Which Shoulder Press Works Which Muscles Best?
Front vs Back and Barbell vs Machine Overhead Press: An Electromyographic Analysis and Implications For Resistance Training
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The posterior deltoid shows 9x greater activation in back-BMP vs. front-BMP—among the highest EMG effect sizes ever recorded.
Most lifters assume rear delts are best trained with face pulls or reverse flyes, not overhead pressing. This challenges conventional wisdom.
Practical Takeaways
Use the back barbell military press to maximize rear and side delt development.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The posterior deltoid shows 9x greater activation in back-BMP vs. front-BMP—among the highest EMG effect sizes ever recorded.
Most lifters assume rear delts are best trained with face pulls or reverse flyes, not overhead pressing. This challenges conventional wisdom.
Practical Takeaways
Use the back barbell military press to maximize rear and side delt development.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Physiology
Year
2022
Authors
G. Coratella, Gianpaolo Tornatore, S. Longo, F. Esposito, E. Cé
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Claims (7)
When bodybuilders lower the bar behind their head during a military press, their front and rear shoulder muscles work harder than when they do the same move in front of their head.
For competitive male bodybuilders, lowering the bar behind the head during shoulder presses seems to work the side of the shoulder muscle harder than pressing in front, based on muscle activity readings.
When bodybuilders do overhead shoulder presses with the bar behind their head, their rear shoulder muscles work a lot harder than when they do the same move in front — at least according to this claim.
When competitive male bodybuilders do overhead presses with a free barbell instead of a machine, their side and rear shoulder muscles work harder because they have to balance the weight themselves.
When male bodybuilders do front shoulder presses with a barbell, their chest muscles work way harder than when they do the same move with the bar behind their head.