turn into incline presses and behind the neck is too much stress on the rotator cuff for many people. With DB's you can split the difference. I prefer to go upper arms slightly below parallel to where to DB's stop about an inch from touching my shoulders.

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## nbaylot33

I like behind the back on the smith machine to make sure I dont stray off the path. I also love DB's for the presses, I usually just switch them every week. But, I have to agree with most that the military can easily turn into incline press.

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## green22

I like both but never go to heavy with behind the necks.

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## stevey_6t9

would do behind the neck if u want bad shoulders. front barbell press hits alot of front delt not so much medial. reccomend dumbell shoulder presses

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