Fit Tip Friday- 3 "Shoulder Friendly" Pressing Exercises
If I were to ask you to name me three exercises you'd see in any gym, there are a few clear cut stand outs.
Your classic bicep curls, squatting, bench pressing, and eventually somewhere on the list, I'd say you'd describe some kind of overhead pressing.
For whatever reason, somewhere in the strands of time, shoulder pressing - pressing the weight overhead- got a bad wrap.
However, most clients I work with want the goal of looking like they work out when they walk around in their t-shirt, and ladies often tell me they want to tone up around their arms and shoulders.
Insert shoulder pressing dilemma here.
One of my very key job functions as a Personal Trainer is to help people achieve those goes - yes, even the aesthetic ones!- in a safe manner. This means finding ways for people to train their shoulders and achieve some kind of overhead pressing in a 'joint friendly' way.
So, alas, that brings me to my list of three shoulder friendly presses you can incorporate in to your workout TODAY!
**Make sure to click on the title of each exercise to watch the coaching tutorial video in YouTube!
Why it works:
Simply put, the bar isn't REALLY overhead. You'll notice in the exercise video above that my arm kind of makes a 120-140 degree angle with my body. I'm still pressing, so my triceps and my shoulders are actively working, but because I do not finish directly over my head this variation becomes very shoulder friendly.
Why it works:
First, this is exercise got it's name from a Lithuanian powerlifter whose name I can't spell, but it starts with Z, who did this movement all the time. People always ask, you might not care, but boy oh boy are you going to crush it at the next random fitness trivia night!
Okay, seriously, this movement works because the position you're in limits the weight you can use. This movement is a sneaky core exercise just as much as it is a shoulder press exercise. Sitting on the ground, perfectly upright, limits the weight used, which typically keeps your shoulders in check. Give it a go, especially if you're a home-gym'er that has limited access to weight!
Why it works:
This push up variation helps get the arms overhead in what is called a 'closed chain' way. In the video you'll see my hands are on the floor, 'closing' my ability to press. In the two exercises above, I am pushing a barbell and dumbbell in a 'free weight' manner. In this instance, the ground gives me a little bit of extra stability to help take the pressure off my shoulders.
^^That was a nerdy way of saying - the ground helps keep your shoulders from saying ouchie...
PS- if you aren't ready for push ups from the floor, give this incline yoga push up variation a try!
What have your thoughts been on these Friday Fit Tip installments? I did a poll on my Instagram and the general consensus was more exercise-related information so I am going to keep these going for a while. My question to YOU is what movements do you have questions on? Either hit me up in the comments below, message me on Instagram, or you can email me directly at Casey@PurposefulStrength.com - I’d appreciate the article idea!
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