Peak_Power
New Member
In my never ending quest to hit the lateral delts with a big compound, I've started doing Behind The Neck Press, because I was finding Military Press to hit more the anterior delt and upper pecks.
They've been really effective, and I can see the difference in my lateral delts already, and they get the pump and pain of a muscle that's been worked, which I didn't get from MP.
And they're better in a balanced program that Upright Row, because they use the triceps as synergists, so I have Dips and BTN Press for tris, and Bent Over Row and Pull Ups for bis, which is 2 each (as opposed to 3 for bis and 1 for tris if I did upright row).
Some words of caution though:
-Stretch your pecs and internal rotators first (put your arm bent against a wall), so you can get your arms far enough back to not have to strain your neck forward.
-Lift it from MP starting position over your head and rest it on the back of your shoulders (like a squat) to get yourself set up and ready.
-Make sure your neck is more or less upright (it can be a little forward, but not too much). If you're inflexible in the pecs then you'll find it hard to have your arms back far enough, so do some stretching.
-Be VERY careful with raising and lowering the bar into position, especially lowering. I made the mistake of flipping the bar over my head and letting it fall, which has pulled my scapula out and injured the muscles just below it (probably the rhomboid or lower trap). The safe way to lower it is to lift it over your head so you're holding it in front of your face like Military Press, then lower it controlled to the floor. You have to pause holding it at your chest, don't just flip it over your head and let it drop, it'll pull your scapula forward under load.
-I'm in the last week of 10s now, And the load is getting heavy. Not sure how I'll go with heavy 5s. May have to switch to MP for safety's sake.
I wouldn't recommend BTN Press for noobies or people that don't have great form when doing exercises, they are much risker than the average exercise (more risky to joints than upright rows even), but for the experienced lifter who takes care to have correct form and raisng and lowering technique, they hit the lateral delts like no other compound, imo.
They've been really effective, and I can see the difference in my lateral delts already, and they get the pump and pain of a muscle that's been worked, which I didn't get from MP.
And they're better in a balanced program that Upright Row, because they use the triceps as synergists, so I have Dips and BTN Press for tris, and Bent Over Row and Pull Ups for bis, which is 2 each (as opposed to 3 for bis and 1 for tris if I did upright row).
Some words of caution though:
-Stretch your pecs and internal rotators first (put your arm bent against a wall), so you can get your arms far enough back to not have to strain your neck forward.
-Lift it from MP starting position over your head and rest it on the back of your shoulders (like a squat) to get yourself set up and ready.
-Make sure your neck is more or less upright (it can be a little forward, but not too much). If you're inflexible in the pecs then you'll find it hard to have your arms back far enough, so do some stretching.
-Be VERY careful with raising and lowering the bar into position, especially lowering. I made the mistake of flipping the bar over my head and letting it fall, which has pulled my scapula out and injured the muscles just below it (probably the rhomboid or lower trap). The safe way to lower it is to lift it over your head so you're holding it in front of your face like Military Press, then lower it controlled to the floor. You have to pause holding it at your chest, don't just flip it over your head and let it drop, it'll pull your scapula forward under load.
-I'm in the last week of 10s now, And the load is getting heavy. Not sure how I'll go with heavy 5s. May have to switch to MP for safety's sake.
I wouldn't recommend BTN Press for noobies or people that don't have great form when doing exercises, they are much risker than the average exercise (more risky to joints than upright rows even), but for the experienced lifter who takes care to have correct form and raisng and lowering technique, they hit the lateral delts like no other compound, imo.
