# BB Shoulder Press v.s. Military Press v.s. Push Press



## Phineas (Oct 22, 2009)

At the heart of it, these exercise are the same movement: holding a dumbbell and pushing it from your front delts up above your head. 

Now, I understand that military press has the added core element, since you're standing and are having to stabilize much more, but (a) how does this train the shoulders differently than a traditional seated BB press and (b) how does the push press differ from the military press?


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## Double D (Oct 23, 2009)

Push press is an explosive lift. Using your hips and legs pressing the weight over head. Each lift is beneficial, but your trying to compare BB bench to DB bench right here.


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## Gazhole (Oct 24, 2009)

I find Seated BB Press puts way too much stress on my back, and i see no benefit to doing them seated at all other than preference.

Push Press, like Malley said, is an explosive almost total body lift and can't really be compared to Military too well. You can typically use more weight, but it involves a lot more technique and practice.

If you're not going for explosive power, Military will do you fine. If you fancy a change and don't mind learning the technique, Push Press is a viable alternative.


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## Double D (Oct 26, 2009)

I love push press, but I am to the point now where I have to use wrist straps. My wrists kill me. You can definitly use more weight with push presses, but I would practice with alot less first. Ive seen alot of people do them uncontrolled. For instance I do 225 regular OH standing press for a 1rm. For a 1rm on a push press I do about 285 or so. My biggest issue is wrist flexibility!


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## gtbmed (Oct 26, 2009)

BB shoulder press removes a lot of the stabilization required to hold a heavy weight overhead while standing.  Military press (or just plain overhead presses) requires a good amount of stabilization.  Push press requires the most stabilization of them all.

Jerks are the most fun though.  I love doing them.


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## CowPimp (Oct 27, 2009)

As far as the shoulders are concerned doing a military press seated vs standing is not all that different.

The push press is a different animal because it is explosive by nature, and you get a substantial contribution to total force production from the lower body.  On the concentric there isn't much difference really.  You can do a strict military press using compensatory acceleration if you want to work on rate of force development.  However, the push press will allow you to hoist heavier weights overhead.  So, in the lockout position, and on the eccentric, you can handle heavier loads.  This can be beneficial for muscle growth.


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## AKIRA (Oct 27, 2009)

Would this exercise be a NO-NO! for those who had a dislocated shoulder in their life?  (Push Press)


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## Double D (Oct 27, 2009)

gtbmed said:


> BB shoulder press removes a lot of the stabilization required to hold a heavy weight overhead while standing.  Military press (or just plain overhead presses) requires a good amount of stabilization.  Push press requires the most stabilization of them all.
> 
> Jerks are the most fun though.  I love doing them.



Cant seem to get the jerk form down well. If I had rubber weights I would try it, but the sound of steal busting my gym floor just isnt appealing to my general manager.


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## Double D (Oct 27, 2009)

AKIRA said:


> Would this exercise be a NO-NO! for those who had a dislocated shoulder in their life?  (Push Press)



I would say if it was recently I would stay away from them.


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## CowPimp (Oct 27, 2009)

AKIRA said:


> Would this exercise be a NO-NO! for those who had a dislocated shoulder in their life?  (Push Press)



As long as you have recovered and rehabilitated appropriately you shouldn't have to worry about it.  I subluxed (Dislocation that goes back into place on its own) my shoulder years ago and it rarely every gives me trouble.


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## AKIRA (Oct 27, 2009)

Its been about a year since my dislocation and Ive had no problems since.  I take care of it though and stay worried, but the thought of locking out my arms with heavy weight scares me.


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## gtbmed (Oct 28, 2009)

Double D said:


> Cant seem to get the jerk form down well. If I had rubber weights I would try it, but the sound of steal busting my gym floor just isnt appealing to my general manager.



How do you jerk?  I've tried split jerk and squat style and I'm still not sure which I like better.  It's a lot easier to get yourself under the bar with a squat style jerk, so that's usually the method I use.

Yeah, getting a good set of rubber weights is probably #1 on my list at this point.  There's something about Oly lifts that doesn't fit well in commercial gyms.


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