Alternative to standing overhead press

[IHateMyJob2004]

I have low basement ceilings so I have been doing seated overhead presses. Is there a better alternative to the standing overhead press other htna jsut sitting down. I think I remember reading once that someone did them from their knees.

Thoughts?

 

[Neesnu]

Raise the roof.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Raise the roof.

:thumbsup:

 

[terry.dang.rn]

I have low basement ceilings so I have been doing seated overhead presses. Is there a better alternative to the standing overhead press other htna jsut sitting down. I think I remember reading once that someone did them from their knees.

Thoughts?

Actually, seated overhead press is more challenging, and it isolates your upper body more than standing overhead press due to taking out the legs for stabilization. Conversely, standing overhead press put an emphasis throughout your body, which is good for overall body conditioning. I would suggest you do both and to answer your questions, no, there is no alternative to standing overhead press due to either you do it seated or standing.

 

[melchoir]

Actually, seated overhead press is more challenging, and it isolates your upper body more than standing overhead press due to taking out the legs for stabilization. Conversely, standing overhead press put an emphasis throughout your body, which is good for overall body conditioning.

WTF?

.. Standing is harder because you have to stabilize. I'd also only do seated if you had to, as I've read that you're actually more prone to hurting your back while seated vs standing.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Actually, seated overhead press is more challenging, and it isolates your upper body more than standing overhead press due to taking out the legs for stabilization. Conversely, standing overhead press put an emphasis throughout your body, which is good for overall body conditioning. I would suggest you do both and to answer your questions, no, there is no alternative to standing overhead press due to either you do it seated or standing.

It also increases risk of injury because it's harder to bail from it in a sitting position. If you're gonna go seated, go with dumbbell overhead press. Way safer to bail from and highly effective as well.

 

[Whisper]

It also increases risk of injury because it's harder to bail from it in a sitting position. If you're gonna go seated, go with dumbbell overhead press. Way safer to bail from and highly effective as well.

I'd imagine it'd also be easier to get the dumbbells up and into position as well, seeing as how you can move them one at a time. The various methods you could use to get a barbell up into that starting position just seem like they'd be asking to somehow injure something.

 

[blackdogdeek]

handstand pushups against a wall? if you split your legs apart you should still be lifting your body weight but you can avoid touching the ceiling.

 

[Pia]

handstand pushups against a wall? if you split your legs apart you should still be lifting your body weight but you can avoid touching the ceiling.

+1
You have to think a little harder than with overhead press, but progressing in these gymnastic style movements and/or holds can give you strength in the same places and more.

If I'm guessing correctly, you aren't looking to do OHP as a main movement but as a support for benching or something else? You might not need to do it at all, as long as you do something else that makes sense.

Depending on how low the ceiling is exactly, it might be that you don't have room to do OHP with a bar and plates, but you could do standing side press which goes slightly lower and needs smaller weights because it's done with one hand. I did those as a main movement once (Pavel's PTTP program), gained a good deal of benching strength while not touching the bench.

 

[terry.dang.rn]

WTF?

.. Standing is harder because you have to stabilize. I'd also only do seated if you had to, as I've read that you're actually more prone to hurting your back while seated vs standing.

you should try your theory out by doing a standing /seated overhead press and see which one is easier. think about it, standing you have more muscles vs seated. with standing, you can use more weights and work on your fast twitch, while seated, since you have less muscle to use, you ll have to use lighter weight and that can work your slow and medium twitch muscles. so performing both will be beneficial. Back injury is most likely due to over inflated ego(Id), and doing the exercise incorrectly.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

I posted this question on bodybuilding forums. They bascially said to just do it sitted. All the other exercises in stronglifts already hit the core enoguh.

Still a bit concerned about injury risk.

I did see an article that mentioned steep incline bench press as an alternative (80 degree bench type of setup). I think I'll consider it once i get my cage. Also means that I should get an adjustable bench too.

 

[elitejp]

i wouldnt really worry about getting injured, and im saying that in the sense that if you have some common sense and arent trying to do one rep maxes by yourself in the basement, if all you have is a barbell then just do barbell presses from a seated position. But I agree with others db'd are alot easier to manage from a seated position.

 

[melchoir]

you should try your theory out by doing a standing /seated overhead press and see which one is easier. think about it, standing you have more muscles vs seated. with standing, you can use more weights and work on your fast twitch, while seated, since you have less muscle to use, you ll have to use lighter weight and that can work your slow and medium twitch muscles. so performing both will be beneficial. Back injury is most likely due to over inflated ego(Id), and doing the exercise incorrectly.

I'm not talking about a standing push press, but an actual standing over head press where you don't use your legs to create momentum. That being said, I still hold firm in my reasoning.

 

[tedrodai]

Actually, seated overhead press is more challenging, and it isolates your upper body more than standing overhead press due to taking out the legs for stabilization. Conversely, standing overhead press put an emphasis throughout your body, which is good for overall body conditioning. I would suggest you do both and to answer your questions, no, there is no alternative to standing overhead press due to either you do it seated or standing.

I'm not talking about a standing push press, but an actual standing over head press where you don't use your legs to create momentum. That being said, I still hold firm in my reasoning.

Yeah, you're using more muscles during the standing push, because you have to stabilize with your core/legs, but you're not using more muscles to push as long as you stick with form.

 

[KIAman]

Yeah, you're using more muscles during the standing push, because you have to stabilize with your core/legs, but you're not using more muscles to push as long as you stick with form.

If that were true, than why can I do 315lb leg presses all day long on a machine that specifically isolates my quad, hams and glutes and can only do 235 back squats 3x8.

According to your logic, back squats use a lot more body muscle should be easier.

Edit: I've been trolling H&F forums for months while secretly weight training instead of P90x.

 

[tedrodai]

If that were true, than why can I do 315lb leg presses all day long on a machine that specifically isolates my quad, hams and glutes and can only do 235 back squats 3x8.

According to your logic, back squats use a lot more body muscle should be easier.

Edit: I've been trolling H&F forums for months while secretly weight training instead of P90x.

First, I wasn't directly addressing which was easier, just whether the extra muscles you use while standing allow you to push more weight...you use the exact same muscles to push while sitting or standing.

Second, it is true, but you got it backwards...I'd argue the standing is harder, since you're haing to also focus on stabilizing. We agree, unless I'm interpreting you wrong too.

 

[KIAman]

First, I wasn't directly addressing which was easier, just whether the extra muscles you use while standing allow you to push more weight...you use the exact same muscles to push while sitting or standing.

Second, it is true, but you got it backwards...I'd argue the standing is harder, since you're haing to also focus on stabilizing. We agree, unless I'm interpreting you wrong too.

Yes, we agree. For some reason, I got your username mixed up with terry.dang.rn who was saying standing press is easier than sitting press.

Just for the record, the reason why standing press is harder than sitting presses and the back squat is harder than a leg press machine is because the total weight you can move will be limited to your weakest muscle in use.

In my example, my quads, glutes and hams are much stronger than my core and back so isolating my strong muscles allows me to move more weight. (and standing partially includes my own body weight)

The same principle applies to standing press vs sitting press.

Of course this is generalization and doesn't apply to every weight movement or scale of weight.