Overhead Press Advice Please....

[bflare78]

I am into week 7 of the Fierce 5 routine & I am having trouble progressing on the overhead press. I appear to be making progress then I have to drop the weight. My results have been as follows:

Workout 1 - 30kgs
Workout 2 - 30kgs
Workout 3 - 32.5kgs (Failed on last rep of the 3rd set)
Workout 4 - 25kgs
Workout 5 - 30kgs
Workout 6 - 30kgs
Workout 7 - 30kgs
Workout 8 - 32.5kgs
Workout 9 - 30kgs (Had to drop the weight on the 1st rep as i just couldn't manage 32.5kgs. I did however manage 5x5)

I am gaining a steady 1lb per week so must be eating enough?

2200 cals
138g Protein
248g Carbs
73g Fat

Weight - 142lb

I am also having a similar problem with the bench press fluctuating between 50kg & 52.5kg for 3x5.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[dmacdonal9]

Seems to me you set the starting weight too high (too close to your max) and you stalled out early as a result. Scale it back 10% or more and build up again very slowly.

Progression is the most important thing, even if it's happening with submaximal loads.

[bflare78]

Seems to me you set the starting weight too high (too close to your max) and you stalled out early as a result. Scale it back 10% or more and build up again very slowly.

Progression is the most important thing, even if it's happening with submaximal loads.

Thanks for the reply. I did think that & that's why I deloaded to 25kgs then worked my way up again but it's happened again.

I think I might drop back down to 25kgs but add an extra set & not increase the weight until I feel perfectly comfortable?

[RK42]

It doesn't sound like you're really following the program. You did a reset to 25kg, but then immediately jumped back to 30kg on the next workout. The idea is that you follow the normal progression protocol after the reset. You also mention doing 5x5 reps instead of 3x5.

OHP will always be the slowest lift to progress, just because the weight is lower than for other lifts. Meaning that each fixed increment is a larger relative increase. So on a program with linear progression, you have to expect more frequent resets.

[donaldtrumpson]

you are eating too little, up your prot to 160 and your carbs to at least 300. then you shouldn't reset after you failed ONE workout, you should do the same weight the next time to see if you can do it, you should reset your weight by 5 lbs when you failed TWO workout .

[bflare78]

It doesn't sound like you're really following the program. You did a reset to 25kg, but then immediately jumped back to 30kg on the next workout. The idea is that you follow the normal progression protocol after the reset. You also mention doing 5x5 reps instead of 3x5.

OHP will always be the slowest lift to progress, just because the weight is lower than for other lifts. Meaning that each fixed increment is a larger relative increase. So on a program with linear progression, you have to expect more frequent resets.

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah, well spotted. Think i am trying to rush things after I have lowered the weight. It's the ego kicking in again!

I mentioned 5x5 because when I couldn't increase the weight I added an extra 2 sets. Should I not be doing this?

[bflare78]

you are eating too little, up your prot to 160 and your carbs to at least 300.

Thanks for your reply. I did think I might not be eating enough but I am gaining weight still although I was underweight to start with at 118lb @ 5'8". I have put quite a lot of weight on around my sides & back but no where else.

[donaldtrumpson]

Thanks for your reply. I did think I might not be eating enough but I am gaining weight still although I was underweight to start with at 118lb @ 5'8". I have put quite a lot of weight on around my sides & back but no where else.

if your still gaining weight don't ump the cals too much but do it slowly