Interesting thing about Standing Barbell Overhead Press

[Being_the_Don]

I was at the gym this morning. I'll post my full journal this weekend but I have a comment/question about my standing barbell overhead press numbers. Note ALL lifts start with the weights on the floor:

I started with the bar 6 X 1

After that I did

5 X 1 at 95 pounds
5 X 1 at 115 pounds
5 X 1 at 125 pounds
1 X 1 at 135 pounds
1 X 1 at 135 pounds
1 X 1 at 135 pounds
1 X 1 at 135 pounds

It was looking as if I'm only able to do one rep at 135 pounds before needing to rest. But after my fourth lift I felt as if I could do better so I rested a few minutes then increased the weight to 145 pounds. On my first attempt I was only able to bring the weights up to my waist. I rested then made a second attempt and got the same result. I then rested 4.5 minutes then made a third attempt and was able to bring the weight up to my chest. I then raised the bar up to my chin but was unable to lift it further so I set the weight down. I was glad for what I accomplished but it got me to thinking about something. Surely 135 pounds is NOT my 1 RM. But why was I only lifting one time per set? If I had rested longer I believe I actually would have gotten then 145 pound lift over my head. How often has this happened with the rest of you guys? I mean fizzing out a bit on some lifts then doing better with a higher weight? What would be a plausible explanation for this? IMO, I just got tired of lifting at 135 and wanted to go higher and actually would have done MUCH better on the 145 pounds if I hadn't spent time doing the lower weight reps.

 

[MrS]

If you're going for heavy singles, it's a waste of time to rep at lower weights so close to your max.
rep at 100lbs, then do 115, 130, 140 lbs for singles.
Repping BEFORE You build up to a big single is a waste.

 

[mrRuckus]

What are you doing? Are you cleaning the weight and then doing presses from there?

But why was I only lifting one time per set?

Are you asking that if 145 lbs is your 1rm then why can't you do 2 reps at 135? If so, you are listing things backwards.

5 x 1 would be 5 sets of 1.
1 x 5 would be 1 set of 5.

 

[Being_the_Don]

What are you doing? Are you cleaning the weight and then doing presses from there?



Are you asking that if 145 lbs is your 1rm then why can't you do 2 reps at 135? If so, you are listing things backwards.

5 x 1 would be 5 sets of 1.
1 x 5 would be 1 set of 5.

You're talking about the power clean. Okay, I am bring the weight up from the floor to my chest in one move. My knees are bent as I get the bar and as I stand up, I bring the bar up to my chest then press overhead. Does this make it more clear for you? I list my reps then sets eg 5 reps X 1 set. I record all my lifts this way. I'm not even sure of 145 is my 1 RM, I brought the weight up to my chest but was unable to press it over my head although I was able to raise it to my chin. When I was lifting at 135 I became bored with it and wanted to lift more, maybe that had something to do with my "difficulty" performing more than one rep per set on the 135s. This was the first time I lifted at 145 although I very recently worked my way up to 135 pounds.

As for MrS's suggestion, I started with the lower weights as a warm up. Sometimes I wonder if I should forego the warm up sets or start them higher.

 

[EFFORT]

yeah the prior sets wore you out. I also wouldn't be attempting any kind of a 1rep max with this exercise.

 

[Being_the_Don]

yeah the prior sets wore you out. I also wouldn't be attempting any kind of a 1rep max with this exercise.

So you're saying I should just gradually work my way up on this exercise? How would I then figure out what my 1 RM is?

 

[Kerpal]

I also wouldn't be attempting any kind of a 1rep max with this exercise.

Why not?

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Just taking a guess but I think he means it is dangerous to 1 rep max it and unimportant. Worry about maxing on Squat, deads, bench. No one I've seen worries about their 1 rep max of oh press. If your so curious to see without getting hurt use this 1 rep max calculator for an estimate - http://www.timinvermont.com/fitness/orm.htm

Btw, a good way to overhead press is like this - http://youtube.com/watch?v=sebbhlKhs2E

And you should be warming up like this - http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=130838

Do reps like 5x3, 3x5, 3x8, 2x10...just thowing out some random rep schemes I've seen. Mix it up.

 

[mrRuckus]

Just taking a guess but I think he means it is dangerous to 1 rep max it and unimportant. Worry about maxing on Squat, deads, bench. No one I've seen worries about their 1 rep max of oh press

[ignore this]
Who cares what everyone else does? Bench is so boring. I hate it. I don't want to hear about it and i'm tired of watching people do it. Everyday everyone flocks around the bench while everything else goes unused. There are threads all the time "how much do you bench?" Who cares! I'm sick of it.
[/ignore this]

Why would doing a 1RM on the press be less important than other exercises? Why would 1RM ever be important on any exercise other than in powerlifting competition or power movements? And why would the press be less safe than a bench press? At least if a press is dropped i can run away. I've heard about lots of stories on the bench press about destroyed shoulders and torn pecs but nothing like that from presses unless they're behind the neck.

Overhead pressing is important for the rotator cuff. Bench alone throws it out of wack.

1RM calculators can be off like 15 lbs. You're better off just guessing yourself based off of things like 3rm and 5rm or getting damn close to it like this guy did anyway. Who cares if you're off by 5 lbs real world?

