Front Military Shoulder Press

Military (Front) Shoulder Press

The military (front) press is seen as the “granddaddy” movement for the shoulders and is considered
a power movement designed primarily for the anterior deltoid head. The movement elicits only
minor support from the medial deltoid region while the involvement of the posterior deltoid is virtually
non-existent. The military press exercise can be performed with either a standing or seated
movement application. The seated
posture allows for a stable base-ofsupport
and is thus considered a safer
approach to take with reference to the
military or front press movement.
However, as there appears to be a general
tendency to use the standing front
press an analysis of that particular application
will be provided.

Despite being considered a power
movement, the front press exercise
demands strict attention to detail or
serious injury can occur. Due to the
high-risk nature of this exercise it is
recommended that light resistance be
applied; particularly in the learning
phases of the correct execution of the
exercise. It is essential that proper form
and execution be applied to the military
or front press movement in order to
provide for the safe, efficient application
of this highly-beneficial but potentially
hazardous exercise.

Considerations for Various Hand Placements
It is recommended that a justoutside-shoulder-width hand placement be utilized in order to provide for a
natural full range-of-motion movement application. Wider hand placements such as the natural grip (forearms and uppers arms forming a 90° angle) and wider hand placements reduce the range-of-motion of the movement application and
produce potential stress upon the ligaments and tendons in the shoulder.

Crucial Elbow Position
As well, the wider hand placements encourage the elbows to be brought back behind the bar instead
of being maintained in their desired under-the-bar position. The elbows-back position reduces
the accentuation on the shoulder muscles and instead produces significant strain upon the ligaments
and tendons in the deltoids which severely reduces the effectiveness of the exercise and increases the
injury risk potential.
Military Shoulder Press

Lower Lumbar Region Susceptibility
Conversely, closer hand placements such as those
found with the inside-shoulder-width grip and closed -
grip hand placements force the arms against the chest
during the raising of the weight. As the arms are forced
into the chest there is a resultant bending backwards
compensatory action that occurs which induces an arching
of the back. The arched back posture creates a potential
injury risk to the lower lumbar region.

Summary of Correct Exercise Execution
Utilizing knee and hip flexion bend down and grasp
a barbell in a pronated slightly-wider- than-shoulderwidth
grip.
-Utilizing knee and hip extension rise up to a standing
position and then reestablish slight knee and hip
flexion in order to establish the correct preparatory
posture of the body.
-Raise the barbell to the proper starting position at
the top of the shoulders by using a reverse curl
movement. If the resistance is too heavy to reverse
curl it into place you may want to use a “clean”
movement in order to establish the correct starting
position of the barbell.
-Once the barbell has been positioned in the correct
starting position, you will want to make certain that
you have established the correct body posture. You
will want to make certain that:

-You have applied slight knee and hip flexion;
-Your back is placed in a flat, rigid position;
-You have applied neck flexion to hold the head high.

-You will also want to make certain that your elbows
are positioned in front of the barbell the barbell and
not behind it. The elbows-in-front position provides
for accentuation of the deltoid muscles while the elbows
behind the barbell exert pressure upon the ligaments
and tendons of the deltoids.
-If you utilize a hyperextension of the wrist joint application
the elbows will be encouraged to move
forward where they will provide for an optimal angle for accentuation of the deltoid muscle and
the deemphasizing of the ligaments and tendons: deltoids to perform the movement.
-Initiate the concentric contraction phase of the movement by extending the arms upward. You
will be challenged to maintain the elbows forward position as the tenancy is to bring the elbows
back during the execution of the lift.
-You will need to concentrate fully in order to avoid the natural tenancy of bending backwards
during the elevation of the bar as it reaches chest height. Remember, as fatigue sets in during the
completion of the set the tenancy will be to lean back in effort to change the angle so that the
movement can be applied in a more horizontal plane rather than in the true-vertical, and to incorporate
the powerful chest muscles into the movement.
-You will need to resist the urge to apply added knee and hip flexion (and the resultant hipthrusting
action) in order to avoid the dangerous arching in the back that will result.
-You will want to halt the concentric contraction just short of the fully-extended finish position
of the concentric contraction in order to avoid the sensation of hyperextension of the elbowjoint
which could create major strain on the area. As well, stopping just short of the fullyextended
position will help alleviate the tenancy to “snap-out” at the conclusion of the lift.
“Snapping-out” actions can create havoc upon the elbow-joints and can produce great stress on
the connective tissue in the deltoids.
-Pause for a full count at the desired finish position before beginning the eccentric contraction
phase of the movement.
-Initiate the eccentric contraction phase of the movement by slowly lowering the weight back
down. Remember to keep the head back to allow clearance for the bar as it comes down past the
face. By keeping the head up the desired writs hyperextension position can be maintained which
encourages the elbows in front of the bar position. Conversely, if the head is allowed to drop
forward, the bar will be forced to come down farther away from the body which forces the
wrists to undergo flexion which results in the elbows being forced to come back. All of these position
alterations create stress upon the ligaments and tendons and severely reduce the emphasis
upon the deltoid muscles.
-Complete the eccentric contraction phase of the movement by utilizing strong-neural impulsing
in the deltoids in effort to resist the gravitational forces. If gravity is allowed to take over during
the descent then the deltoids will be deprived of motor-unit recruitment potential in the eccentric
phase. As well, if gravity controls the movement, there will be resulting “bouncing” action of
the bar at the completion of the eccentric contraction phase of the movement in effort to “cushion”
the burden that is being exerted upon the deltoids. Remember, smooth, highly-controlled
exercises execution is essential to the safe, efficient application of this movement.

Keys to the Lift
-Utilize proper form and correct exercise execution throughout the entire movement application.
Remember, it is extremely easy to slip out of proper form during the application of this exercise.
-Establish and maintain the desired elbows-in-front-of-the-bar position throughout the entire
movement application.
-Do not lean back in effort to apply leverage to the lift. If you find you are leaning back, reduce
the resistance.
-Do not use knee and hip extension or any hip thrust action in effort to apply momentum into
the lift.
-Utilize slow speed-of-contraction movement applications in order to avoid “snapping-out” at the
conclusion of the concentric contraction phase and to avoid dangerous “bouncing” at the conclusion
of the eccentric contraction phase of the movement application.
-Remember to complete the concentric contraction phase of the lift just short of the fully- extended
position. It should be noted that the pressing movements involve major activation of the
upper back muscles (notably the trapezius) as well as the triceps muscles (while the deltoids are
deemphasized) during the final one-quarter to one-eighth of the lift. The deltoids receive their
share of the load in the lower three-quarters of the movement; thus “locking-out” is not necessary.