Behind-the-neck barbell presses are a contraindicated exercise for anyone with shoulder pain or a previous shoulder injury. Even if you don't have problems with your shoulders, you may want to avoid the behind-the-neck barbell press because it places the shoulders in a compromising position. Standard presses work the same muscles without the risk of shoulder injury.
Identification
To do the behind-the-neck barbell press, hold a barbell in front of your chest with your palms facing forward. Stand upright; keep your torso still and your back straight. Exhale and press the bar overhead. Pause for a count and then inhale, lowering the bar behind your neck. When you press back up, make sure you don't knock the back of your head with the bar. At the end of the set, lower the bar to your chest so you can set it down.
Function
The behind-the-neck barbell press targets your shoulder muscles, but it also works other muscles in your arms and upper back. It works all three heads of the shoulder: the anterior deltoid on the front of your shoulder, the posterior deltoid on the back of your shoulder and the lateral deltoid on the side of your shoulder. Your triceps, on the back of your upper arms, traps and rhomboids assist during the behind-the-neck barbell press exercise.
Dangers
The behind-the-neck barbell press poses risks to your shoulder joint and cervical spine. The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint of the body, but it sacrifices stability for mobility. As you lower the bar behind your head, your shoulders move into extreme external rotation. This position stresses the shoulder joint and ligaments, placing them at high risk of injury.
With the bar behind your neck, you have to pull your head forward to keep from knocking the back of your head with the bar. This position can result in neck strain and injury.
Alternatives
To reduce the risk of shoulder and neck injury, replace the behind-the-neck barbell press with a regular barbell shoulder press or dumbbell shoulder press. If you use a barbell, lower the bar to the front instead of to the back. This eliminates the extreme shoulder rotation and the neck flexion. Dumbbells allow you to move the weight in a path that is most comfortable to you. The front shoulder press and the dumbbell shoulder press work the same muscle groups as the behind-the-neck barbell press.
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