 

[I-tallionStallion]

Haha Ruckus you make a solid point.

-about those benching idiots- you may hear more about bench injuries because thats all everyone does...and they always overwork and overdue it and its friggin annoying. The OH press is much cooler than the bench

1 rep, 3 rep, 5 rep maxes are important like you said when doing power movements, its a good way to test your strength and see progress. I've heard many say its a good way of learning sticking points and such. But for bodybuilding idk it's use. There was a good article I think on Ironaddicts but I can't find it right now heh...I'll try later maybe.

 

[Being_the_Don]

Thanks for the link to the 1 RM calculator but I've gotta agree with MrRuckus on this one, too. I calculated a 1 RM for 6 lifts at 95 pounds and the 1 RM was calculated to be 110 pounds. LOL! I had been lifting at 95 pounds on the fixed barbells for a long time but look how quickly I progressed when I started using the Olympic bar. As for flat benching, a lot of guys at my gym do them but there isn't as much fascination with it as I've read from some of the guys at gyms that some of you have mentioned in your threads on the forum. But interestingly, there are not that many guys deadlifting at my gym. And body weights eg pull ups, chin ups there are very few guys doing them or can't get past 2-3 of them. A lot of guys squat at my gym but I just haven't gotten into that exercise so much.

My favorite exercises are deadlifts, pull ups, dips, farmer's walk and the overhead press. I do think I wouldn't be doing so well on the standing barbell overhead press/clean if I hadn't been training on deadlifts for all these months.

And it is true about the dangers of lifting too much weight. A few months back there was a guy on the bench next to mine, he was benching at 105 pounds. I was resting when I saw him struggling with the weight. He had lowered it to his chest but couldn't lift it. I got up to help but he was pushing the weight down to his midsection then rolled it off. Then he sat up and nodded his head to me that he was okay. When I went for 185 last week, I made sure to get help from a spotter. I'd rather not 1 RM on my flat bench exercises without having a spot.

 

[kickureface]

i read mark said most deaths are under bench press, so you should be fine.
why the hell are you cleaning for the press? no racks anywhere??

 

[ProDJ26]

Haha Ruckus you make a solid point.

-about those benching idiots- you may hear more about bench injuries because thats all everyone does...and they always overwork and overdue it and its friggin annoying. The OH press is much cooler than the bench

Nooooooo your wrong!!!

All they do is Curls!!!! :crackup:

get it right

and

Deadlifting and Squating are much more cooler especially the latter

 

[Being_the_Don]

i read mark said most deaths are under bench press, so you should be fine.
why the hell are you cleaning for the press? no racks anywhere??

When I first started doing them with the Olympic bar I did use a rack, but I didn't like it. Heck, what's wrong with starting at the floor? TBH, I thought that was the more approriate way to do an overhead press. Besides, starting from the floor to do overhead press is just out and out fun!

 

[I-tallionStallion]

A lot of guys squat at my gym but I just haven't gotten into that exercise so much.

why the hell not?

 

[Drum&Bass]

Some of my best strength gains have occurred from 1 RM over head pressing. How else would olympic weightlifters develop strong shoulders and core strength ?? How else would they break plateaus ??

you can 1RM test ANYTHING including curls, everything should be done this way!!! because doing so will make you stronger without a doubt !!!

I'm happy to do be able to curl 135lbs when there are some guys who can't even bench that.

But for bodybuilding idk it's use.

??? It will get you stronger....when your stronger you can lift heavier weights for more reps...MOre reps lead to more gains.

 

[kickureface]

When I first started doing them with the Olympic bar I did use a rack, but I didn't like it. Heck, what's wrong with starting at the floor? TBH, I thought that was the more approriate way to do an overhead press. Besides, starting from the floor to do overhead press is just out and out fun!

im not sure. i guess you could lose tightness that prevents you from using higher weights. grip probably is different too.

 

[Being_the_Don]

why the hell not?

I just haven't done them, that's all. I'm not so confident about my technique on this exercise. I've tried them with the bar a few times, and came up awkwardly. I definitely do not want to damage my neck doing squats the wrong way. :nervous:

 

[Being_the_Don]

im not sure. i guess you could lose tightness that prevents you from using higher weights. grip probably is different too.

For me it is MUCH easier starting from the floor. Once I bring the bar up to my chest I just push it overhead. But when I was using the rack, I had trouble lifting. You can check my fitness journal but I think it was late April, early May that I started doing them with the Olympic bar. I started out with lighter weights and the rack. It was hard and at the time I felt bad because I was only counting the weights but NOT the bar. So when I had trouble lifting what would now accurately be 115 pounds over my head when using the rack, but have no problem lifting that same amount from the floor, then it must have something to do with starting position. It's easy as heck doing them from the floor. And I haven't had any problems with grip strength for a while now, my deadlifts are fine that way. Heck, that credit can go to the one arm pull ups I'm doing. Anyway, back to bar versus floor, I think that if you train your body using deadlifts then it will be much easier to OH press from the floor. Oh, and have your confidence level up. Now that I know more about how much I have really been lifting, it has definitely boosted my confidence even higher which is affecting my lifts.