IS IT DANGEROUS TO TRAIN WITH THE TRASNUCA BAR?

IS IT DANGEROUS TO TRAIN WITH THE TRASNUCA BAR?
What is the difference between using the weights behind and in front of the head? Is this a dangerous technique? Is it dangerous to train with the bar on your back?
________________________________________
Let me answer you with another question. Would you like to end up in an emergency room after a gym routine? Well no one right? So below, I will help you know your own limits when training with the barbell, grip-exercises or dumbbells behind your head.

When performing exercises that require us to use a barbell behind the head, for example in the MILITARY BARBELL PRESS , common sense would indicate that a slight modification of this exercise would hardly change the training effect, right?

However, some muscles requested when training with the bar behind the neck are totally different from those we use when performing the same exercise but placing the bar in front.

On the other hand, the effort that we feel on the shoulder area when training with the bar behind the head, and that gives us the impression of greater muscular work, could be harmful to the shoulder joints if we go beyond certain limits of security.
WHAT MUSCLES ARE INVOLVED WHEN TRAINING WITH THE TRASNUCA BAR?
The essential difference between the two training positions is the position of the elbows: they are directed a little further forward when we use the bar to our front.
With the elbows pointing forward, the movement of the basic joint is the anterior flexion of the shoulder (elevation of the humerus forward), the contraction of the anterior deltoid, the superior pectoralis major, and the coracobrachial.
And naturally, you can change the location of the effect on these muscles by changing the grip width from which we take the bar.

However, when we train with the barbell behind the head, the antepulsion of the shoulder is replaced by an adduction (lateral elevation of the humerus) that involves, in part, the anterior deltoid with a greater participation of the external deltoid.

Whatever the position of the elbow, both versions involve the triceps when the elbows are extended in the push phase, and the serratus anterior and trapezius during shoulder rotation.
WHY COULD TRAINING WITH BAR TRASNUCA BE HARMFUL?
The transnuca exercises usually present some risks, originated by different factors but that we should not underestimate , because although some exercises such as the transnuca press or the pull with a pulley are effective, they are exercises that are poorly performed and are harmful.
These exercises are usually performed on a bench or pulley equipment. Taking the case of the military press, we carried it out on a vertical bench and with a fixed bar wherewe must raise both arms at the same time and therefore we end up adopting forced positions such as throwing our heads forward .

In this way we are forcing the spine to remain bent while we perform the exercise , something that in many cases causes us to divert tension to this part of the body, which can suffer neck and cervical damage.
Another risk that you can run when performing the transnuca military press, occurs when one usually adopts a posture that is not natural , which in addition to tilting the head forward ends up arching the back in the lower back. Well, when you put your arms back to perform the movement, you usually tend to bring your chest forward and bend your back.
This posture makes a large part of the thrust focus on the lower back and can harm us.

At the same time, while doing this exercise, the arms are usually pulled back a lot. In itself this posture is not normal and for many people it is even painful, running the risk of suffering tendinitis in the area.
And if we add to this the use of excessive weight when training with this exercise , the magnitude of gravity increases much more, since you would be applying more tension to a forced posture, thus doing much damage to your shoulders .
THEN DOING AN EXERCISE WITH THE BAR ON THE BACK IS DANGEROUS?
Despite all the above, it is not synonymous with danger, but rather with caution. The bar behind the head is not usually recommended for all bodybuilding practitioners.
Most bodybuilders can perform this exercise without adverse effects , but it all depends on the strength of the shoulder, the practitioner's predisposition to injuries to this joint, and the history of injuries in this region.
Even though you have strong shoulders, it might not be enough, as the trapezius muscles should also be moderately developed as well.
Too much or too frequent training can often result in an overtraining injury and given the primary role of the shoulders in muscle development, it is best not to allow your muscles to atrophy as you are recovering from injury to these joints.

THE SHOULDER IS A COMPLEX AND DELICATE JOINT and since most athletes do not use these muscles specifically, the development of this system is far from optimal.
Too much or too frequent training can often result in an overtraining injury, and given the primary role of the shoulders in muscle development, the smart thing to do is to prevent your muscles from losing what it took so much to develop to recover from a injury over this area.

Therefore, whether it is to train at an athletic level or focusing on bodybuilding, it is advisable to start gaining strength using the variant of the exercise in front of the head. At least until you have the most developed deltoids and trapezius.
Take these tips and you can prevent this exercise from becoming one of the SHOULDER TRAINING ERRORS .