Repetitive overhead pressing with a standard barbell can not only limit progress and increase likelihood of injury — it's also incredibly boring. In order to side-steps these weight training obstacles (and just to have more fun in your programming), we have put together a compilation of all exercise dedicated to your shoulders. These variations allow you to use different equipment and get creative with exercise selection and training techniques.

First, we watch Mark Watt's shoulder pre-hab videos with bands and blast straps to strengthen and warm-up the rotator cuff muscles. Then, we watch Mark discuss his progression for the overhead press. Several EliteFTS™ Team Members show us some of their "go-to" variations when it comes time to strengthen their delts.

Elitefts™ Mini-Band Shoulder Circuit (high position)

Elitefts™ Director of Education Mark Watts explains a quick shoulder pre-habilitation circuit using the elitefts™ micro mini-bands, mini-bands, and monster mini-bands in the Collegiate Power Rack while elitefts columnist Derek Dolgner demonstrates.

This circuit is beneficial to athletes in a team setting due to the:

Quick transition time between exercises
Interchangeability of bands
Ability to quickly adjust for multiple attachment heights

The are six exercises performed in this video (two for each band. The specific exercises performed are:

High Position 45 degree External Rotation (crossed bands)
High Position External Rotation
Standing Scarecrows
Reverse Flyes
Face Pulls (crossed bands)
Serrano Press

These six movements address critical components of shoulder stability and deceleration properties of the throwing motion. The combination of transverse/ sagittal plane abduction, external rotation, scapular retraction, and scapular depression all aid in preventative measures for the shoulder, specifically for high velocity movements such as throwing, serving or shooting (lacrosse).

This circuit can be adapted to meet any athletes needs by the following measures:

Band Tension:

Positions:

Band Position — Height of the Knot
Body Position — Distance from Rack
Hand Position — Specific Grip (thumb up, palms down, etc.)

Other movements that can be done with this set up include:

Standing Chest Fly
Standing Chest Press
Facepull/ External Rotation Combo
Facepull/ External Rotation/ Serrano Press Combo
Straight Arm Pull-Down

Elitefts™ Blast Strap Shoulder Circuit

Elitefts™ Director of Education Mark Watts explains an efficient shoulder pre-habilitation circuit using the elitefts™ Blast Straps™ in the Collegiate Power Rack while Associate Editor Jordan Houser demonstrates.

This circuit is beneficial to athletes in a team setting due to the quick transition time between exercises. The four specific exercises performed are:

External Rotation
Scarecrow
Reverse Fly
Serrano Press

These four movements address critical components of shoulder stability and deceleration properties of the throwing motion. The combination of transverse/ sagittal plane abduction, external rotation, scapular retraction, and scapular depression all aid in preventative measures for the shoulder, specifically for high velocity movements such as throwing, serving or shooting (lacrosse).

This circuit can be adapted to meet any athlete's needs by adjusting the distance from the rack.

Elitefts™ Overhead Press Progression

Elitefts.com Director of Education Mark Watts outlines a teaching progression of beginning athletes for the overhead press. Derek Dolgner demonstrates a four-step exercise progression to implement with athletes to utilizing attainable positions and easily comprehensible teaching cues for all levels for athletes.

Overhead Press Progressions for Athletes

Behind the Neck Press
Military Press
Behind the Neck Push Press
Push Press

Basic Tips for Technique for the Military (Overhead) Press

Make sure the your elbows are directly under or slightly in front of your middle and index fingers. Keep your forearms in a vertical path.
Push your elbows forward before you press. This will keep your upper back tight. The key is not to let your shoulders come forward allowing the bar to start too far in front of too low on the deltoids.
Think of opening a window and looking out of it when pressing. This will help you “negotiate your face" and keep the bar closer to your center of gravity.
Pull the bar apart and and try and rotate your biceps forward with your hands facing out (you wont be able to because of the barbell) Attempting to do this will help in the lockout (along with pushing your head through).

Basic Tips for the Push Press

Feet should be at hip width or slightly wider with "soft" knees.
Lift your toes in your shoes to ensure the weight is on your heals.
Dip down by pushing your hips back slightly while not allowing your elbows to drop.
Drive the weight up by extending your hips and knees and "launch" the weight of your shoulders to lockout. Upper body technique is same as overhead press.

