Help with Standing Overhead Press

[inquisitive808]

Doing Stronglifts 5x5, and almost all my lifts are shooting up. For the last couple of weeks, I've not been able to Overhead Press over 65lbs. Any ideas on how to get this lift up?

[gymcandykid]

Make sure your keeping legs locked using hip drive and finish overhead (head through) activating the traps
Not just going straight up where the weight is still infront of you.
You could try a couple push-press reps after your first few.
Make sure your doing lots of chin ups as well.
Keep a tight lower back arch and elbows tucked.

I'm having trouble finding a good video to show the hip drive just know
that the movement starts with it.

[GuyJin]

Added to what GymCKid said, you have to keep your chest up and out a bit. This will put the shoulders in a better position with which to press. Some guys--and I've made this mistake as well--will let their shoulders and elbows come forward, which totally throws off the bio-mechanics of the exercise. I think there should be some good vids on YouTube which show how the overhead press should be done, and if I'm not mistaken, Mark Rippetoe has a series of really fine vids (also on YouTube) which demonstrate the various basic exercises, such as squats, benches, presses and what have you.

[gymcandykid]

GuyJin made a valid point... Chest up, shoulders back... Almost like a bench press.
Also pay attention to your breathing... short explosive breaths (it should sound like air coming from an
air compressor.. PSSSSSSSSSST) It will register in your head and help being explosive.
Use the breathing technique with all lifts though..

[inquisitive808]

Thanks a lot guys, I would rep if I could lol.

[TheKoiCarp]

all the above advice is good

keep at it, personally found OHP stalls a lot. Its defo one of the more tougher lifts

[gymcandykid]

To what Karp said... Its the truth, bench and smp progress a lot slower than the bigger compounds.
I did a straight strength program for 12 weeks and my smp only went up like 5-10lbs.. Althought thats good
progress it can be kinda frustrating. That added up though for a year would be 40lbs which is a big improvement.
Just remember any progress is progress... dedication & patience is the key.

[mistabigstuff19]

This is a taxing lift and it can be hard to move some big weight. I love this exercise and Ive always noticed great results from this lift. Now the form is key and everyone has hit it on the head already. Now on the initial lift idk if you're having problems but I usually put the weight on my shoulders like a squat and come down and explode a little to throw the weight above my head and then I start my set. It is almost impossible to just lift the weight without using your body to put the bar in position.

[marskman]

This is a taxing lift and it can be hard to move some big weight. I love this exercise and Ive always noticed great results from this lift. Now the form is key and everyone has hit it on the head already. Now on the initial lift idk if you're having problems but I usually put the weight on my shoulders like a squat and come down and explode a little to throw the weight above my head and then I start my set. It is almost impossible to just lift the weight without using your body to put the bar in position.

*This is a push press. *It's a different exercise with different intentions.

Here's a pro tip: Start the exercise from the top. Do one rep like you normally would, then at the top let out your breath. Take a new one, hold it in, bring it back down, and up. Resetting the exercise like this activates the stretch reflex.

[gymcandykid]

Good point... I do it differently not saying ^^ is wrong but just another way.
Nobody uses the squat rack so I use these bars made for the sides of the squat
rack on each side to save your butt incase you were to fail on a squat
the bar can rest on them. I put them just a little lower than shoulder level so I can squat a little
and set up then stand (bar resting on front of shoulders/top chest) and it will lift the bar like 2" above the side gaurds then u can begin repping
and when ur finished all u gotta do is just squat down 2" and the weighted bar rests.

[MrMisanthrope]

Depends on your form.

If it's wide grip, your limiting muscle is probably going to be your anterior delt.
If it's narrow grip, your limiting muscle will be your anterior delt, your lats or your triceps, depending which is weaker. Since it relies on more muscles at once and is easier on the shoulder joints I would recommend using the narrow grip form (shoulder width) for standing overhead presses. Whatever the weakest muscle is, you can strengthen it from there.

[devinfrawley]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtTEM...feature=relmfu

Thats the before mentioned hip drive

[Austere]

Use dat dere traps.