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Sho
01-09-09, 1:59 pm
Been struck in the same rut for a month or so now... just cant seem to improve on this lift. wondering if its my set/rep scheme. So far I've been doing 8(95)6(95)5(105)4(135)3(135)lbs.

Any suggestions to improve on this? Ive been Eating huge, and my form is this style; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sebbhlKhs2E&feature=PlayList&p=3D3C78690DC40B13&playnext=1&index=7

lol kinda pisses me off sometimes cuz my training partner can bang out 12 or so at 135 but completely cheats on them and then ridicules me with the utmost ignorance for bring the bar down to my upper chest.

prowrestler
01-09-09, 2:10 pm
try this out

if your maxin at 135 for a triple that is,....

barx10
barx10
95x3
95x2
115x2
135x whatever you can bang out

id also reccomend ditching ALL OH pressin this week. come back to say push presses or jerks, 2 weeks of that, maybe some rack lockouts, 2 weeks later return to the OH press

futurefreak101
01-09-09, 2:12 pm
lol same with me..i suck at overhead presses....been stuck for the longest...

Aggression
01-09-09, 2:22 pm
Listen to prowrestler. He's given some solid advice; pretty much the same advice I was going to give.

pedraza
01-09-09, 2:23 pm
how is your form on the press? and its not always a bad thing to cheat a little bit. as far as im concerned your still working those parts and getting stonger. when i do my press i do as many sets as i can stiff legged, but when i start to get heavy then ill bend my knees slighty to get a little momentom pushing up.

live2lift
01-09-09, 2:28 pm
Been struck in the same rut for a month or so now... just cant seem to improve on this lift. wondering if its my set/rep scheme. So far I've been doing 8(95)6(95)5(105)4(135)3(135)lbs.

Any suggestions to improve on this? Ive been Eating huge, and my form is this style; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sebbhlKhs2E&feature=PlayList&p=3D3C78690DC40B13&playnext=1&index=7

lol kinda pisses me off sometimes cuz my training partner can bang out 12 or so at 135 but completely cheats on them and then ridicules me with the utmost ignorance for bring the bar down to my upper chest.

Just my 2 cents but the form on that video isn't the way I would do OH presses. That just doesn't look comfortable to me. Just because your training partner doesn't bring the bar down to his chest doesn't mean he isn't using proper form. I never bring the bar that far down but can press a descent amount of weight...I personally feel that if you are pressing from an extreme stretch position like in that video then you are setting yourself up for injury, but again this is my 2 cents. I would say to try not coming down to your chest and not completely locking out at the top like in the video and see if you don't see some improvement. But remember this, don't settle for just pressing more weight...if you are lifting more but not seeing improvement in your shoulders then go back to your old style. Just keep doing em bro and you will get there.

Peace

shizz702
01-09-09, 3:29 pm
The press is one of my favorite exercises, though I'm far from an expert at it, but I have developed some decent strength on it.

Some tips I've learned along the way:

Unrack the bar fast and explosively, it will give you an extra boost to break the first rep that way.

Squeeze your glutes througout the whole set. By doing that it will tighten up your core and make your back less prone to hyperextending.

Shift your torso under the bar. As you press it up, you want to press it up in a straight line and use your hips to "get under" the bar.

Resist the temptation to push with your legs, keep them locked. By using leg drive it is no longer a press, but a push press, and won't count. Push presses are fine, but save them for when actually want to do a push press cycle.

Here's a good write up on the press that has helped me: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-overhead-press-with-correct-technique/

As far as your rep scheme goes, I think you are fatiguing from the warm ups. Cut your reps down on your warm ups, and go for multiple low rep sets with your top weight.

For example, warm up with the bar for as many reps as you feel the need to. The from there only hit 1-2 reps with your progressive warm ups. Then once you get to 135, your top weight, I reccommend doing 3-5 sets (whatever you feel best with) for 2 reps. By doing that you'll keep the intensity high, and you should be able to break the plateau that way. Once you get all your sets and reps in with 135, bump the weight up to 140, and keep adding 5 lbs from there til you plateau.

prowrestler
01-09-09, 5:01 pm
The press is one of my favorite exercises, though I'm far from an expert at it, but I have developed some decent strength on it.

Some tips I've learned along the way:

Unrack the bar fast and explosively, it will give you an extra boost to break the first rep that way.

Squeeze your glutes througout the whole set. By doing that it will tighten up your core and make your back less prone to hyperextending.

Shift your torso under the bar. As you press it up, you want to press it up in a straight line and use your hips to "get under" the bar.

Resist the temptation to push with your legs, keep them locked. By using leg drive it is no longer a press, but a push press, and won't count. Push presses are fine, but save them for when actually want to do a push press cycle.

Here's a good write up on the press that has helped me: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-overhead-press-with-correct-technique/

As far as your rep scheme goes, I think you are fatiguing from the warm ups. Cut your reps down on your warm ups, and go for multiple low rep sets with your top weight.

For example, warm up with the bar for as many reps as you feel the need to. The from there only hit 1-2 reps with your progressive warm ups. Then once you get to 135, your top weight, I reccommend doing 3-5 sets (whatever you feel best with) for 2 reps. By doing that you'll keep the intensity high, and you should be able to break the plateau that way. Once you get all your sets and reps in with 135, bump the weight up to 140, and keep adding 5 lbs from there til you plateau.

agreedo

Sho
01-10-09, 12:14 pm
Righton Shizz. Thanks bro.

shizz702
01-10-09, 4:45 pm
Righton Shizz. Thanks bro.

Glad to help bro.

If all goes well and you break this plateau, update this thread and let us know how.

Here I Stand
01-10-09, 6:38 pm
i love doing the over head press. i def would not recommend locking out at the top. i normally do mine from shoulder to top of forehead. for me that isolates the shoulders and make them work more. good luck bro.