How to Correctly Perform a Seated Shoulder Press

Next question is from L Squy. Should a seated dumbbell shoulder press be done at a slight incline or at 90 degrees? Oh yeah. You know why they're asking this. Yeah, you know, okay. So you'll see bodybuilders often do an overhead, you know, dumbbell shoulder press and the bench is not straight up. It's at a slight incline. And that's because they don't have great shoulder mobility. That's really what it is. It's compensation. They don't have the ability to really get that full extension at the top. Are they both hitting the shoulders? Yes. But if you can't press directly up over your head, you should be doing things that get you to that point because that is expressing that kind of full shoulder mobility. And I would say, and you know, there's some studies that show this, that good full ranges of motion under control tend to build more muscle than shorter ranges of motion. Of course, all things being equal, right? You should be able to do it. So don't hurt yourself. But you should be able to press straight up over your head and not have to be at this kind of slight incline. So that's basically it. Yeah, that being said, and I 100% agree with you that that is what's going on. And you can always tell, you walk by and you see someone doing a dumbbell press like that. They'll either be at the slight incline or they'll have this massive arch where they actually, like, I mean- They're doing it themselves. Yeah, I remember watching my buddies would scoot their butts at the end of the thing and then just their upper back is against the bench and it's like, damn. I mean, they may as well be on an incline. Now, that being said, it doesn't mean though you can't, like, because I'll do this every once in a while. And I have the shoulder mobility to do it where I'm like, oh, I'm doing shoulders today and chest. And so I'm going to do something in the middle there where it's more of, it's not a full, you know, like 40, your traditional 45 degree incline bench press. It's more like, you know, I don't know what degree I would say that is. It's more like at a 60 or a 75 degree angle. So it's a lot more shoulders and I'm doing shoulders that day, but I'm also doing upper chest. And so I'll, and I never really do that. So I'll include it every once in a while. So if that's your desired outcome, there's nothing wrong with doing that. But when you see it, like to your point, it's mostly because people can't do a straight up, you know, 90 degree press. Well, this is also why I like the Viking press and, you know, the stuff with the landmine as well, just because of the amount of force that's, you know, the directional force, I can actually like push, you know, the weight and get full extension. So I'm up, but also like, it's not quite as demanding on the shoulder joints specifically. Like it's not all the forces aren't straight down. Yeah, because of the way the angle of the bar actually is a little lighter at the top and you can move your body forward. You can move your body forward into it. I think that's a great way to kind of transition you into, you know, like direct overhead load. Oh yeah, that or a Z-press. I mean, to me that's, Oh a Z-press when you have to. Right, I would either do a Z-press or what I actually started to do when this, I become, I became aware cause I was guilty of this, right? I was guilty of being this bodybuilder guy who did the arching his back like crazy. That's why I didn't do overhead press a lot. As I became aware of that and started to work on the mobility and address it, one of the things I would do if I sat at a, you know, 90 degree bench to do a shoulder press, I'd actually take my back off the bench. So instead of- So just your hips are off. Yeah, so that I have to, my core has to stabilize me and I can get, I get full extension and I, that way I don't, if it's on, if my back is touching, then I'll scoot and I'll arch, I'll cheat cause it's there. Whereas if it's not there and I have to stabilize, I'm kind of creating a Z-press. You wanna know what's funny? When I was a kid, I noticed that if I focused on really getting straight up at the top, I'd get like a way better shoulder pump, right? And it's because you have to stabilize more and all that stuff. So you know what I actually did? I used to work out with one of my cousins and we would sit, I had a bench that was adjustable and it let you do that. But then you'd find yourself as the reps went on that you'd slide, your butt would slide forward as you started to cheat. So we would take a canvas belt. Remember those belts you used to wear that are made out of canvas? You'd strap yourself to the bench? Around the bench, around your waist. I swear to God. This was my solution when I was 15. That's awesome. But it worked because you couldn't slide forward and it actually worked. It got you a carnival ride. But we'd drop the weight, we'd have to go way lighter with the weight, but I got a way better shoulder pump. You know, those hoist machines are cool that do that too. You guys have been on those ones where you sit on it and when you press it, it moves. Oh yeah, it moves you. So it kind of gives you that. Yeah, it kind of gives you the Viking press feel in a seated position on the way the hoist machine works. Speaking of shoulder presses, machines, one of my favorites is the Hammer Strength where you kind of lean back, but the handles go back in. I'm a fan of Hammer Strength. Yeah, I actually like that one. But you know what? I have never used anything that I like as much as the Viking Press. I mean, no affiliation or anything like that. That's the best shoulder machine I've ever used. It's crazy to me that, I mean, we've talked before on the show about things that we find that are new or things last. Like that's one of the most recent things that kind of blew my mind, right? That is the most recent thing. I've been lifting for a long time and I just recently started to use a Viking Press and it was mutually, we're all in love with it. It's so complimentary too, the overhead press. Why can't we get a sponsor on that? It gives you such a great pump. Can one of you two find a company that you really like that makes them? I tried, but maybe now that we're saying the podcast. Contact us. Let's put it out there. Yeah, that's right. If you make a Viking Press, I want to sell your Viking Press. So let's work out a deal. Hey, if you enjoyed that clip, you can find the full episode here or you can find other clips over here. And be sure to subscribe.