Overhead Press

dartstothesea

I've added loads of weight to my squat, BP and DL in the last 6 weeks or so, but my press has been going absolutely nowhere fast. I'm following the Stronglifts 5x5 program fairly closely. The only exception being that twice a week I train muay Thai during my rest days. However I really doubted that could be a problem since all my other lifts were going up so fast.

Anyway I'm successfully pressing 40kg for 5x5. I've tried adding the 2.5kg in next session like Stronglifts says, but I always start failing around 3rd set. I always stick around and grind out the remaining reps after failure to make up the 5x5.

The smallest plates in the gym seem to be 1.25 so I could just add only one 1.25 to one side of the bar, or would that be a bad idea for any reason?

I'm doing my press some time after (not immediately after) my bench press. Is this what's holding me back? If I reversed the order, wouldn't my bench press just suffer the same way?

I've read and re-read the section in starting strength on press technique, I believe I'm dong it right.

Along with bent-over rows, the press is the only lift that's been giving me exertion headaches for some reason...

Any advice appreciated.

Amaru KGB

I find this quite hard as well, when I try to lift my PB i start getting pains in my lower back.

I don't know, maybe it's down to my stance being off somehow

Edwardius

Amaru KGB wrote: »

I find this quite hard as well, when I try to lift my PB i start getting pains in my lower back.

I don't know, maybe it's down to my stance being off somehow

Probably hyperextending your lower back. Take a big breath, squeeze your ass and tighten your abs before pressing.

OP, why are you pressing on the same day as benching?

TommyKnocker

Hi OP

Here is the strong lifts routine and you will see that Bench Press and Over head Press are supposed to be on alternating days!

Workout A
Squat 5x5
Bench Press 5x5
Inverted Row 3 to Fail
Push-up 3 to fail
Reverse Crunch 3 x 12

Workout B
Squat 5x5
Over Head Press 5x5
Dead Lift 1x5
Pull-ups/Chin-ups 3 to fail
Prone Bridge 3 x 30 secs



Best Regards,

M

Hanley

Ditch one day of 5x5 and do 15-12-10-8-6-4 once per week. Do a day of 5x5 as well.

Start with the 20kg bar and add 2.5kg per set. Next week start with 22.5kg and add 2.5kg per set. Do that for as many weeks as you can without stalling out. If you don't make it thru all the reps as rx'd, keep the same weight for the next session.

FTA69

dartstothesea wrote: »

I'm doing my press some time after (not immediately after) my bench press. Is this what's holding me back? If I reversed the order, wouldn't my bench press just suffer the same way?
.

Yep. As your man above said, do them on alternating days. This is most likely the reason you're stalling in my opinion. That having been said I started to stall on my press long before my other lifts.

Still, don't do them on the same day.

Poncherello

Relatively inexperienced compared with some on here but have had similar issues and what has worked for me is varying the Press workout from one week to next.
Work up to a 1 Rep Max one week a 3 rep max the next then try your 5 rep again. Also do a Metcon with shoulder excercises in it after going heavy.
In general though its always gonna be tough to keep setting PRs at this excercise.

rjp123

dartstothesea wrote: »

The smallest plates in the gym seem to be 1.25 so I could just add only one 1.25 to one side of the bar, or would that be a bad idea for any reason? Dont do this. It will cause an imbalance.

I'm doing my press some time after (not immediately after) my bench press. Is this what's holding me back? If I reversed the order, wouldn't my bench press just suffer the same way? dont do this. AFAIK the sequence of the stronglifts program is set up as it is for a reason.

I've read and re-read the section in starting strength on press technique, I believe I'm dong it right.

Along with bent-over rows, the press is the only lift that's been giving me exertion headaches for some reason...

Any advice appreciated. im pretty sure there is a section in the program that describes what to do when you hit a limit and are not progressingas you were

dartstothesea

Haha, oh dear. I saw that OHP alternated, yeah. I actually thought bench press was every session though! My bad.

I'll try that anyway Hanley, thanks.

dartstothesea

^^Yeah I know about that section for stalling but I haven't stalled on 40kg yet so kept trying from that.

Mellor

I find the best way to advance my OHP was to find a weight that you will fail with on the later sets. (For you try it with 42.5kg, and then move on to 45kg.)

For 5x5
For the first 3 sets (as many as possible) completely the lifts using arms only. Full range of motion, bar to chest etc.
When to start to struggle or fail on the final 2 sets. Swich to a slight push press, this is where you engage your legs to help lift the bar. Only use your legs as much as needed to lift the bar up, its similar to working to failure on bench with a spotter to assist.
Basically it ensures to finish 5 sets and also lift your max weiht for as much as possible. hopefully, you'll increase the number you can do arms only each time.

Sea Sharp

I'd say try and do more than 5*5 with 40kg before moving up, try maybe 6*5 .

Don't worry, you're not alone in finding it hard to make gains in this exercise. :mad:

Chris89

Maybe take a look at some technique videos, i see a lot of people pressing with too wide a grip, bring your hands in so that your forearms are perpendicular to the ground and try.

If you are already doing that then just follow hanleys advice.