Overhead Press - OHP - do you do it?

[RodgerThat]

btn presses are terrible for your joints, dont do it mane. standing ohp is very good for shoulders and back though.

Incorrect. Behind the neck OHP is not bad for your joints as long as you have the required flexibility and mobility in your joints. I regularly do BTN OHP and absolutely love it but I have the flexibility for it if you didn't then you would be stretching your front delt beyond its limit and would have to rely on your ligaments and skeletal structure for stabilization and that's when you'd get joint issues.

 

[tenpoundsleft]

When I do standing OHP, whether with BB or DB, I get this weird feeling in my right armpit on the upward path.

It's like a guitarstring twanging in my armpit, roughly halfway going up. Not painful, just weird. Slightly "electrical" feeling in the armpit for a split second. It's quite repeatable, but only with OHP activities, no other exercise involving the shoulders.

Sound familiar to anyone?

 

[MrRippedZilla]

Behind the neck OHPs require a greater degree of mobility to make it safe .
Then again, I see members complaining about "feeling it in the lower back" with standard OHPs and that makes me think they don't have the mobility required for that either

When I do standing OHP, whether with BB or DB, I get this weird feeling in my right armpit on the upward path.

It's like a guitarstring twanging in my armpit, roughly halfway going up. Not painful, just weird. Slightly "electrical" feeling in the armpit for a split second. It's quite repeatable, but only with OHP activities, no other exercise involving the shoulders.

Sound familiar to anyone?

Yup, nerve impingement waiting to happen - has a lot to do with that lack of mobility I was talking about earlier.

 

[tenpoundsleft]

Behind the neck OHPs require a greater degree of mobility to make it safe .
Then again, I see members complaining about "feeling it in the lower back" with standard OHPs and that makes me think they don't have the mobility required for that either



Yup, nerve impingement waiting to happen - has a lot to do with that lack of mobility I was talking about earlier.

I don't do behind the neck, of course with DBs it's whatever it becomes.

Any suggestions on what to do to "fix" this? It's entirely on my right side, not a hint of it on the left.

 

[NovaFlex]

Sounds like your shoulders gonna be sore tomorrow, lol.


To me 2 plates may be an absolute max as you'll be putting a tremendous load on your lower back. Strict form will be a MUST in that case to avoid serious injury should you ever attempt to lift that much over your head when standing.

I'm not sure id wanna even go over 185ish standing. I struggle with that on 3x3's. Probably just work on rep PRs.

 

[NovaFlex]

Behind the neck OHPs require a greater degree of mobility to make it safe .
Then again, I see members complaining about "feeling it in the lower back" with standard OHPs and that makes me think they don't have the mobility required for that either



Yup, nerve impingement waiting to happen - has a lot to do with that lack of mobility I was talking about earlier.

If you utilize correct form on an OHP, you should feel it in your rear Delts / traps as well... you're supposed to push your head through after the bar is lifted, and squeeze at lockout. No way you won't feel it in your back... unless you're doing half reps, in that case you probably squat half reps too.

 

[DonQKong]

If you utilize correct form on an OHP, you should feel it in your rear Delts / traps as well... you're supposed to push your head through after the bar is lifted, and squeeze at lockout. No way you won't feel it in your back... unless you're doing half reps, in that case you probably squat half reps too.

How do you activate the rear delts on lockout, with the head, no? Surely by rotating the elbows out and backwards no?

 

[NovaFlex]

How do you activate the rear delts on lockout, with the head, no? Surely by rotating the elbows out and backwards no?

When you lock out, the bar should be directly over head, with your head itself pushed forward a bit, yeah? I believe the rear Delts are activated during the pushing phase, when the head is pushed forward. I'm not exactly sure, as I'm not a PT, but I know I feel it in my rear Delts and traps after.. along with the rest of my shoulders of.

 

[MrRippedZilla]

I don't do behind the neck, of course with DBs it's whatever it becomes.

Any suggestions on what to do to "fix" this? It's entirely on my right side, not a hint of it on the left.

Work on shoulder mobility, something I discussed on the 1st page on this thread.
Or just skip the movement completely and do something else.

