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Over Head Press


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At the moment I feel my overhead pressing, be it strict or with a push, is a long way behind other exercises.

I do all the standard shoulder exercises, Seated Presses, Miltary Press as well as Standing Overhead stuff but I just don't seem to be getting the results I want.

Watching Jonathan, Buzz etc and Reading Training Logs for people like Vegan Essentials only seem to highlight how weak I am in this regard.

I'm not after so magic cure, just looking for people to share their experiences or give some thoughts.

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Just use your shoulder problems as an excuse...thats what I did Its really hard to get good at shoulder presses if you have shoulder issues like we do and that position only exacerbates your weaknesses. I know I probably had the weakest overhead press in history for someone benching 370. It just goes with the territory. I always had a good clean and jerk and that was my way of getting over the problem but I don't think I would have ever gotten good at this movement by itself. Have you tried Arnold presses instead. They seem to be something I could always do well compared to others my strength but a straight bar never agreed with me.

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I avoided overhead pressing for a long time for a host of reasons - I didn't think it was fun, I didn't like not being able to move much weight, etc....whatever seemed like the excuse not to do it, I made sure to roll with it instead of working shoulders. The only way I got around it was to force myself to do it - two main things that got me stronger and made me like it more were barbell and dumbbell push presses. Those two things made me get stronger much more quickly than sticking with strict pressing, even just doing lots of singles and doubles at times. DB style is much easier to hit some higher reps and get comfortable with moving more weight, so I started there and moved to BB once I got the hang of handling heavier poundage. So, for example, if you could do 65 lbs x 10 with DBs, jump up to 75 - 80 lbs. and do some push pressing. Best thing to do is start single-arm with DBs - if you get tired, take a few breaths, and keep going until you can'd manage more. It's tough at first, but once you get the feel for push pressing and do it for a few months, you should quickly find that your strict presses will have gone up quite a bit in the meantime. Also, with push presses, you can vary the degree of the push to whatever you want - either hit some serious leg drive, or, just nudge it up a bit to get it started and strict press it to lockout. I do both depending on the day and how I feel, so give them a shot for a month or two and I have the feeling you'll see it pay off. Once you get the weight on up you'll like overhead pressing more than ever (like squatting, it's fun to be one of the only guys in the gym who actually does it regularly.) Try it sometime and see how it goes!

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Thanks Potter, I guess I could blame volleyball, it isn't exactly known to be good for shoulders...

Anyway on a serious note...

Thanks VE I will definitely try some 1 arm Dumbbell Presses and hit it as hard as I can in that way,

As the moment I'm the only one that does Push Presses with a Barbell, they look at me like I'm crazy, so I like the idea of Dumbbell Push presses even more.

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My overhead shoulder presses are also not too great. It is infuriating when you're not able to lift as much as you can with other exercises, for the same bodypart. I can't blame any injuries, just weak shoulders I guess. But I have hopes that one day I will break through this limitation. That's why I love weight lifting, it's just so empowering!

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Aye, overhead work is superb, once you get the hang of it. I train overhead at least twice a week, and feel like I've had a crap session if I don't!

 

I would opt for plain and simple push press. Take a weight that you can military press for a few reps and add leg drive. It might take you some time to get the coordination right. The trick is, don't dip too much with the legs, explode up, and start pressing with the arms before your leg drive is finished. Get the head through early, and drive the bar slightly backwards to lockout.

 

Have fun!

 

Jonathan

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I have problems with overhead pressing. I have just started doing these 'tiger' press ups. I put my feet on a chair and have two thick yellow pages on the floor for my hands. This allows me to go a bit deeper than just nose to floor. You can really feel it in your deltoids and triceps.

 

Last one on the page:

 

http://www.beastskills.com/Handstand%20pushup%20beginner.htm

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Aye, decent advice form the other guys. If you are just looking to shift more weight, it depends on where your sticking point is on them, but I generally just do push press and then bench (with a grip the same width as overhead grip) on the other day. I'll usually stick in either thick bar overhead/thick dumbell overhead, or log, on the third day just coz I like them so much Post a video if you can, for some technique tips.

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My overhead press always was and always will be weak compared to my other lifts, but here's what helped me increase it:

Started doing barbell push presses, switched strict to dumbell. Added close grip bench press fpr triceps strength, ditched flat benching. Did heavy sets, low reps, no muscle failure. Did pressing 1-2 per week.

Maybe this helps you, too

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Aye, decent advice form the other guys. If you are just looking to shift more weight, it depends on where your sticking point is on them, but I generally just do push press and then bench (with a grip the same width as overhead grip) on the other day. I'll usually stick in either thick bar overhead/thick dumbell overhead, or log, on the third day just coz I like them so much Post a video if you can, for some technique tips.

 

Buzz that picture is great.

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My overhead press always was and always will be weak compared to my other lifts, but here's what helped me increase it:

Started doing barbell push presses, switched strict to dumbell. Added close grip bench press fpr triceps strength, ditched flat benching. Did heavy sets, low reps, no muscle failure. Did pressing 1-2 per week.

Maybe this helps you, too

 

Thanks Daywalker.

May I ask why you ditched Flat benching?

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I ditched benching because

1. on the pressing days i needed to focus on overhead and triceps strength, bench press doesn't transfer that well into overhead strength, and my triceps doesn't grow from it as well. With push press, close grip bench, dips, strict overhead press and sometimes incline bench i already have enough pressing moves to choose from. Then i vary between pressing a barbell, log or dumbells.

1.b. benching is not part of strongman comps

2. i don't need to grow larger pecs, for BB purpose i need more balanced muscles, and arms and shoulders are lagging behind.

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:roll:

 

I ditched benching because

1. on the pressing days i needed to focus on overhead and triceps strength, bench press doesn't transfer that well into overhead strength, and my triceps doesn't grow from it as well. With push press, close grip bench, dips, strict overhead press and sometimes incline bench i already have enough pressing moves to choose from. Then i vary between pressing a barbell, log or dumbells.

1.b. benching is not part of strongman comps

2. i don't need to grow larger pecs, for BB purpose i need more balanced muscles, and arms and shoulders are lagging behind.

 

No need for eye rolling...

Ok, that makes sense I guess.

 

I don't do strongman and I am doing a spilt at the moment where I'm doing shoulders on a different day to chest, hmmm maybe I could modify my routine a bit.

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