Programming Considerations

Because the OHP generally is used with lighter weight than the squat, bench, and deadlift, the improvements are going to be in smaller increments as well. I am not trying to be condescending, but this is one way to look at it. For example, if your squat is 350 and your OHP is 150 a 10 pound jump for each is drastically different. That is a 2.8% increase in the squat and a 7% increase in the OHP. So it requires so much more diligence for every pound you can get.
The first rep starts with a concentric contraction and there is no stretch reflex. Much like the deadlift although you need to statically hold the bar in place before you press it. Overcoming inertia while supporting the weight (that may be contradictory), makes it much more difficult.

Elitefts™ Signature Rack

Elitefts™ Sabertooth Bar

Elitefts™ Scrape-the-Rack Press & Overhead Shrug Combo

Elitefts Advisor and Mountain Dog Training and Nutrition owner John Meadows demonstrates a scrape-the-rack press and overhead shrug combination in the Elitefts Collegiate Rack at T-Nation Headquarters.

Video Courtesy of T-Nation's YouTube Channel

According to Meadows:

I had given up entirely on overhead pressing, but then I discovered the scrape the rack press.

Over time, I've found that -- coupled with side lateral variations -- scrape the rack presses produce substantial growth in my delts with little to no risk of injury.

Also, I've found that a variation of the scrape the rack press is a great fix for underdeveloped traps. It really hits the entire shoulder and upper back/trap areas.

To really learn this lift, check out the video of John Schlecht and I performing scrape the rack press and its trap variation.

Texas Power Bar

Eleiko Olympic WL Competition Plates

Elitefts™ Military Press with Bands

Elitefts.com™ Director of Education Mark Watts performing a set of Military Press using the elitefts Pro Bands. The accommodating resistance of the bands allows for more motor-unit and thus muscle fiber recruitment to coincide the the athlete's strength curve. The bands force the lifter to press through the entire range of motion eliciting more effort through the duration of the repetition. Bands can actually add stability at the top of the movement if set-up correctly due to the bands pulling the weight straight down.

Set Up
With the overhead press, the first band is usually a light or average depending on your strength level and application of the exercise. These should be set up almost identical to the squat depending on the lifter's height. The second band is usually a mini-band or monster mini-band doubled through the first band.

Programming
Incorporating bands into a normal training cycle is relatively easy. Ensure you have the proper band tension based on your strength levels. Just like the squat, take height into account between lifters. This can also be magnified with arm length for any overhead press. One way to implement bands is to keep the weight static and adjust band tension.

4 Week Strength Cycle with Static Weight (Off-Season)
1.) Base Week: 60-75% with light band and monster mini
2.) Load Week: 60-75% with average and mini-band
3.) De-Load Week: 60-75% with light band and mini-band
4.) Test Week: 60-75% with average and monster mini

4 Week Tapering Cycle with Static Weight (In-Season)
1.) 50-65% with average and monster mini
2.) 50-65% with average and min-band
3.) 50-65% with light band and monster mini
4.) 50-65% with light band and mini-band

Swiss Bar Clean and Press

The elitefts Swiss Bar clean and press is great for a conditioning tool. You can use a pyramid, drop set, or manipulate the rest in between sets. For example, climb up by 2's using only a 15 seconds rest until you get to 6 reps, then 30 seconds rest between each set until you get to the top (could be 10 or 220-it varies). Then come back down by 2's, keeping the 30 seconds rest until you are done with your 6 rep set-then drop down to 15 seconds rest.

A quote from Dave Tate:

"Maybe you don’t have one of those World’s Strongest Man logs. That’s okay, because the swiss bar is the next best thing. Using a narrow grip, clean the bar up to your shoulders and then press it overhead. You can also take out the clean and simply curl the bar up and then press in the same motion."

EliteFTS™ Cambered Bar Overhead Press

Elitefts team member Julia Ladewski performs a set of overhead presses with an elitefts Rackable Cambered Squat Bar.

The advantages to using a Cambered Bar are to create stabilization of the shoulder joint, change the center of mass during the lift, and add variety to the shoulder press.

Notice how Julia pushes her head through during the press to get optimal shoulder isolation. Get Strong(her) or Strong(er) and add an elitefts Rackable Cambered Bar Overhead Presses in your lift — your shoulders will thank you.

Bradford (Over and Back) Press

Elitefts Sponsored Pro Bodybuilder Mark Dugdale demonstrates how to perform an over-and-back press.

