started starting strength (my overhead press is horrible!)

[returningchamp]

All this week, im just learning each exercise the way it's taught on the starting strength site. I'm also testing to see what weight im comfortable with.

I weigh 170 lbs.

Friday - I did squats - determined i need to buy more weights because i can do all the weights i have (180 lbs).

Saturday - I did benchpress - which i've always been pretty good at; was able to do 180 once. 160 lbs was comfortable to me though.

Sunday - I did deadlifts - 156 was comfortable for me.

Today - I did overhead press.... this was weird to me............ I was only able to do 70 lbs!!!!! Is this abnormal? I tried 100 and d@mn near dropped the bar on my head! I watched every video on the Strarting Strength wiki; im locking the knees; im giving a little thrust with my hips; making sure i clench my glutes and abs.... 70 lbs though? I felt like a little kid.... I hope this improves fast!

 

[It's-Me]

All this week, im just learning each exercise the way it's taught on the starting strength site. I'm also testing to see what weight im comfortable with.

I weigh 170 lbs.

Friday - I did squats - determined i need to buy more weights because i can do all the weights i have (180 lbs).

Saturday - I did benchpress - which i've always been pretty good at; was able to do 180 once. 160 lbs was comfortable to me though.

Sunday - I did deadlifts - 156 was comfortable for me.

Today - I did overhead press.... this was weird to me............ I was only able to do 70 lbs!!!!! Is this abnormal? I tried 100 and d@mn near dropped the bar on my head! I watched every video on the Strarting Strength wiki; im locking the knees; im giving a little thrust with my hips; making sure i clench my glutes and abs.... 70 lbs though? I felt like a little kid.... I hope this improves fast!

What kind of overhead press? Standing? Sitting? Barbell or dumbbell? In back of the head or in front (front if your standing for sure)?

That's not a good bench press for your weight, you should be benching more than you what you way easily. I only 150 and I bench 165 4 times right now. I do 155 about 10 times. I don't really squat anymore, but I can squat about the same as you and as for deadlift, I can do 2 plates 3 times. As for overhead press sitting down with barbell, I could do 105 pounds about 10 times in front of my head. You have to work on those traps bro...

 

[Maxtro]

How tall are you and what do you think your level of fitness is? How long have you been seriously working out?

All those factors can make it easier for your reader to determine what your level of strength should be at.

 

[returningchamp]

What kind of overhead press? Standing? Sitting? Barbell or dumbbell? In back of the head or in front (front if your standing for sure)

Standing... as demonstrated in these videos:

http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Press_Videos

---

And yeah, this is my first time hitting the weights since about 6 months ago (when i injured my heel running and allowed that to be an excuse to get lazy). I expect my numbers to go up a good bit over the next few months, but for now - im just trying to figure out my starting point and correct form.

I've never worked my shoulders too much because in my early 20s i developed tendentious in both of them (i was a pitcher in high school, and worked a factory job that was hell on my shoulders - both of these 2 things combined left my shoulders in bad shape). But they feel healthy now (im 29), no pain in them at all. But they're really stiff.

And im 6 foot.

 

[mrRuckus]

What do you expect it to be? I wish my press were half my deadlift.

champ, you're completely normal. Just start conservatively, eat, and the numbers will increase quickly. You don't want to start too heavy because you'll stall sooner.

 

[Maxtro]

At 170, 6 feet, I'm going to say that you are under weight. I'm 5'6, 160 and I'd expect a guy 6" taller than me to be more than 10lbs heavier.

Your bench seems to be really good since you haven't worked out in 6 months. Shoulder press is really hard so don't be disappointed that it's low. Prior injuries will definitely have an impact.

You should really try to do a higher deadweight. You're probably stronger than you think you are. My deadweight is actually 20lbs higher than my squat. Make sure your form is perfect then up the weight.

 

[nevillemartin11]

I am 5'8 and 160 lbs. I have tried more to got the sufficient weight according to the height. I have tried more then I have built the epic shoulder. I wish that I will get the nice weight as well as soon.

 

[Kerpal]

Did you read the book?

 

[CarlitosWay]

All this week, im just learning each exercise the way it's taught on the starting strength site. I'm also testing to see what weight im comfortable with.

I weigh 170 lbs.

Friday - I did squats - determined i need to buy more weights because i can do all the weights i have (180 lbs).

Saturday - I did benchpress - which i've always been pretty good at; was able to do 180 once. 160 lbs was comfortable to me though.

Sunday - I did deadlifts - 156 was comfortable for me.

Today - I did overhead press.... this was weird to me............ I was only able to do 70 lbs!!!!! Is this abnormal? I tried 100 and d@mn near dropped the bar on my head! I watched every video on the Strarting Strength wiki; im locking the knees; im giving a little thrust with my hips; making sure i clench my glutes and abs.... 70 lbs though? I felt like a little kid.... I hope this improves fast!

When training be patient, took me a bit to get to 155-160 over head press. I can now do seated shoulder pin presses with 195 lbs too.

Get stronger on your other lifts and include lots of ab work I'd say on friday cause you'll have two days to recover. Hanging leg raises, decline reverse crunches/weighted ab pulldowns.

Jim Wendler has some good form. I think a lot of people go too low also, asking for shoulder trouble later if you do http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae0Ya0s5pR4.

