Olympic press : Few can do 200 lbs?

[62Wolf]

April issue of Ironman Magazine, Bill Starr is discussing the Olympic Press and says hitting the "magical 200 pounds" is still a worthy goal "..because very few people these days can press that much." What? Is that right? I'm thinking that has to be a misprint and he meant 300 at least. Hell, I did 230 @ 2001 right before tearing myself up on my motorcycle and can hit 190 right now without really focusing on it and I consider myself average in most lifts and well below some of the guys on here who powerlift and whatnot. There's got to be quite a few of you guys who can easily top 200 on this......

[Iceman1800]

The majority of lifters can't press 200# overhead.

[Gadsen]

Video of said 190# strict Olympic press(standing) from a dead stop on your shoulders would be appreciated.

[Jtbny]

I just did a 200 lb standing Bb military press on Thursday....finally....after working my ass off to get it. It's awesome that OP can easily do 190.... without even trying.

Really awesome....

[djflex]

Dont see many pressers at the gym. And no one doing 200 ...

[NextProtege]

200 strict is a huge accomplishment

[michail71]

My max was 145. Thought that sucked until I looked up the stats by body weight. It turns out it's my top lift.

[2nd_chance]

Video of said 190# strict Olympic press(standing) from a dead stop on your shoulders would be appreciated.

I'm pretty sure you'll never see that.

[SKINUM]

I've never 1 repped to see but based upon my reps I'm gonna guess 170. So, I'm a ways from 200 as well.

[Bladerunner1811]

April issue of Ironman Magazine, Bill Starr is discussing the Olympic Press and says hitting the "magical 200 pounds" is still a worthy goal "..because very few people these days can press that much." What? Is that right? I'm thinking that has to be a misprint and he meant 300 at least. Hell, I did 230 @ 2001 right before tearing myself up on my motorcycle and can hit 190 right now without really focusing on it and I consider myself average in most lifts and well below some of the guys on here who powerlift and whatnot. There's got to be quite a few of you guys who can easily top 200 on this......

back in Sig Klein's day that was the goal to put 200 over head,and sad to say with allll the progress made since then still few people who workout can press 200 pounds overhead.

So yeh that mark is still valid

[Bladerunner1811]

Dont see many pressers at the gym. And no one doing 200 ...

All I've seen is benchpressers =(

[omarwashington]

I heard back in the days 60s ohp was popular. Now its all bench. 200lbs is huge for ohp. Hell even 135lbs, not alot of ppl can do that.

[Karl_Hungus]

Hell, I did 230 @ 2001 right before tearing myself up on my motorcycle and can hit 190 right now without really focusing on it and I consider myself average in most lifts and well below some of the guys on here who powerlift and whatnot. There's got to be quite a few of you guys who can easily top 200 on this......

Standing OHP is a hard lift .... and one of the most difficult on which to progress. Not many people OHP 200+ and honestly, I don't know anyone who can hit 190 without training it regularly.

[Sen8or]

190 without training for OHP?

[-Lucifer]

All I've seen is benchpressers =(

This, and very few of them could even bench 200 with a full RoM.

[adamsz]

I have a feeling OP is confusing bench and overhead press...

[GKC45]

OP=Righteous Bad Azz

[GuyJin]

I have a feeling OP is confusing bench and overhead press...

---

I have the feeling that the OP is lying. However, I've been wrong before, so if the OP posts a video of him doing a proper shoulder press either standing or seated, then I'm prepared to rep him. Otherwise, this is just more keyboard heroics.

[drudixon]

With my shoulders in repair, I think I'm good for 45lbs, maybe 55 if I cheat a little.

[was strong]

what is the kg/lbs conversion? looks like the range goes 120-157 kg back in the day for the lift. op got 230 lbs would that of made it in the olympics? Looks like a great movement to me and not tricky at all,start talking overhead squats and id be happy to get good form with an empty bar.

