Overhead press, way of the arms, and seated?

[Dschingis]

Hi,

2 things.

How should the arms move on any overheadpress? Should the arms move directly on the sides, or more in front of the body?

Sides:
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Front:
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http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/videos/exercise%20videos%20plus/db%20overhead%20neutral.mpg


Seated Presses.
The height of my ceiling is too low. Would this be an alternative?
http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/videos/exercisevideos/seated_overhead_press.mpg


Thanks

 

[AnimalMass]

Your arms can't start out to the side with a barbell - the most important thing to remember when overhead pressing is to get your head through at the top - i.e. - get the weight behind your head, over your center of gravity. Otherwise, you are just turning it into a glorified incline press.

AM

 

[Girth]

You've depicted two completely different lifts. The finishing point is relatively the same, but the required path of your "arms" as you state, can't be. Try to make it so, and you'll be swallowing some teeth.

As for the seated dumbbell press being an alternative, sure. As would a seated, barbell overhead press.

 

[elgaringo]

I don't know that seated press looks awquard to me, I aint very adjil though. Would'nt it be easier to be seated on a bench? Also whats with the cheesy tecno music lol

 

[Dschingis]

You've depicted two completely different lifts. The finishing point is relatively the same, but the required path of your "arms" as you state, can't be. Try to make it so, and you'll be swallowing some teeth.

Thats why i am asking for. Which of the two is recommended? To the front, wouldnt it be a problem for the spine and the overall load? Because when the spine triggers too much load, the applicabable barbell load decreases, isnt it? Therefore to the sides would be better?

The only difference is, when there's a risk of injury to the spine, your body will shut down the prime mover (in this case the biceps). Your body won't allow that load to get heavy enough to injure you if it can help it.

Why? Because your body is more concerned about protecting your spine than it is about growing massive guns. As wrong as this fundamentally is, we have to go with it. The longer the lever arm, i.e. the further away from the body the load is, the greater the torque through the spine.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;.hydra?id=797992
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;.hydra?id=746517

As for the seated dumbbell press being an alternative, sure. As would a seated, barbell overhead press.

Seated as in the video, or in an other way?