The Overhead Press...some thoughts..

[Prometheus]

The compressive forces that affect the spine are, in part, dissipated through the lower extremities, providing some reduction of the forces which must be borne by the lumbar spine components.

this makes no sense - the same load is transferred through the spine regardless of whether it ultimately goes through the legs to the floor or through the glutes to a seat.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Re: Re: The Overhead Press...some thoughts..

this makes no sense - the same load is transferred through the spine regardless of whether it ultimately goes through the legs to the floor or through the glutes to a seat.

I was just thinking that......maybe the author means that you can use your legs to absorb some impact as, for example, you lower the weight into the bottom position (similar to bending your legs as you land when jumping). Whereas, benches tend to be pretty solid and unforgiving......

Just my 2c.

 

[bignate73]

Re: Re: Re: The Overhead Press...some thoughts..

I was just thinking that......maybe the author means that you can use your legs to absorb some impact as, for example, you lower the weight into the bottom position (similar to bending your legs as you land when jumping). Whereas, benches tend to be pretty solid and unforgiving......

Just my 2c.

exactly.

someone sitting on a bench and pressing from the bottom position will have to overcome inertia by driving up, if the end of the "chain" is a hard bench at the bottom of the sacrum, the brunt of the weight/pressure goes to the vertebral disks and they compress as much as they can. with someone doing a standing press a) the weight tends to be lighter and b) there is a greater foundation to spread out the weight through, ie hips, thighs etc. no jarring compressive forces on just the vertebra, the force gets dissipated through the legs.

 

[bignate73]

the RTS coursebook (resistance training specialist) has an excellent graphical illustration of the differences between loading the spine vertically;seated, standing and also the exponential amount of stress placed on the spine when the angle of the body tilts one way or another (as the body moves closer to . (shearing forces) also the angle of the shoulder places a big amount of strain the spine as forces pull the body forward. very interesting stuff.

 

[JOKER47]

I may be way off base here, but I was told that doing military presses seated was preferred due to the fact that is was easier to "cheat" by using your legs to raise the weight when standing. You can't do that when seated. I have always done my military presses seated. I do know that I can lift more when standing, (not much) which lead me to believe that was true.


Just my .02,
Joker

 

[Imnotdutch]

I may be way off base here, but I was told that doing military presses seated was preferred due to the fact that is was easier to "cheat" by using your legs to raise the weight when standing. You can't do that when seated. I have always done my military presses seated. I do know that I can lift more when standing, (not much) which lead me to believe that was true.


Just my .02,
Joker

You might argue that seated presses allow people to lean so far back that the press almost becomes an incline BP though. I think that it just comes down to discipline......

 

[Prometheus]

Re: Re: Re: The Overhead Press...some thoughts..

I was just thinking that......maybe the author means that you can use your legs to absorb some impact as, for example, you lower the weight into the bottom position (similar to bending your legs as you land when jumping). Whereas, benches tend to be pretty solid and unforgiving......

that makes sense - you're right, that's probably what he was trying to say....

 

[JOKER47]

You might argue that seated presses allow people to lean so far back that the press almost becomes an incline BP though. I think that it just comes down to discipline......

That's part of the reason I do my seated presses with the back of my bench all the way up. Like a chair. Helps to reinforce the discipline to keep my back straight. Also makes it impossible to lean TO far back. The most I canlean back is about 2-3 inches before I hit the back of the bench.


Joker

 

[b fold the truth]

Try doing your seated dbell presses with NO back. Your standing overhead press should NOT be as high as your seated with a back support. I am sure that this is not the case for everyone...but is fairly standard from my experience with a "strict press".

I love standing presses, they work nearly every body part...

B True

 

[FitnessFrk]

I like the push press. I always do a couple of sets on shoulder day.