Keys to Success:

Load a barbell with the desired weight.
Stand upright with a straight back and a slight bend in your knees.
Feet should be shoulder width apart.
Use a pronated grip with hands placed just beyond shoulder width.
Push the bar upward until it clears you head.
Once the bar has raised above the head, slowly lower the bar down behind your neck as far as comfortably possible.
When lowering the bar keep your arms at a 90 degree angle to the floor. This will place less stress on your shoulder joints.
Slowly raise the barbell back up without locking the elbows out at the top of the movement.
This is one rep. Repeat for desired reps.

Elitefts™Core Blaster Press Variations

Elitefts Director of Education Mark Watts demonstrates several overhead press variations using the elitefts Core Blaster.

Variations used in this video include:

Half-Kneeling Press
Staggered Stance Press
Squat Press
Press with Band
Rotational Press with Band

Half-Kneeling Press: Very good alternative for beginners or for athletes coming off of a shoulder injury. The half-kneeling press can drastically reduce hyper-extension in the lumbar spine to compensate for T-spine mobility and keeps the weight slightly in front of the athlete and can reduce impingement because of the close proximity of the arm to the mid-line due to a neutral grip.

Standing Press: This can be done with a parallel or staggered stance. Setting this exercise up will be more difficult but the resistance will be less than the half kneeling with the same weight on the end of the bar. With the bar more perpendicular to the ground, the load is actually distributed into the shaft of the barbell.

Squat Press: This is sometime referred to a thruster. This will be a full-body exercise that can be combined with a two handed front squat. The athlete should drive the hips forward to initiate the final press and keep the arm in alignment with the upper body.

Press with Band: Using elitefts pro bands with the Core Blaster is a great combination due to the accommodating resistance works well with both strength curve. The first strength curve is the human body's biomechanical strength curve with a pressing movement. The second strength curve is due to the shift from the horizontal to vertical position of the bar.

Rotational or Push Press with Band: Either one of these options would be a great addition for developing power. The initiation of both or one hip differentiate this movement. Regardless of variation,

Factors that increase resistance and level of difficulty with this Exercise:

The Load in terms of Weight
Band Tension
Start Position of the lifter
Volume

Kettlebell Bottoms-Up Press

Elitefts™ team member Chris Duffin is demonstrating how to perform a Kettlebell Bottom-Up Press. This upper-body exercises is a great way to develop shoulder strength and stability. In powerlifting this will lead to increased bench performance and injury prevention by increasing the integrity of the shoulder joint.

Kettlebell Bottoms-Up Press

Assume athletic position and grasp kettlebells with tight grip.
Clean the kettlebells to shoulder height.
Kettlebells should be positioned directly above the hands.
Press the kettlebells overhead.
Repeat for desired reps.

*To increase difficulty perform the Kettlebell Bottoms-Up Press while walking. This will keep your thoracic spine in line and increase core activation.

EliteFTS™ Swiss Bar Incline Front Raise

Josh Bryant uses an elitefts swiss bar on an incline bench for front raises to burn and isolate the shoulders.

Put your bench at an incline and lay your chest flat on the bench. With a slight bend at the elbows, raise your arms until they are at eye level. Throw some plates on too to get more resistance.

According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, front shoulder raises show the greatest activation at the anterior and middle deltoid, upper trap, infraspinatus, and serratus anterior. (Jakobsen, 2012).

A video posted by Jailhouse Strong (@jailhousestrong) on Feb 22, 2015 at 4:29pm PST

Seated Lateral Raise With Chains

Mountain Dog Diet and Training founder John Meadows performing side raises with elitefts chains with one static hold for the last rep.

The chains add accommodating resistance and make the exercise much harder at the top of the movement. This enhances the muscular contraction and intensifies the total time-under-tension.

Header image courtesy of Jeffrey Sygo at www.symiphotography.com

1 Comment

Ashley Jones

June 7 2015 at 7:37 pm

Great collection of movements Mark, I will be adding some of those variations to my players pre season training programs, an additional one for you to trial is one I have had a lot of success with, a bradford press + a military press combo and also the 1 & 1/2 press with a trap bar, both excellent hypertrophy programming presses, all the best, ashley

Reply ↓

Name

Website

Comment

Compression

Best Sellers

Gear

Sleeves

Competition Ready

Weights & Added Resistance

Featured Bar

Accessories