Latest CnP - Overhead Press

[Fazc]

ChAoS & PAIN: Pimpin' Ain't Easy #2- Ain't No Half Steppin' When you're Overhead Pressin'

I thought the article was somewhat HUMERUS!

[Kuytrider]

Originally Posted by Fazc

ChAoS & PAIN: Pimpin' Ain't Easy #2- Ain't No Half Steppin' When you're Overhead Pressin'

I thought the article was somewhat HUMERUS!

Boooooooooooooooo, get off the stage!

When does the comedy start etc.

[Fazc]

Hahaha! That's gold mate, GOLD!

[Kuytrider]

Originally Posted by Fazc

Hahaha! That's gold mate, GOLD!

Iron pyrites more like

Just messing with you mate

[BendtheBar]

Here's the comment for folks who can't access C&P at work:

Recently on Reddit, I was horrified to discover a discussion about Joe Defranco's comments regarding the overhead press. His the gist of his article, available here if you want to spend five minutes screaming "HORSESHIT!" at your computer, is as follows:

"Only one in fifty athletes I see can overhead press without risk, but they're the genetic outliers, born with more "room" in there than most of us have. And even for them, we'll only work in two-week cycles of light to moderate-weight push presses, Bradford presses, and neutral-grip strongman log presses."(Defranco)

Rather than dismissing this article as the ****ing poppycock that it is, a multi-page paean to weakness was created wherein everyone on that site whined like a dog with his balls stuck underneath a pile of cinderblocks about how horribly their shoulders hurt after overhead pressing. They do this because they're not real strength athletes, and neither is Joe Defranco- they're idiots obsessed with bench pressing since they touched a barbell. As such, their shoulders are horribly pronated due to tight pecs and weak backs, and this ridiculous situation is exascerbated by the fact that the vast majority of them spend the bulk of their time sitting, slouched, and typing on a ****ing keyboard all day long. Clearly, this goes on long after the workday's finished, as they have time to blather about weightlifting on internet chatboards rather than getting their max squat over 315. Thus, most people have biomechanically ****ed themselves into a shitty physique and a lot of internet bitching. On top of that, you have the fact that most people rarely do any kind of overhead pressing. According to Greg Zulak, "Arthur Jones pointed out that the average untrained man can actually press much more than he can bench press, and the only reason powerlifters and bodybuilders bench more than they can press is that they practice benching more than pressing, and emphasize it more in their programs."(Zulak) As such, they've got no groove on the overhead lifts and they're fighting tight tendons, a weak back, and an unremitting desire to sit or lay down on something padded every time they enter the gym.

Start ****ing overhead pressing. Do these while standing. You don't need to come out of the gates trying to hit the numbers I suggested in part one of this series- just start light. Learn the movement. I'm talking 25% of your bodyweight for very strict sets of 10 on military presses. As you get stronger and more comfortable, your range of motion will increase and and shoulder twinges you have should be reduced. Do this at least twice a week, and preferably three times a week. You need to learn the movement, and the weight is going to be light enough that you shouldn't be too fatigued. At least initially, avoid push presses and focus on getting smooth, full-range repetitions on strict military press. That'll build tremendous strength in your triceps and shoulders and leave you in much better shape for explosive movements later on.
While you're doing this, start working heavy rows into your routine at least once a week. I'm talking heavy ****ing Pendlay rows, from the floor, blasting yourself in the chest with the bar at the top of your pull. These will be the polar opposite of the rep speed and level of control you use on the military press, but you're in no danger of injuring yourself worse than a bruise with these, and you need to build back strength in a ****ing hurry.
Once you've built a basic platform from which to press, namely a strong back and shoulders capable of pressing a weight overhead ("HORRORS!" says Joe DeFranco!), it's time to start training the overhead press seriously. We'll say the watershed for this is hitting 85% of your bodyweight for 3 sets of 5 strict reps. Once you're there, start upping the ante on the overheads. De-emphasize bench pressing for the first time in your life and start doing standing military press, push press, or behind the neck push press first in your workout.
Come to the startling realization that anyone with a brain's already had- Joe Defranco is full of shit. His programs are shit, and he thinks you're a flaming ****ing pussy with an asscrack full of whipped cream who wears a disposable party hat and matching anklets to bed every night. I know that makes no sense- he's the one who thinks it, not me. Take a look at his programs- they're as unoriginal as any I've ever seen, and low intensity to boot. They're about as likely to produce champions as Ellen Degeneres is erections- that shit's just not ****ing happening. Check it out- for $40 you get the workout every high school kid does without ever hearing Defranco's name, in addition to warmups from track practice and conditioning from wrestling practice! Congratulations! You just paid a substantial amount of money to relive what was probably a shitty four years.

[BendtheBar]

And where the heck did he find that image of the nude woman overhead pressing? Why can't I find sites like this?

[BendtheBar]

We've talked about this 500 times on MAB. Typical programming looks like this:

Chest Day
Bench Press
Incline Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Decline Bench Press
Hammer Strength Chest Press
Flyes
Pec Dec

Shoulder Day
Smith Machine or Hammer Strength OHP
Side Laterals
Rear Laterals

Back Day
Lat Pulldown
One arm dumbbell row with feel being more important than moving weight
Something resemble a shrug, only with light weight
22 bicep exercises

Point being the back and shoulders rarely get as much focus as the chest by most average trainees. Not talking experienced bodybuilders here. Just Average Forum Joe.

[Hazzard]

Christ Faz. Please remove yourself for jokes like that. Steve, I think there's a comment in the... comments... that says her name.

[Tannhauser]

I'm not a great Jamie Lewis fan, but those extracts really made me chuckle, and I agree with the gist of it.