Overhead Pressing

[lweaver]

I need to get my standing OHP up big time in case I ever need to throw a giant rock at a charging bear or some shit.

That being said, what is everybodys preference of overhead pressing? What the hell should I do?

I'm thinking I should alternate between seated OHP and standing push press (heavier loads). Or should I use the stricter military style press and toss out the seated?

 

[coreygb]

I personally hate seated pressing...Or seated anything. I prefer a pretty strict military. Shoving something over my head while standing feels so much more manly.

 

[moya]

^this... and all the way down to your collarbone/upper chest...

 

[ExtraMile]

I hate standing presses. I feel it very hard to get any sort of power into the movement, its not like a benchpress where you can really grind the reps out. I also get some shoulder discomfort from doing then, especially when I try to press explosively. I have done alot of standing presses in the past though because everyone raves about how functional they are and how much they benefit your benchpress, but personally I never found much carryover to my benchpress strength. Even after building enough strength to press my 5rm for a set of 8 and my 1rm for a set of 3.

I also suck at overhead pressing lol.

Pushpresses would work if your weakness is in the top half of the movement, but most people get stuck in the bottom. Pushpresses would also be good when you're at a plateau and want to get the feel for having heavier weights over head.

Another thing you could do is alternate standing presses with high incline BB presses. I actually recently have swapped my overheads for high inclined barbell presses. Im hoping this will give more carryover to my benchpress and allow me to get some weekly progress going which was always hard to do with my standing presses.

I know southernlord loves standing presses and got up around 225 for reps at one point, maybe he will chime in.

 

[lweaver]

Yeah, definately going to add standing OHP, but if I can handle more weight seated won't that also be beneficial?

 

[ExtraMile]

depends on your goal. If your wanting to help improve your benchpressing by overload the delts, upper chest and triceps in a different plane of motion to the benchpress, then you may find seated presses have more carryover since it allows more weight to be handled and recruits more upper chest and front delts (more specific to the benchpress). However, alot of people use a standing press to hit the delts hard which in turn helps the benchpress.

If your after functional strength, improved co-ordination and stability, carry-over to strongman events, carry over to certain sporting events then chances are a standing strict overhead press will do you better since it fills all of those requirements.

one thing is for certain though, amoung other lifters pressing big weights overhead while standing is much more admirable then sitting against a back support and pressing a barbell in what resembles a very high incline press...

You cuold cycle both, try 6 weeks of OHP and see if your bench improves steadily at the same time... deload then do 6 weeks of seated and see what the effects are. Dont over complicate it just use which ever feels more comfortable/progresses better/you prefer. They arnt that different imo

 

[Tblock1]

Hey moya from I've heard going lower than chin height on standing press places the shoulder in a bad position and theres really no need to go lower than chin or just below.

But yeah I think standing strict overhead press is the best and when you do it it really tires out your whole body because it has to work so hard to stabilize the weight.

 

[JDid23]

Hey moya from I've heard going lower than chin height on standing press places the shoulder in a bad position and theres really no need to go lower than chin or just below.

But yeah I think standing strict overhead press is the best and when you do it it really tires out your whole body because it has to work so hard to stabilize the weight.

i would LOVE definitive answer on this, as my shoulder has not really allowed me to press anything for 3-4 months, especially overhead. Now that it's 90% better and i do want to get back into OHP's, i'd appreciate any input.

 

[moya]

Hey moya from I've heard going lower than chin height on standing press places the shoulder in a bad position and theres really no need to go lower than chin or just below.

But yeah I think standing strict overhead press is the best and when you do it it really tires out your whole body because it has to work so hard to stabilize the weight.

that would make sense for those that are effected by it... however, i have been doing them strict like this for a while now, and they give me any discomfort... actually, if i press any sooner, at like eye or chin level, i do feel some discomfort...
i guess this just leads back to the fact than everyone is different and what works for one dosnt always work for the other...