If you utilize correct form on an OHP, you should feel it in your rear Delts / traps as well... you're supposed to push your head through after the bar is lifted, and squeeze at lockout. No way you won't feel it in your back... unless you're doing half reps, in that case you probably squat half reps too.

You failed to notice that I CLEARLY mentioned the lower back specifically.

If your bracing your core, tightening the glutes & pushing the hips forward hard (something else that protects the lower back) then you shouldn't be feeling much if anything in your lower back.
If you are then your form is fucked up. It could be hyperextension (99% of the time it is) or just poor core strength. Either way, its fucked.

 

[Xlgx]

BTN on the smith. Awesome movement

 

[MindlessWork]

BTN on the smith. Awesome movement

Yes that works for me as well as I can get into a position that doesn't kill my shoulders.

 

[NovaFlex]

Work on shoulder mobility, something I discussed on the 1st page on this thread.
Or just skip the movement completely and do something else.



You failed to notice that I CLEARLY mentioned the lower back specifically.

If your bracing your core, tightening the glutes & pushing the hips forward hard (something else that protects the lower back) then you shouldn't be feeling much if anything in your lower back.
If you are then your form is fucked up. It could be hyperextension (99% of the time it is) or just poor core strength. Either way, its fucked.

Nope, didn't see that. Only read back.

 

[Cleant1]

Just saw this thread, I'll chime in even though my lifting life has just started. I do standing OHP's in place of benching, every other workout, or 3 times every 2 weeks. It's part of the Mark Rippetoe program, Starting Strength Novice.

I lock my shoulders back, chest up, and head forward after the bar is raised. Then at the peak of the lift, I throw in a shrug (with your shoulders locked back, it's a mental effort to get the shrug in at top, but worth it).

3x5x115 is my PR. This Friday will be 3x5x120.

 

[Thenewera]

I neglect shoulders (somewhat) - where I hit chest twice a week, I just have one day a chest and shoulder day. Think about it. I'm stimulating shoulders every push movement, and even doing heavy as bicep movements, back movements too.. But. when I throw shoulders back into my routine (which I'm working on building now) you best believe I'll alternate a strict OHP with strict DB press as the primary movement.

 

[tenpoundsleft]

Incorrect. Behind the neck OHP is not bad for your joints as long as you have the required flexibility and mobility in your joints. I regularly do BTN OHP and absolutely love it but I have the flexibility for it if you didn't then you would be stretching your front delt beyond its limit and would have to rely on your ligaments and skeletal structure for stabilization and that's when you'd get joint issues.

I forget if this has been asked - but what's your take on seated versus standing OHP and BTN? I find seated OHP, with the high back, really uncomfortable unless I do BTN.

Also, I've read that BTN is supposedly a superior technique that activates shoulder muscles better than just about anything else. True?

I need to stretch more, for sure.

 

[grey]

Wife and I both do the Rippetoe version of the press... I have to keep the form strict as hell due to some damn thing going awry in my right shoulder but both shoulders feel tons better after doing my fives of OHP.

 

[RodgerThat]

I forget if this has been asked - but what's your take on seated versus standing OHP and BTN? I find seated OHP, with the high back, really uncomfortable unless I do BTN.

Also, I've read that BTN is supposedly a superior technique that activates shoulder muscles better than just about anything else. True?

I need to stretch more, for sure.

I always do standing I wouldn't do sitting personally cause then I'm not truly using my whole body and I'm building total body strength not just making my muscles bigger (nothing wrong if that's your goal just ain't mine) BTN I wouldn't say is superior but if you can do it I would for sure, not in place of an OHP but as a supplement to it. Anything besides bench press should be done on your two feet IMO

 

[jaymaximus]

I always do standing I wouldn't do sitting personally cause then I'm not truly using my whole body and I'm building total body strength not just making my muscles bigger

YES!!!!!!!!

 

[MindlessWork]

So standing ohp's it is, so will use a belt to help support my back if I go heavier. Thanks for all the great suggestions and tips

 

[DonQKong]

Just

I lock my shoulders back, chest up, and head forward after the bar is raised. Then at the peak of the lift, I throw in a shrug (with your shoulders locked back, it's a mental effort to get the shrug in at top, but worth it).
.

Fucking shrugging at the Top; gold dust. Can't wait for the gym tomorrow morning