Overhead Press

[Abstraktmind]

Are suppose to use your lower back for assistance?

[71Avido]

No, well not as a main target for the lift anyway. Your back is utilized for core stabilization but you're not supposed to OHP with your back.

[ironwill2008]

Are suppose to use your lower back for assistance?

No. To do so will leave you more open to possible injury.

[Garage Rat]

Low back for keeping the upper body stabilized in an upright position.
The lats are what's used for a good free standing OHP.

[EML84]

The standing OHP is a whole body lift. From the feet, up to the lower back, up to the abdominals, all is isometrically-contracted. PLANTED. Slight, yet strong, back arch. Squeezed glutes. Your entire upper back pops you out of the bottom. Delts in the transition. Tris and yoke at the top.

[Abstraktmind]

Thanks guys.

[italianplaya30]

yes your lower back will get used

[stealth_swimmer]

Not consciously. The core (lower back, abs, obliques, etc) will be used as they will be tensed to stabilize your body. Take a big breath before starting the lift and keep your abs tight, exhaling once you get past the sticking point of the lift (the part that's hardest). That'll keep up your intra-abdominal pressure. If you mean bending backwards in order to lift more - then hell no, that'll just increase your risk of injury(allows you to do more weight cus you're basically turning an overhead press into an incline press and recruiting more of the chest...but if you wanna do that safely, then just do incline DB press on a high incline).

[schneppy07]

I would recommend doing them seated if your looking to isolate the muscle more.

[orca23554]

I use a bit of lay back when I OHP so I guess I use the lower back somewhat

Too short of a lifting history (1 year) to comment on whether that's the best way of doing it but so far no complaints for me - probably because I can only 1RM 110 lbs which isn't exactly heavy to cause an injury