 

[Judo Tom]

my favorite lift in this area is the standard standing military press. I focus on lifting heavier and heavier weight there. I also love doing push press and jerk. They are lots of fun but at this point in my life I am getting more out of the military press.

 

[the.gladiator1987]

I did 225x7 BTN Standing Military Press. I believe if your shoulders are good that those are the best. But only if it doesnt bother your shoulders.

I do standing bb military press BTN, seated db military, and handstand pushups. I liked push presses because it got my body used to a heavier weight and it helped my other lifts.

 

[JDid23]

I did 225x7 BTN Standing Military Press. I believe if your shoulders are good that those are the best. But only if it doesnt bother your shoulders.

I do standing bb military press BTN, seated db military, and handstand pushups. I liked push presses because it got my body used to a heavier weight and it helped my other lifts.

I've read that BTN Military is absolute hell on your shoulders

 

[the.gladiator1987]

I've read that BTN Military is absolute hell on your shoulders

eh IDK, ive never had any problems. It does put ur shoulders in a weird position and i bet if ur not careful you could hurt yourself

Id probably switch it up if I ever got to 275+

 

[zedhed]

Overhead pressing can be bad for shoulders. Same as bench can be bad for shoulder.
If you already have shoulder issues and want to overhead press it is suggested that you do not go lower then your nose. Also it is suggested that you do not lock out.
Also if you have shoulder issues one of the very best things that you can do is disslocations with a towel.
If you have never done this or have not done it for a long time do not attempt to go all the way back and down to your ass. Work to that goal over time.
A towel has give to it that is better for your wrists and elbows then a stick would be.

 

[Judo Tom]

shoulder mobility is huge for injury prevention. definitely take some time to do some PREHAB so you dont have to spend time in rehab.

I like to start with dislocations with a pvc pipe, rotator cuff stretches and exercises and even myofascial release with a lacrosse ball. Definitely helps keep the shoulders healthy.

 

[Sub-Zero]

agreed with shoulder mobility.

stretching your lats is important for shoulder mobility too.

at the top of the motion your shoulders should be back and shoulder blades kinda pulled back similar to when you bench.

i was pressing "in front" of my natural body alignment and once i fixed this issue i can press much better with less issue

some pics:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_uA1u9MMo-H4/SzLqBPAgl4I/AAAAAAAADK8/aaeK_aS9Zzs/s320/100_5480.JPG

http://www.crossfitdraper.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/IMG_3731-300x225.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h67/Gubernatrix/strength training/pushpress_finish_200px.jpg

 

[Judo Tom]

great pics.... gotta put your head through.

 

[Sub-Zero]

great pics.... gotta put your head through.

i was trying to figure out how to describe it but you nailed it lol

 

[Judo Tom]

it might be a crossfit phrase but my coach says "push your head through the pane of glass" or then "break the pane of glass" something to that effect.

sometimes its those type of little sayings or phrases that help you remember things and if it leads to better form/technique and prevents injury im all for it.

for some of the movements that is the completion of the rep.

 

[MidasMulligan]

I'll chime in to agree with JT - little phrases like that make all the difference. Mark Rippetoe writes about them, calls them cues. On standing overhead press, "push your head through" forces you to really get under the weight, fully utilizing your delts and minimizing pec involvement.

Some other cues I've found to be particularly useful...
"Chest up" - especially deadlifts. Squats too.
"Drive from the hips" - Squats, imagining lifting a weight resting on your butt/low back
"Up!!" - bench and squat. Start thinking it when you start lowering the weight. Don't stop till lockout.
"Butt out" - especially goodmornings. Also SLDL and squat.
"Breathe!" - every lift. Actually a reminder to NOT breathe while the weight is in motion, but to remember to refresh the air supply when necessary.

Anyone else have cues that work for them?

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[SPEKTOR-AAA]

"Big Chest, Tight Core" Tell myself this all the time.

 

[Judo Tom]

"torque the floor" for deadlifts
"elbows up" front squats
"JUMP!" snatch/clean