http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=8671C106EAC1C425CBE3B6744B96DA40.titan?id=541537
“The key, according to Sahrmann, is to perform it in the saggital plane with elbows forward (not out to the side). The frontal and posterior head of the deltoid neutralize each other in this position while the rotator cuff muscles work very hard to stabilize the joint. I call it the Sahrmann Press.”
I had never heard this before-thoughts James, Frit, and others?
Performing the lift with the elbows forward with a neutral grip places the glenohumeral joint in a neutral position which is less stressful than a position of external rotation and abduction when a barbell is fixed over head. This is nothing new.
In my view the article presents a contradiction in terms. In one sentence the claim is that the overhead press is one of the most ‘effective and safe’ lifts to perform, and in the next sentence the claim is made to perform the lift with shoulders flexed and neutral grip. Furthermore, one of the last paragraphs says to perform lateral raises if you are concerned about impingement. Not a very well presented thought process.
As far as development is concerned; the elbows forward version is much more of a anterior deltoid lift as the primary articulation is shoulder flexion.
The rotator cuff is going to be highly activated as a stabilizer regardless of what type of overhead lift is employed, of course to varying degrees depending on the position of the glenohumeral joint.
I would simply view this variation as one of many to throw into a rotation of special exercises. I would not, however, view it as the trendy lift as portrayed in the not so well articulated Q and A with the next great strength coach.
[QUOTE=James Smith]Performing the lift with the elbows forward with a neutral grip places the glenohumeral joint in a neutral position which is less stressful than a position of external rotation and abduction when a barbell is fixed over head. This is nothing new.
In my view the article presents a contradiction in terms. In one sentence the claim is that the overhead press is one of the most ‘effective and safe’ lifts to perform, and in the next sentence the claim is made to perform the lift with shoulders flexed and neutral grip. Furthermore, one of the last paragraphs says to perform lateral raises if you are concerned about impingement. Not a very well presented thought process.
QUOTE]
?
By the way, the exercise to AVOID if you’re concerned about impingement would be lateral raises as the medial deltoid depresses the joint and training the supraspinatus further decreases the subacromial space.
Erm, I was very tired while making this post and my brain was fried from much computerage (lot of stuff to do on here yesterday). I have heard that neutral does make it a lot safer on the shoulders but I’m glad I posted this b/c that was an interesting post anyway James and Steve.