Rear Military Press (Barbell)
- Sit or stand being sure to keep the back straight and grasp the bar with an overhand grip.
- Move the weight off of the stand
- Inhale as the weight is lowered behind the neck. Only lower the weight as far as is comfortable.
- Exhale as the weight is pressed vertically.
- Repeat steps 3-4.
Various Methods of Exercise: Barbell, Dumbbell
Using a back rest will help to prevent injury by providing lower back support and reducing improper arching of the back.
The standing variation is best done on a smith machine. A smith machine has a bar attached to a guided track. If the machine is large enough, standing back presses may be done.
Each of the following is a head of the deltoid collective and its corresponding term:
Anterior Deltoid = Front Shoulder
Posterior Deltoid = Rear Shoulder
Lateral Deltoid = Side Shoulder (Middle Shoulder)
Rear military presses, in particular, create a large amount of stress on the shoulder joint. Everybody has a unique body structure, so there is great variance in what is both possible and comfortable for different people. With this in mind, to help prevent injuries only lower the bar as far as is comfortable for your individual body structure.
A false grip - that is, a grip where the thumbs are not wrapped around the bar - can provide additional power and enable more weight to be lifted. However, a potential consequence of using this grip could be injury. If the hands are sweaty or form falters the weight may fall at the peril of you or others. Many claim that it is more comfortable to hold the bar in this manner, but for most a false grip begs for wrist hyperextension and falling weight injuries. Unless you are a professional, a false grip should prove unnecessary.