Bodybuilding Forums

I like to ask the question of Range Of Motion when doing shoulder press?
I usually do shoulder press while seated and using a barbell, the range of motion I use is I lower the bar to around ear or nose height which I find I can use a good amount of weight by using this style.

I was wondering is there any benefit using a full ROM by lowering the bar to collar bone?

The only trouble with a full range of motion for shoulder press, is that the triceps comes into play too much and can take from the delts, also going to chest can cause some shoulder issues for some people like myself, I always lower to chin and press out without locking.

Thanks krs, I ask the question because a guy at the gym said I should be using a full rang of motion but my shoulders always hurt really bad the next day and this is not muscle soreness more Shoulder pain?

I prefer to use dumbells then barbell for shoulder press. I find its a more natural movement and I can use full range of motion.

I do like dumbbell press but I train alone and when going heavy it's a bit of a task getting into posistion.

I train alone as well and what I found works well is to stand and bend my legs and use them to drive up and pop the dumbells up on my shoulders and then sit down on a 80 degree bench and go from there.

Were theres a will theres always a way Thanks Vanguard1965

I've always done my shoulder press as full range when doing front press/military press, with hands shoulder width apart and pushing head forward when the bar passes it on the way up and pulling my head back so the bar just passes my nose on the way down.
When doing press behind head I only go to the bottom of my ears and pause before pressing the bar back up. Hand spacing on this move is wider than shoulder width so that your forearms are at right angles to the floor when in the lowest position.
D/Bs allow you to go full range as well, but I like to keep mine wide at the top of the move to keep the tension on the shoulders. I find letting them come in to touch at the top takes the tension off the shoulder and makes the move easier.
D/Bs are good for doing Arnold Press, neutral grip press,alternate press both seated or standing. Sometimes you can handle more weight when you do alternate press with D/Bs, as you can put all you effort into pushing just one D/B up at a time.
Just remember when pressing overhead, not to overload the bar or go too heavy with the D/Bs as it's very easy with this exercise to pull your back as you tend to twist when pressing.

God luck!

Hey stickupkid

I use full range of motion on the barbell press myself and i have found it has built my shoulders up better and the old tri's have benefited from it as well to build big shoulders and chest you need big tri's, if you see bodybuilders with big shoulders you will def see big tri's they complement each other, what i do even yet as im adding weight to the press is i use full rom and as i start to tire i go to about the chin and progress weekly i use the smith for barbell press which i find helps if i get stuck, although i do know where krs is coming from too but if you dont have issues go for it.

Out of curiosity what is your hand position while pressing? this could just be the cause of your shoulder pain as you describe it, you want to be well ouside shoulder width.

Thanks for the info graham, I have never done press behind neck as eveybody tells me it's a injury waiting to happen?

LALA I use wider than shoulder grip when I,m doing seated barbell press, I was thinking of doing Arnold press are they any good I ask as you don't see many bodybuilders doing them?