Consider avoiding overhead presses

I have heard a lot of good things about Hammer Strength.  I know, for example, of several collegiate football teams which use a lot of hammer strength machines, which surprised me greatly (you typically think of football players throwing around dumbbells and barbells, right?)  I tend to think of hammer strength as machines where the travel or path of the weight is appropriate and would minimize injury, if the machine is adjusted properly (i.e. the seat to the correct height).

Other machines I've used are really hit or miss--perhaps others on this forum have used the other overhead machine presses mentioned?  One indicator for a machine is if it feels really good.  In my mind, a free weight exercise might feel a bit weird and still be okay, because the lifter has yet master the exercise; no one feels great on their first dead lift.  But a machine should feel really good each and every time, assuming its adjusted properly, as there is no learning curve to it, and no stabilizer muscles to develop to make it feel better. 

To sum up, my impression--and I am by no means an expert, and others on the forum should weigh in--is that an overhead machine press is somewhat less risky than a overhead barbell press, because the lifter is not just traveling against gravity.  Machines are (hopefully) designed with a deliberate travel of the weight.  Of the machines you mentioned, I would most recommend the hammer strength.  My philosophy is that if there are big time strength coaches coaching big time athletes to use the machine, it can't be that bad.  And I very much doubt you would find a Life Fitness machine in an NCAA Big 12 weight room.

However, as others would doubtlessly mention, machines are generally not advised for this kind of exercise, for the very reason I mention above--there is no learning curve, no stabilizer muscles to develop, so your strength is much more limited in application.  A good powerlifter might feel a really strenuous bench press the next day in his or her abs or even legs.  One does not get such an effect from a machine chest press.  So, you might consider doing upright rows or dumbbell raises (either to the side, or in front, or ideally both).  On the other hand, I think 90% of success in the gym comes from doing lifts you enjoy, so if you enjoy machines, do 'em.

Wow my posts are rambling.... sorry!

honestly, I have never in 8+ years of serious lifting, seen anyone injure their shoulder from overhead presses. 99% of those injuries come from incorrect form on the bench press. (God forbid anyone ever suggest cutting back on monday's bench day I know.)

Simply put, the benefits of Snatches, OH Presses, Clean & Presses, etc, simply outweigh a *possible* injury (which, one could argue, is less likely due to strengthening those muscles by doing the exercise.). You COULD injure your shoulder falling down your staircase at home, does that mean you should avoid going downstairs?

It would take alot more than one article to convince me to ever stop deadlifting,squatting,pressing,cleaning,snatching. But weigh the risks yourself.

I certainly see your point, but I personally have twice injured my shoulder and upper back doing above presses.  It was a long time ago, and I probably let my form slip a bit in an effort to put more weight up, but that's not an uncommon sin among lifters.

I assume that I will be lifting as long as I am able, and I often wonder if lifts I'm doing (now combined with swimming, running, and biking) will end up damaging joints after 30+ years of lifting.  Doubtless overhead lifts put more stress on shoulder joints than lifts that are not overhead, right?  Is there that much benefit from doing overhead lifts?  (I was never great at snatches or power presses, so maybe not for me).

You raise a good point about bench presses.  Perhaps our collective obsession with bench presses is all more reason to avoid overhead press.  After all, who among us diligently does rotator cuff exercises?  As a side note, and getting off-topic, I think ideally we would all do dumbbell presses; I've been able to go the very heaviest using dumbbells without the slightest hint of an injury, much better than bench, and I've always thought dumbbells work even more stabilizer muscles, etc.

I suspect your feelings mirror others who do overhead presses.  When you think about it, distance running is extremely likely to result in some kind of injury--certainly more risky than overhead presses, even by that author's estimation--and yet we still do it.

Good thoughts.  I still question whether we think sufficiently about the long-term consequences of our exercises.  How many ex-athletes are out there who quit because of injuries that wouldn't go away?  Granted Boyle is being conservative, but are the benefits of a certain lift worth the risk, when there are lower-risk alternatives?  Just some things I've been thinking about lately, now that my athletic life doesn't revolve around lifting as much as possible or getting as big/cut as possible.

Doesn't knitting involve sharp sticks?  I'm SURE I would hurt myself doing that.

Interesting about upright rows.   Again, good thoughts.  My point was merely that we ought to try to minimize risk of injury when possible.  Perhaps the information out there about which lifts are dangerous differs so wildly that we can only go with what lifts feel good.  That's probably the approach I've taken.

Interesting.  I've never been able to do close grip bench press on a barbell because of the unnatural position, but the upright rows have never been any problem.

I just lifted shoulders today so I thought I'd give my 3 cents.  I started focusing big time on shoulders a few years ago when I started getting serious about excersize for a couple of reasons.  First, strong shoulders help big time on many upper body lifts(and swimming now that I do the tri thing). Second, vanity.  Big ripped shoulders just look tough.  I only use dumbells for overhead press.  Sometimes I'll use the smith machine for the barbell overhead but I'm not big on it.  I hate using any type of bar for upright rows as it puts a lot of stress on the wrist.  I attach the rope to the cable and do it that way.  I got a great lift from a buddy that has really helped my shoulder strength.  You have to start light because you'll find a muscle that doesn't get much work.  Start by raising dumbells to the side at shoulder height.  Instead of dropping them back and repeating reps, bring them from the raised side to the center like you would in a front dumbell raise.  Then drop down, bring back up to center and out to the sides at soulder height, and so on.  I hope that makes sense.  Between the side and center raised position, you'll find some shoulder muscles that don't much attention.  I dig it anyways.

I agree with this whole heartedly.  I use no BB for overhead.  In addition I find that many people neglect the rear delts when working shoulders thus leaving the rear delts always playing catch up to the other parts of the muscle.  Because of this I have made sure that I am working rear as much as the other parts.  I also advocate incline bench as much as bench because of how it works the shoulder gurdle.  Very important imo.  I also will  work RC exercises.