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When the gym is crowded on a Monday evening and there’s a lineup at the particular machine you desire, you can either wait your turn or you can perform an alternate exercise that achieves similar results. There’s an important benefit to training a body part in more than just one way: Working a muscle in a slightly different manner and from a somewhat different angle can help it grow more fully. 

 

The most common way to set up a shoulder workout is to start with a compound move (some variation of the shoulder press), then include single-joint exercises for each of the three delt heads (anterior, middle and posterior).

 

Exercises Type: Shoulder Presses- Seated Barbell Press

Lower in front of the head- when seated, you can’t generate the same kind of body English as when standing. The barbell is somewhat easier to control than dumbbell, so you can typically go heavier. Taking the bar in front of the head involves a bit more of the front delts as the elbows come slightly forward. Alternative Shoulder Press Machine is great for Beginners. See photo shown above right!

 

Seated Barbell Press Behind Neck

Lower behind the head- Taking the bar behind your head slightly affects elbow position, putting more stress on the middle delts (and less on the front delts compared to the front version). Those with shoulder-joint injures should avoid this more because it puts the rotator cuff in a vulnerable position, especially when combined with heavy weights. Tip: Try not to put your head forward as you lower the weight- that affects spinal alignment.

 

Standing Overhead Press

When you press a barbell while standing, you can typically use more weight than in the seated version because it’s easier to generate momentum through your hips and knees to help dive the weight up. This press I best done on a power rack with the safeties set high or in a squat rack spy u can easily get the bar into the starting position

 

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press

This exercise requires the most coordination but allows the most freedom of movement, so you can do it with your hands facing forward or in the neutral (palms-in) position. It requires more stabilizer activity, but you won’t be able to go as heavy as with overhead barbell presses. Getting the weights into the start position can also be tricky. It’s a good idea to havea spotter when you go heavy, since the dumbbells mahy begin to wobble overhead as you fatigue.