A shoulder surgeon explains why the overhead military press damages your rotator cuff. Instead, he recommends light-weight abduction exercises in the plane of the scapula with a slow lowering phase to build strength without injury.
I repair shoulders for a living, and here's my least favorite exercise that I see people doing in the gym that's destroying their shoulders: the overhead military press. This exercise places a ton of stress on your shoulders. So if you want to protect your rotator cuff but still strengthen your shoulders, I'm a much bigger fan of abduction exercises, especially eccentric with very light weight. So taking a light weight, going in the plane of the scapula, and then just going very slowly down. You're still gonna get the effect of muscle activation, but here I'm much more protected, my rotator cuff being in the plane of the scapula.