Men (1920–1972)[edit]
Event Record Athlete Nation Date Meet Place Ref
52 kg
Press 120.5 kg Adam Gnatov Soviet Union 11 July 1972 Baltic Cup Riga, Soviet Union
Snatch 105.0 kg Aung Gyi Burma 27 August 1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
Clean & Jerk 132.5 kg Charlie Depthios Indonesia 27 August 1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
Total 342.5 kg Sándor Holczreiter Hungary 12 September 1970 World Championships Columbus, United States
56 kg
Press 128.5 kg Mohammad Nassiri Iran 10 July 1972 Tehran, Iran
Snatch 115.0 kg Koji Miki Japan 23 October 1972 Kagoshima, Japan
Clean & Jerk 150.0 kg Mohammad Nassiri Iran 13 October 1968 Olympic Games Mexico City, Mexico
Total 377.5 kg Imre Földi Hungary 28 August 1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
60 kg
Press 137.5 kg Imre Földi Hungary 4 March 1972 Pre-Olympic Meet Ulm, West Germany
Snatch 125.5 kg Yoshinobu Miyake Japan 28 October 1969 Matsuura, Japan
Clean & Jerk 157.5 kg Norair Nurikyan Bulgaria 29 August 1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
Total 402.5 kg Dito Shanidze Soviet Union 12 April 1972 National Championships Tallinn, Soviet Union
67.5 kg
Press 157.5 kg Mladen Kuchev Bulgaria 30 August 1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
Snatch 137.5 kg Waldemar Baszanowski Poland 23 April 1971 National Championships Lublin, Poland
Clean & Jerk 177.5 kg Mukharby Kirzhinov Soviet Union 30 August 1972 Olympic Games Munich, West Germany
Total 460.0 kg Mukharby Kirzhinov Soviet Union

[SteveWright1]

is that 200lbs with a single rep? or can I just put up my best 2 and a half ?

[MecGen]

I have a feeling OP is confusing bench and overhead press...

I agree

I suspect it a mix up in what constitutes an over head press, there is nothing in his post history that give any indication that he is a liar or e-stating. Maybe he thinking about an incline bench...

[GuyJin]

I agree

I suspect it a mix up in what constitutes an over head press, there is nothing in his post history that give any indication that he is a liar or e-stating. Maybe he thinking about an incline bench...

--

The guy has been training for a long time. Anyone who's been training for more than a year should know what the difference is between an overhead press, an incline bench press and a bench press. If they don't know, then there is no force in the universe that can help them. Like I said, if he puts up a vid of him doing 190 or more with good form I will rep him and apologize. Until then, his claim smacks of BS.

[Tmax55]

I've never done standing overheads, how much harder are they than seated overheads? I'd imagine a lot.

[Gadsen]

--

The guy has been training for a long time. Anyone who's been training for more than a year should know what the difference is between an overhead press, an incline bench press and a bench press. If they don't know, then there is no force in the universe that can help them. Like I said, if he puts up a vid of him doing 190 or more with good form I will rep him and apologize. Until then, his claim smacks of BS.

Olympic press.....



They removed the lift from the competition because of too much lean back.

And yes I will profusely apologize and maybe even put up a video.

[Jtbny]

Standing OHP is a hard lift .... and one of the most difficult on which to progress. Not many people OHP 200+ and honestly, I don't know anyone who can hit 190 without training it regularly.

Just looking back over my year on 5/3/1 and the bolded holds true for me. I've added about 40lbs to my 1rm on OHP since I started the program. By far my slowest progress on any lift. Also when I got the flu and took 2 weeks off from the gym my OHP number went backwards (my only lift I had to reset at the time).

I see many people push press a good amount but I've yet to see anyone who doesn't train the OHP regularly lift much weight at all (many who attempt have a terrible arch).

Wish I recorded my lift Thursday but honestly I don't record much except to look at form. Below vid is from August 2013 and was 150 for 8. Progress is super slow with this damn lift as I'm not much further along now then I was in August

[Gadsen]

I've never done standing overheads, how much harder are they than seated overheads? I'd imagine a lot.

It's that whole core thing going on, having to support the weight overhead. I see plenty of guys at the gym doing 225 seated with a handoff from the spotter and then only bring the bar down to their nose, never their chest.

[ajdahlheimer]

I've never done standing overheads, how much harder are they than seated overheads? I'd imagine a lot.

Was wondering this myself. I do seated overhead military press w/the bar in front. Max is 225 for 3 reps.

Never tried standing as my home gym wouldn't allow the room for it, plus I like the support I get from the back pad and prevents lean back.

[ajdahlheimer]

It's that whole core thing going on, having to support the weight overhead. I see plenty of guys at the gym doing 225 seated with a handoff from the spotter and then only bring the bar down to their nose, never their chest.

I bring it all the way down to my chest. The hardest part for me is getting it off the rack initially (don't lift with anyone, so no one to help it off).

[boilerbreaker]

Maybe does it like this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bac6IThMsJg