 

[Quiksilver]

If you're doing strict form then that is normal strength for a novice lifter. Keep adding 0.5lb - 5lb per week and you'll get there.

 

[j0n24]

Be careful with overhead/military press...

I went back to starting strength after 2 years to fix my form and get stronger and I have been having shoulder pain after overhead press.

Becareful if you begin feeling pain in the shoulder I would change exercises immediately.

 

[MetalFortress]

Your bench is what I would consider abnormal - I would consider your overhead press to be normal. The more you lift and recover and repeat, and add reps and weight, you'll get better, bigger, stronger, and improve fast.

 

[J. Darko]

When training be patient, took me a bit to get to 155-160 over head press. I can now do seated shoulder pin presses with 195 lbs too.

Get stronger on your other lifts and include lots of ab work I'd say on friday cause you'll have two days to recover. Hanging leg raises, decline reverse crunches/weighted ab pulldowns.

Jim Wendler has some good form. I think a lot of people go too low also, asking for shoulder trouble later if you do http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae0Ya0s5pR4.

Good form? He arches his back with a narrow stance and using his hips to push up the weight, while holding the weight in front of his shoulders instead of overhead. So you're basically recommending a novice lifter to f8ck up his back and turn the overhead press in some kind of hybrid cheat form of the push press. :nono:

What's right for a pro is not necessarily right for a novice. Not to mention he's a steriod user with a lot of injuries that can't be compared to a naturel athlete.

 

[CaptainJ]

Good form? He arches his back with a narrow stance and using his hips to push up the weight, while holding the weight in front of his shoulders instead of overhead. So you're basically recommending a novice lifter to f8ck up his back and turn the overhead press in some kind of hybrid cheat form of the push press. :nono:

What's right for a pro is not necessarily right for a novice. Not to mention he's a steriod user with a lot of injuries that can't be compared to a naturel athlete.

I use the same form as Jim Wendler, minus the small hip thrust he uses. It's also the same form recommended by Rip, and I see no reason why this can be considered bad form. You can slightly arch your back as long as you squeeze your glutes and give it all the support it needs, and his foot stance is fine.

I've noticed Jim does a thumbless grip though. i tried it and although it does make up for lack of wrist flexibility, i find that using the thumb allows me to squeeze the bar better and get the bar up.

 

[J. Darko]

I use the same form as Jim Wendler, minus the small hip thrust he uses. It's also the same form recommended by Rip, and I see no reason why this can be considered bad form. You can slightly arch your back as long as you squeeze your glutes and give it all the support it needs, and his foot stance is fine.

I've noticed Jim does a thumbless grip though. i tried it and although it does make up for lack of wrist flexibility, i find that using the thumb allows me to squeeze the bar better and get the bar up.

Using a thumbless grip? Reminds me of:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYklbxHP2tI

Instead, the bar falls on your head...


Anyway, I arched my back as well in the beginning, resulting in a lot of unnecessay lower back soreness and less of a workout for my shoulders

 

[Colossus]

If you have never done overhead press dont be too surprised if it sucks.

It takes years of consistent pressing to build a strong overhead press.

 

[CarlitosWay]

Good form? He arches his back with a narrow stance and using his hips to push up the weight, while holding the weight in front of his shoulders instead of overhead. So you're basically recommending a novice lifter to f8ck up his back and turn the overhead press in some kind of hybrid cheat form of the push press. :nono:

What's right for a pro is not necessarily right for a novice. Not to mention he's a steriod user with a lot of injuries that can't be compared to a naturel athlete.

Who the hell are you? You do know you're commenting on Jim Wendler's pressing form eh? Now tell me when someone is doing a maximal weight for reps, Form is not always going to be "perfection". Am I right or wrong? Go ahead and do some dinky ass weight and never push yourself, see how far it gets you.

 

[J. Darko]

It's not about how much weight you can lift. It's about lifting more weight than yesterday.

 

[Colossus]

Good form? He arches his back with a narrow stance and using his hips to push up the weight, while holding the weight in front of his shoulders instead of overhead. So you're basically recommending a novice lifter to f8ck up his back and turn the overhead press in some kind of hybrid cheat form of the push press. :nono:

What's right for a pro is not necessarily right for a novice. Not to mention he's a steriod user with a lot of injuries that can't be compared to a naturel athlete.

You have no clue what you're talking about. Strong is strong, dude. There are insanely strong guys who are natural, and insanely strong guys who juice. Then there are KBJs like you who probably cant press bodyweight and sh!t on elite lifters, citing 'poor form'. When you can press more than Jim, then maybe we'll listen to your advice.

 

[J. Darko]

You have no clue what you're talking about. Strong is strong, dude. There are insanely strong guys who are natural, and insanely strong guys who juice. Then there are KBJs like you who probably cant press bodyweight and sh!t on elite lifters, citing 'poor form'. When you can press more than Jim, then maybe we'll listen to your advice.

There are guys that can squat 250 kg because they worked hard and there are guys that squat 350 kg because they stick a needle in their ass. That's the difference.

So why don't you eat 10.000 calories like Dave Tate? He knows what he's doing. Oh what's that? You get fat from such a diet you say? You are just a KBJ that can't even eat his bodyweight in calories, citing guys like me that don't put up with bull**** advice. When you eat more than Dave, I will listen to your advice, maybe.