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Overhead Press

Sixguns

Sixguns

Platinum Member
I have for a long time done these sitting down with a barbell until recently. I started doing them standing. At first I had to drop my weight a bit and it felt good but now over the last few weeks my wrist seem to hurt no matter what I do. Is there an advantage to sitting vs standing?
 
With it being a better full body is the reason I switched. I'm just not feeling as good of a burn anymore either. Maybe I just need some time but with sitting I could focus on just my shoulder movement and with standing I have to focus on not killing myself.
 
Sixguns said:
With it being a better full body is the reason I switched. I'm just not feeling as good of a burn anymore either. Maybe I just need some time but with sitting I could focus on just my shoulder movement and with standing I have to focus on not killing myself.
Click to expand...

Deload? Fix form so wrist pain goes away.

Watch the Rippetoe videos for standing shoulder press. They are all over the place.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pen...-8&oe=utf-8#tbm=vid&q=shoulder+press+rippetoe

Watch enough videos of him teaching others and you will definitely learn some things.
 
I love overhead press 🙂 I have always done the standing military version since that is what starting strength calls for. I recently read an interesting study that shows the differences in the variants.

http://breakingmuscle.com/strength-...ference-between-seated-standing-dumbbell-and-

Here is the summary:


  • An overhead press performed standing versus seated requires more stability.
  • An overhead press performed standing versus seated results in a lower 1RM.
  • The majority of overhead pressing exercises requiring the greatest stability (standing and/or with dumbbells) demonstrated greater neuromuscular activity in the deltoid muscles as compared to exercises performed seated and/or with a barbell.
  • The standing barbell press activates the biceps and triceps brachii to a greater extent than the seated barbell press and either the seated or standing dumbbell press.
 
utahraptor said:
I was told that to help with that to not use your thumb when holding the bar. I stopped using my thumb and now I have a lot less wrist issues.
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So, suicide grip with weight over your head..? Sounds dangerous. Going to have more than wrist pain if there's a fail with that grip.
 
Standing is way superior! You will stress your abs as well (really) It is a technical exercise though and harder to progress on. Try different grips. Your wrist should be aligned straight to the bar while pressing.
 
I've been doing standing over head press for years now.

Rest the wrist. If you have gloves with wrist supports, use them for everything until your wrist feels better. May take a couple of weeks but if you injured something it needs a little "rest" to heal up. May want to ice post work outs. Once the pain subsides lose the gloves and any other "helpers".
Fix your grip form and strengthen your grip and your wrists.
 
gradoman said:
So, suicide grip with weight over your head..? Sounds dangerous. Going to have more than wrist pain if there's a fail with that grip.
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Uhhh yeah, do not suicide grip an OHP.

I personally like standing better, even if I can do less. Also, I want to do more powerlifting and up my heart rate, I'll add more weight and do a push press. In fact, I usually do push press, and then deload for a week or two with just a regular military press.
 
utahraptor said:
I was told that to help with that to not use your thumb when holding the bar. I stopped using my thumb and now I have a lot less wrist issues.
Click to expand...

I think most people probably grip the bar to wide. It's supposed to be a shoulder width grip. It think a wide grip will result in unbalanced loading in the hand. Unbalanced load in the hand results in unbalanced forces in the wrist.
 
IHateMyJob2004 said:
I think most people probably grip the bar to wide. It's supposed to be a shoulder width grip. It think a wide grip will result in unbalanced loading in the hand. Unbalanced load in the hand results in unbalanced forces in the wrist.
Click to expand...

You should be gripping slightly more than shoulder width wide.

Source: My g/f who's a physical therapist and deals with shoulder injuries, etc. I've asked her this question while she watched me do a shoulder press and told me my grip of shoulder width was too narrow. I moved it past shoulder width about 2-3 inches and she said that was correct. May result in wrist pain if you form isn't great. I haven't watched the Rippetoe video's in a while, so I can't totally recall where he placed his hands on the bar.
 
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I plan on watching some of those videos this weekend before my shoulder day. I think I will drop the weight even more and really just focus on form for a week or two and see if that helps.
 
z1ggy said:
You should be gripping slightly more than shoulder width wide.

Source: My g/f who's a physical therapist and deals with shoulder injuries, etc. I've asked her this question while she watched me do a shoulder press and told me my grip of shoulder width was too narrow. I moved it past shoulder width about 2-3 inches and she said that was correct. May result in wrist pain if you form isn't great. I haven't watched the Rippetoe video's in a while, so I can't totally recall where he placed his hands on the bar.
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Rippetoe says about the same - just outside the shoulder with the back of your arm tucked against your lats.
 
z1ggy said:
You should be gripping slightly more than shoulder width wide.

Source: My g/f who's a physical therapist and deals with shoulder injuries, etc. I've asked her this question while she watched me do a shoulder press and told me my grip of shoulder width was too narrow. I moved it past shoulder width about 2-3 inches and she said that was correct. May result in wrist pain if you form isn't great. I haven't watched the Rippetoe video's in a while, so I can't totally recall where he placed his hands on the bar.
Click to expand...

Do the shoulder press movement without any bar. Just let gravity show you where your arms will move with zero resistance starting with hands extended overhead. Exagerating can help by pushing the elbows way to the back on the way down. Pay attention to whn your should socket joints start giving resistance.

Hands in/out matters less than getting those elbows forward till your upper arms are parallel with the ground. It's similar rational as to what proper bench form is and why you lower the bar to the nipple.

Sixguns,
Those Rippetoe videos on YouTube are priceless. As are the videos that come with his book if you can still find them (a popular web site is currently down). I think he spends 20-40 minutes just explaining and demonstrating proper form in the videos that come with the book.

You don't have to drop weight alot. Just deload 20-30 pounds. Pay attention to form while thinking of the minutia in the videos. Eventually you'll pay attention to all of it.
 
z1ggy said:
You should be gripping slightly more than shoulder width wide.

Source: My g/f who's a physical therapist and deals with shoulder injuries, etc. I've asked her this question while she watched me do a shoulder press and told me my grip of shoulder width was too narrow. I moved it past shoulder width about 2-3 inches and she said that was correct. May result in wrist pain if you form isn't great. I haven't watched the Rippetoe video's in a while, so I can't totally recall where he placed his hands on the bar.
Click to expand...

Ideally you want your Radius/Ulna to be perpendicular to the ground when the bar is in the loaded position before pushing it. So whatever width accomplishes this is what you want. Your g/f will probably agree.
 
Dropped weight some more today and staggered my feet. Seemed to help. Still slight wrist issue but not as bad. Really trying to watch my arms on the way down so that I don't flair my elbows out.
 
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