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Avoid Shoulder Problems
 Frequently when I’m at the gym, I notice that a few people are doing barbell presses behind the neck or performing lat pulldowns behind the neck. Both of these exercises are potentially harmful to your shoulder health. The shoulder joint is the most complex joint in the body. The shoulder is incredible. It has a wide range of motion that is possible as a result of its complex design. However, despite this great range of motion, the shoulder joint is not designed to function with the arms pushing or pulling behind the neck.
Long term training using the press behind the neck or pulldown behind the neck will eventually result in shoulder problems, such as: impingement, rotator cuff irritation or, worse yet, rotator cuff tears. Rotator cuff tears usually require surgery to repair.
I can personally attest that bad things can happen to your shoulder if you do movements behind the neck. When I was a lot younger (and not as wise), I performed all my pressing movements behind the neck (or shoulder). After many years of this type of abuse, I developed a sharp pain in my right shoulder that was very painful when I lifted my arm above my shoulder. It was lucky for me that I had only irritated the rotator cuff. After a 6-month layoff (yes! SIX MONTHS!), my shoulder finally quit hurting and I was able to resume training. After that, I never did press behind the neck or lat pulldowns behind the neck. Since then, my shoulders have been relatively pain free.
Shoulder presses should be performed with the dumbbells or barbell in front of the shoulder joint. Pulldowns should also be done with the lat bar being pulled in front of your face and touching the top of your chest. Deltoid muscles and upper back muscles can be very effectively developed with front presses and front lat pulldowns. Keep this tip in mind when in the gym –your shoulders will thank you for it.
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