# Need advice on technique



## Foz1 (Jun 28, 2004)

Hey guys,

A bloke in my gym has just told me that whilst doing shoulder press for me to keep my legs raised off the ground, this will then isolate the delts and stop me using my legs in any way to move the weight.

I thought about this and feel this may put unnessesery strain on my back.

I wanted to run this past you guys before I try it and end up slipping a disk or something.

Your advice will be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Foz


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## Jock (Apr 8, 2003)

??????????

Never heard of that before mate, sounds like a circus trick or something.

IMO just stick to compound exercises low volume heavy, weight.

Standing Military Press is awesome for shoulder/delt development.

Jock


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## demon (Apr 23, 2003)

I think it would be very difficult to keep good form (e.g. not bend your back or anything) if you lifted your feet off the ground. And I doubt if there'd be much benefit either.


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## Hardrive (Apr 28, 2004)

Dont take much notice foz1 of the guy that told you that IMHO you might injure your back, your back is so complex just stick with basic's there are a lot of people who get these ideas and some of them seem logical and you can see where they come from.

When I did go to the gym before I got weights at home I did notice like locker room gossip. You did the best thing to ask on here or on any forum that have experanced weightlifters...........


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## John (Jun 5, 2004)

not on shoulders though, when i was benching when i start to tire i start to move my feet,lol ive no idea why i do it prob just tired, anyway some guy said i was using energy i said ok thanks, lol but i thought it was a lot of sh*te!


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## hackskii (Jul 27, 2003)

No mate, keep the feet planted. This will help you with power and this is a good thing. Feet should sit firmly on the ground, bench, military etc.

If it hurts your back then do not do them.

Lots of power comes from the legs supporting the body.

Grip the bar firm too.


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## Foz1 (Jun 28, 2004)

Nice one lads, I thought he was talking bs myself.

Foz


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## Guest (Aug 30, 2004)

Dont mean to be funny,But all this nonsense about keeping your feet of the ground and stuff is crap.I saw a woman doing dumbell curls last week with one foot of the ground and felt like asking her what the **** are u doing,Go join a circus or something..I mean with both feet on the ground you will be able to concentrate more and use more wieght to work the shoulders which is what you want to be doing instead of trying to balance and not fall over..Just my 2 c.


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Feet on the ground you can use more weight. The more weight the bigger you will get. Usable muscle. If I push someone, I would hope they felt it.


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## SD (Sep 3, 2004)

I can see where the guy was coming from, with both feet off the ground you have to stabilise the movement using synergist muscles in the back and shoulders. This would be good if it wasn't for the hazard represented by the loss of stability.

Don't take any risks with back or shoulders, plant the feet and use that stability to push more weight, safely!

Regards

SD


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## evilbob (Sep 3, 2004)

I have seen this by people doing bench press but not for shoulder press.

For some people if the weight is very heavy they push with there leg to move the weight but that is so not good.

what is the point in using very big weight if your not putting the emphasis on the muscle your working.

There is too big a hazard doing it as you cannot be that stable

Don't take any risks with your back plant the feet and use that stability


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2004)

stand up for all overhead pressing. anything else is just gay porn


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## DB (Oct 31, 2003)

feet up on shoulder press will increase core stability, my mates a skier and she does all kinds of sh1t like that, depends what ur goals are matey

p.s my feet stay planted to the floor BTW


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2004)

if you stand up it will use your core FAR more than anything seated.


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2004)

not only that, but the pressure on your spine is greatly reduced when standing. that way, its the musculature that bares the weight, not the bones and cartilige.


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## DB (Oct 31, 2003)

James.Titor said:


> if you stand up it will use your core FAR more than anything seated.


sorry mate dont agree with u on that one,

If ur seated u will use the core (especially abs& lower back) more as legs will have no interference in the movement, whereas when standing legs are taking weight,

each to there own opinions


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2004)

diary barry said:


> sorry mate dont agree with u on that one,
> 
> If ur seated u will use the core (especially abs& lower back) more as legs will have no interference in the movement, whereas when standing legs are taking weight,
> 
> each to there own opinions


hello barry. to start this off i would like to point out that i strongly disagree with your statements, for the following reasons. that is not to say we can't discuss this without any aggro 

anyways....

1. most, if not all the core muscles attach the hip+femur, trunk+hip or trunk and femur. for that very reason, the legs HAVE to be bearing the weight for them to activate fully.

2. the musculature of the lower back and abs CANNOT bear a high proportion of the weight effectively if they are not in natural allignment. this can be demonstrated via overhead squats. no-one is going to tell me its easier to support the bar at the bottom position than it is at the top. the body was desgined to bear weight overhead in a standing position.

3. if you want core work, do it, don't try and turn an upper body press movement into a core one.

4. even if all that wasn't true, your arguement can still be questioned via a simple analogy.



> whereas when standing legs are taking weight


were this so, (it isn't, but lets say it is for a minute), your legs are strong (like a brick for example) and so are your shoulders and arms (another brick). your core will still bear the same weight, (actually more weight) if you stand than if you sit.

imagine an egg (core) under a brick (the barbell). put and egg on the floor and a brick on top and the egg breaks.

imagine putting a 1 brick on the floor (legs), then an egg (core) on brick 1 (legs). then put another brick, (brick 2, the barbell) on top of the egg (core). the egg still breaks.

the moral of the story is just because your legs are supporting your body, doesn't mean they make it easier on your core. it is infact harder, thats why you can seated press muchmore than you can standing press (strict, no leg drive).


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

is the egg raw or boiled? .... Just making sure I have all the facts


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2004)

depends how big the brick is mate


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## Biker (Apr 8, 2003)

good point, is it a brick or half size block or a full sized block, damn this bodybuilding lark is more complicated that I thought.


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## Guest (Sep 22, 2004)

lmao


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## winger (Jul 26, 2003)

Is this chess or bb?...............lol. I dont want to forget the smiley face--->


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## John (Jun 5, 2004)

we were gonna start making this easier? .

Do i eat the egg, and lift th brick or what?


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