overhead press

gardni

gardni

Midfield
Is it supposed to be really difficult?

I've started the stronglifts program last month as a complete beginner to properly lifting. So for those unfamiliar, you start with an empty bar and add 2.5kg each workout. doing 3x a week alternating between squat, bench press, barbell row + squat, overhead press, deadlift.

so as i say i'm about a month in, the weights start easy so they really help a novice get used to lifting the free bar, however i'm already struggling with the overhead press. today i failed one rep on one of my 5 sets. so i did something like 5 5 5 4 5. I'm only at 35kg, but as i was pushing up my arms just didn't want to do what i wanted them to and they gave up.

so a bit of perspective on that 35kg overhead press, that means today i also did 55kg squat, 70kg deadlift, on monday i did 35kg bench press, 42.5kg barbell row with no problems. should i be struggling with the overhead press already or am i just a weakling?
 


I got to 42.5kg on ohp 5x5 but my shoulders hurt afterwards so I dropped to 3x8 @ 35kg for a while.

Back to 40kg 5x5 which is shite compared to my 80kg bench but everyone is made differently. I also have switched to lower weight more reps on bent over row as my form suffered. I do 60kg 5x5 with usually 6 or 7 reps on the final set. I could lift more but I would rather have good form.

I think a flaw of StrongLifts is that people expect to make the same progression on all lifts

And check the rippetoe video for ohp.

And buy some smaller plates when you cannot add 2.5kg.
 
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I feel like bench is just a more natural position, so I guess I'd expect to handle that better, but yeah I think the amounts are a bit misleading in the sense of I think I must be doing shit if I didn't manage it easily so early into the prog
 
I progressed and regressed at different compound lifts at different times. I was garbage at bench press but I've somehow recently added 5kg over a month whereas I'd stalled at 67.5-70kg for 2 months.

I got deadlift up to a 1RM of 130kg when my body weight was 75kg but I've gone back to 1x5 of 100kg until I'm happy with my form.

I initially started strong lifts aiming to lift certain weights after 12 weeks but after lifting for nearly a year I am doing it more for exercise than for a training plan.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
I progressed and regressed at different compound lifts at different times. I was garbage at bench press but I've somehow recently added 5kg over a month whereas I'd stalled at 67.5-70kg for 2 months.

I got deadlift up to a 1RM of 130kg when my body weight was 75kg but I've gone back to 1x5 of 100kg until I'm happy with my form.

I initially started strong lifts aiming to lift certain weights after 12 weeks but after lifting for nearly a year I am doing it more for exercise than for a training plan.
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How do you find it a year on? I did insanity for 2 years, felt it made me very fit but didn't necessarily look it. Started to get stale though, was having to do like 2x a day. Interested to see what results I get consistently weight training.
 
gardni said:
How do you find it a year on? I did insanity for 2 years, felt it made me very fit but didn't necessarily look it. Started to get stale though, was having to do like 2x a day. Interested to see what results I get consistently weight training.
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I don't fit into many clothes but some of it is lard! When I run regularly I go too skinny and when I weight train x3 times per week I go too chubby...

The linear progression went out of the window after about 4 months as the first failure was ohp. At this point you deload twice I think and then switch to 3x5 on StrongLifts.

I have tried variations but instead of lifting heavier weights I've just stayed at 5x5 for exercise and I am still adding more on the bench my aim is to reach 100kg. I can also lift more on the deadlift so my target is 150kg. There isn't a target date or anything; I take the sessions seriously but I'm not in a rush.

If I become really frustrated with it I'll go back to cardio and maybe do HIIT running and some cycling.
 
Looking at your other lifts, your OHP is strong. Look at it this way, you're using a relatively small group of muscles which by nature limits your progression. It's generally the first to slow down, and remember that programmes like these are generic; good, but generic nonetheless. It sounds like you're progressing well. If the problem persists consider looking in to paying for an individualised program.
 
Titus said:
Looking at your other lifts, your OHP is strong. Look at it this way, you're using a relatively small group of muscles which by nature limits your progression. It's generally the first to slow down, and remember that programmes like these are generic; good, but generic nonetheless. It sounds like you're progressing well. If the problem persists consider looking in to paying for an individualised program.
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Thanks for the info man, makes me feel better about it, sometimes I have to remember the people lifting more have probably been lifting a lot longer
 
gardni said:
Thanks for the info man, makes me feel better about it, sometimes I have to remember the people lifting more have probably been lifting a lot longer
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Some 'big' blokes are shite at OHP. If they don't do the lift regularly and don't practice the technique then they don't always lift much. One time I'd stalled at 42.5kg 5x5 I felt humiliated but after I'd finished 2 much bigger lads did about 3 reps at 50kg then sacked it off. Obviously this may have been towards the end of their session or they'd already done their 'arms' day at the gym. ;)
 
Charmless Man said:
I just accept that it's the slowest progressing lift by its very nature. It's not a huge focus of mine and really just an accessory for bench.
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Rippetoe reckons on one of his vids that if he HAD to have a choice between bench and OHP he'd go for the OHP as it's more difficult by virtue of not being supported in any way.

But if you want to enter ponsey competitions to show other naked men how much you can artificially lift horizontally then the bench press is indeed a penis measuring exercise. ;)
 
i managed 37.5 overhead press today, so the next stage after the one i initially failed a rep on after starting the thread, i managed it but gave myself longer breaks in-between sets and had to properly psyche myself up for it, legs were like mr blobby like 3 reps in. It's come to the stage now where i fear it haha i think the worst thing about managing your lifts, is that your reward is to lift more next time :cry:
 
gardni said:
i managed 37.5 overhead press today, so the next stage after the one i initially failed a rep on after starting the thread, i managed it but gave myself longer breaks in-between sets and had to properly psyche myself up for it, legs were like mr blobby like 3 reps in. It's come to the stage now where i fear it haha i think the worst thing about managing your lifts, is that your reward is to lift more next time :cry:
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Well done mate, did you do 5x5 or 3x5?

It's a nice feeling when you lift more and more but it doesn't happen to me much nowadays! I'm still adding on some exercises though.
 
Stevie Freestein II said:
Rippetoe reckons on one of his vids that if he HAD to have a choice between bench and OHP he'd go for the OHP as it's more difficult by virtue of not being supported in any way.

But if you want to enter ponsey competitions to show other naked men how much you can artificially lift horizontally then the bench press is indeed a penis measuring exercise. ;)
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Build the chest, fuck the rest.
 
Charmless Man said:
Build the chest, fuck the rest.
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Amen brother!

I've been doing ohp from off the floor instead of from the rack and it's made me appreciate how strong the Olympic lifters must be. The old fella at our gym lifted 145kg in 1974 and I can't do 45kg. The tip he gave me is to lift quickly at the bottom part of the push when the bar is at your shoulders. Saying that the Olympic lifters use their legs and I don't.
 
gardni said:
I managed the 5x5 but my form was shit like, trying not to fall over
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You still did it though.

I switched to 3x5 with 3 to 5 mins rest on ohp but then decided to do 5x5 with a lighter weight, shorter recovery and better form.

As I said before I would have a slight pain afterwards and I was probably heading for an injury.
 

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