Overhead press substitute

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Mar 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: eddiebravo
just do them seated. no big deal.

It is a fairly big deal. Core stabilization and ability to dump it is much greater while standing.

OH! I forgot. Handstand pushups = perfect substitute. They can't tell you not to do them. Technically it's "underhead." :)
 

eddiebravo

Senior member
Nov 29, 2005
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Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: eddiebravo
just do them seated. no big deal.

It is a fairly big deal. Core stabilization and ability to dump it is much greater while standing.

OH! I forgot. Handstand pushups = perfect substitute. They can't tell you not to do them. Technically it's "underhead." :)

there are other ways to strengthen your core and whatever other muscles are worked by the standing barbell press. fact is that he cant do them, so there is no point in discussing it. there is no one magical exercise that you must do in order to be fit. he can just do without the standing barbell press, its really not a big deal in the big picture...more than 1 way to skin a cat.
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: eddiebravo
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: eddiebravo
just do them seated. no big deal.

It is a fairly big deal. Core stabilization and ability to dump it is much greater while standing.

OH! I forgot. Handstand pushups = perfect substitute. They can't tell you not to do them. Technically it's "underhead." :)

there are other ways to strengthen your core and whatever other muscles are worked by the standing barbell press. fact is that he cant do them, so there is no point in discussing it. there is no one magical exercise that you must do in order to be fit. he can just do without the standing barbell press, its really not a big deal in the big picture...more than 1 way to skin a cat.

Well, the problem is that if he can get away with it, it's the superior way to go about it. Things can go wrong with OH press as you increase the weight. I like to keep the most options open for bailing. Just a precaution. Handstand pushups work great though and there shouldn't be anything against it.
 

conorvansmack

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2004
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Since it looks like standing OH Press is out, what if he supplemented with Turkish get-ups to get the compound lift action that he'll be missing?
 

MotF Bane

No Lifer
Dec 22, 2006
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Okay, if using handstand push-ups as replacement, suggestions on how many should I be doing to replace the OH press? Per Stronglifts 5x5, it's 5x5 of the OH on B cycle.

@Koing - I've seen the signs on first and second floors. First floor is entirely free weights with rubber matting. Second floor is machines, 50/50 cardio/weight, but there are a couple racks in a corner with matting and bumper plates. The second floor is extremely sturdy though, and the racks are in an elevated area. Not sure what is under that elevated area, might be dead space, it's mostly the cardio machines on the elevated area.
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: MotF Bane
Okay, if using handstand push-ups as replacement, suggestions on how many should I be doing to replace the OH press? Per Stronglifts 5x5, it's 5x5 of the OH on B cycle.

@Koing - I've seen the signs on first and second floors. First floor is entirely free weights with rubber matting. Second floor is machines, 50/50 cardio/weight, but there are a couple racks in a corner with matting and bumper plates. The second floor is extremely sturdy though, and the racks are in an elevated area. Not sure what is under that elevated area, might be dead space, it's mostly the cardio machines on the elevated area.

Well, it depends on how much you're pressing now and how much you weigh. Also, it will take you some sessions to try to get them down, depending on your fitness and technique.
 

MotF Bane

No Lifer
Dec 22, 2006
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Just starting, so I'm learning the techniques on empty bars. 130 lbs body weight. I'll just take some guesses then and figure out what works.
 

brikis98

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2005
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Your gym has bumper plates, matting and platforms, but still allows no o-lifts or even OH press (which isn't really an o-lift)? Very bizarre. Seems like a total waste and dumb management to me. Any chance you can change gyms?

SociallyChallenged's idea of handstand push-ups (HSPU) as a substitute is a good one, here are a few things to consider:

1. The range of motion in an OH press is greater than in an HSPU, as you can't lower your body past the top of your head in the HSPU but the bar goes all the way to your shoulders in the OH press. You can solve this by buying or making some paralletes, however.

2. It's much harder to progressively load the HSPU. For one thing, with the OH press, you start with a bare bar and work your way up. With HSPU, you start with your BW, which you might not be able to do right away. If that's the case, you can start with an easier version of the HSPU - check out the "Handstand push-up variations" video on the CF exercises page for some ideas. However, once you can handle your BW for 5x5, it then becomes difficult to increase difficulty. I suppose you could get weighted vests and load them up with various loads, but it won't be anywhere as easy as just adding more weight to the bar for OH press.

3. The job of balancing a weight above your head in the OH press is one of the big benefits of the exercise, as it strengthens your entire upper body (especially "the core") and not just the shoulders. While the HSPU definitely requires a ton of balance & coordination, the actual amount of strength required to keep yourself upright becomes a smaller and smaller part of the exercise as you get better at it, until the only real limiting factor is the strength of your shoulders/traps/triceps. It's still a fantastic exercise, but its value to your core diminishes as your coordination improves.

In short, if you can find any way to do the OH press - becoming friends with the employees, doing it at off hours, switching gyms entirely - it's still the superior exercise. If not, the HSPU is a fantastic choice as long as you're aware of the points above.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
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It may be that some loudmouth clowns used to scream/drop weights like a gorilla on junk and so they had to do it to keep the atmosphere less retarded.
 

MotF Bane

No Lifer
Dec 22, 2006
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Brikis, changing gyms would involve going off-campus. This way it's included in my tuition, and I don't have to deal with traveling. I'll try to find out what the logic is behind the rule, and see if there's a way to get around it.
 

sash1

Diamond Member
Jul 20, 2001
8,896
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Originally posted by: MotF Bane
Brikis, changing gyms would involve going off-campus. This way it's included in my tuition, and I don't have to deal with traveling. I'll try to find out what the logic is behind the rule, and see if there's a way to get around it.

my college had two gyms, one for athletes only and another for students. does your school have the same thing? maybe walk on to the football team so you can enjoy the amenities of a nice gym ;)
 
Mar 22, 2002
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Originally posted by: sash1
Originally posted by: MotF Bane
Brikis, changing gyms would involve going off-campus. This way it's included in my tuition, and I don't have to deal with traveling. I'll try to find out what the logic is behind the rule, and see if there's a way to get around it.

my college had two gyms, one for athletes only and another for students. does your school have the same thing? maybe walk on to the football team so you can enjoy the amenities of a nice gym ;)

And priority registration :p
 

MotF Bane

No Lifer
Dec 22, 2006
60,801
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I asked one of the staff members at the free weight area about the policy, and he pointed out a full rack in the corner. It's the only one they allow standing overhead presses and Olympic lifts in. The sign for it is actually behind the unit, so I didn't see it until I actually walked right up to the unit after asking. Said sign reads "Overhead and Olympic lifts are allowed in this rack ONLY".