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How far do you go down on military press?

How far down?

  • Above nose

    Votes: 1 1.1%

  • Nose

    Votes: 22 25.3%

  • Chin

    Votes: 21 24.1%

  • Below Chin

    Votes: 23 26.4%

  • Chest

    Votes: 20 23.0%
  • Total voters
    87
Rugger

Rugger

Well-known member
I've heard several different things in terms of effectiveness as well as shoulder health. What do you do?
 
I usually go down to between my chin and my nose. I'd been told that lower can be detrimental w/ higher weight.
 
usually to a bout my chin... i go more off arm angle than anything... slightly below 90 degrees is as far as i'll take it when going heavy to avoid injury
 
blah. I should have used angles instead of facial features. inbetween nose and chin is about 90deg for me.
 
Rugger1 said:
blah. I should have used angles instead of facial features. inbetween nose and chin is about 90deg for me.
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which is why I stop there ;)
 
Good one this. I would be curious to follow what others have to say.

Typically I go to between my nose and chin, you can say around my upper lip area. I dont push further down as my triceps are weak area.

Also I almost always get a better pump with dumbells than barbells on shoulder press. The only worry being it is heck of a work to get the db in position.
 
I go all the way to the chest, you go from the chest in a push press and clean and press so I figured why not on a military press?

In the words of Milos Sarcev:

"Full range of motion, full development, partial movement, partial development"
 
I do a wider grip now when doing military so that my arms never really reach 90 degrees. Its done wonders imo, along with the clean and press but the discussion is military so Ill keep it at that.
 
I go to arms paralell with the floor.I have heard respected others say that going more than this is just bringing other muscles into play and asking for injury.Or as Tony Freeman said on this exact topic after describing basically what I just said,"besides,were just traing shoulders,so lets keep it at that." Tony Freeman
 
There is no reason to go lower than 95-100 degrees at the upper arm. Beyond that the tension on the shoulders goes down and the stress on the joint goes up. So slightly below parallel.
 
I stated the angles incorrectly in my other post. THe angle between your elbow and your side or in other words the angle at the arm pit should be around 75 degrees. So make sure to bring your protractor to the gym next time...
 
Well everyone's different obviously, what feels like a better stretch for one may feel like way too much for another. I think the general consencous is about 90 degrees or +/- parallel. See what feels right, listen to your body and it will tell you. No need to risk injury cuz u won't be doing any shoulders for a while.
 
chin
 
Chin/Chest, but it's mostly a matter of your personal safe ROM. Definitely don't want to force that kind of stress on the shoulders.

HOWEVER, I've seen people just go to the top of the head and it makes me want to yell, BRO, YOU'RE DOING WIDE GRIP OVER HEAD TRICEP PRESSES ON THE SMITH, FRICKEN WEIRDO.
 
bryan4592 said:
There is no reason to go lower than 95-100 degrees at the upper arm. Beyond that the tension on the shoulders goes down and the stress on the joint goes up. So slightly below parallel.
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But if you work through that range of motion on the movement all the time and build the weight slowly and progressively surely the tendons and joints will be able to adapt to the stress?

No hate man, obviously if full ROM hurts your shoulders you've got to do what's right for you.
 
I fully believe in a full range of motion.I have just heard that taking arms past paralell is asking for an injury while bringing other muscles into play as opposed to keeping the stress focused more so on the shoulders.I have seen so many pro's using a shortened range of motion on everything.Remeber Lou Ferigno on pumping iron doing the inc bench?He even told his Dad that he was going to go all the way up on his last rep.So it's nothing new.They say it keeps constant tension on the muscle and works very well.I feel my shoulders being worked quite well when taking arms to paralell,so I guess the bar around the nose.I have no problem with the development of my shoulders either.I have actually started to shorten the ROM on my bench press lately and I've been getting better pumps and contractions from it.I still tap the chest,but I don't go up as high and it feels great.I might start making a concious effort on all of my lifts now,to shorten the ROM.Of course still sq'ing ATG and touching the chest on bench etc.......Just a little shorter of locking out.It has been working like magic for my chest.It ups the intensity for me like crazy.
 
bryan4592 said:
I stated the angles incorrectly in my other post. THe angle between your elbow and your side or in other words the angle at the arm pit should be around 75 degrees. So make sure to bring your protractor to the gym next time...
Click to expand...

I was going to say... I almost sent you a nasty response about that 95 degrees comment. If you can't go beyond 95 degrees on the military, pick a new exercise or add that to your tri's routine. Holy shite
 
i agree with pantera. Although it doesn't hurt though to go full range of motion, it doesn't mean you aren't doing unnecessary damage to the joints. i'm not tryin to bash on anybody for full ROM i just dont think it's necessary for shoulders at all. just my opinion.
 
I am slightly above chin, more lower lippish. If you go heavy you need to be very careful
 
I really don't worry about my face. I just look in the mirror and go down to about 90 degree angles give or take a few degrees.
 
honestly it varies for me, depends on the weight being used. I wont risk injury going past the chin with heavy ass weight. I voted nose.
 
i dont look up when i do them like alot of people, but if looking straight ahead. I go down and touch the back/top of my head....ive been doing this for a month because i was having shoulder probs, and so far the pain went away and since less rom, i can use WAY more weight. Also my shoulders get good muscle sore now and before the only sore i got was a bad tendon/joint soreness.
 
bryan4592 said:
There is no reason to go lower than 95-100 degrees at the upper arm. Beyond that the tension on the shoulders goes down and the stress on the joint goes up. So slightly below parallel.
Click to expand...

Yeah just about paralell, to nose or ears. The bigger issue I see with form is guys not sitting upright, but I guess thats another thread.
 
bryan4592 said:
There is no reason to go lower than 95-100 degrees at the upper arm. Beyond that the tension on the shoulders goes down and the stress on the joint goes up. So slightly below parallel.
Click to expand...
I think this opinion is really going to depend on the form/version of the lift you use. "Military Press" has really become a general term. By text book definitions military press is a version of the press where you keep your heels together. Again by text book definitions when doing the press your elbows should be out in front of you through out the ROM but most do it with the out to the side. If you keep the elbows in front you can go lower with out the strain on the joint.
Again it all depends on how you choose to do the lift.
 
Wow, this poll just makes the definitive answer WORSE (as if there is one) because every is in equal disagreement here.


I'm going out on a limb and saying that it depends on your arm length and body structure.
 
I was on the down to nose side.Today I went down to the neck and not quite as high and it felt realy good.I have been shortening the range of motion to keep good tension on the muscles throughout and it's so nice.So many pros do it.Thats what got me trying it but the feeling in the muscles is what has kept me doing it.
 
If you go below your nose, you need lighter weight. I will often go all the way to my chest---mainly just for a good stretch. Which obviously means there isn't too much weight on there.

If your goal is to do working sets with heavy weight, and truly want to work your front delts....don't go below your nose. There is no reason.
 
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