Overhead press form check

DerickVonD

DerickVonD

Well-known member
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Note: at the bottom position I can not get my arms lower, without sacrificing form. I have long arms and if I go lower than this my elbows will not longer be pointing slightly forward.
 
Looks like you need to widen your grip a bit to achieve the full rom and I can't tell how you look on the bottom but make sure your squeezing your glutes together it really helps with the strain on the lower back, I would start with just the bar and find your grip that allows you to touch that bar right below your collar bone,
 
jwal said:
Looks like you need to widen your grip a bit to achieve the full rom and I can't tell how you look on the bottom but make sure your squeezing your glutes together it really helps with the strain on the lower back, I would start with just the bar and find your grip that allows you to touch that bar right below your collar bone,
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I found that grip, but if I grip that wide my elbows will not point forward they will point straight down to the ground, in which case moving the bar up in a straight line, would move the bar up in front off my head, not over my head. The lowest I can go is have the bar mid neck level it seems.
 
I think I understand what your saying and straight down I think is find you should be tilting your head back on the way up so you don't break your nose an then SLIGHTLY leaning forward and looking straight ahead again once the bar passes your head to be lifting the bar over your not in front of your head like you said
 
I watched your video again and your doin what I said about leaning forward or thrusting the bar backwards which ever way you want to look at, you might want to check out stronglifts.com they have some great info on this lift in particular good luck
 
This is what happens when I try to go at the normal starting position, then I change my grip and go alittle closer and then I change to my normal grip
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As you can see my elbows will not go forward no matter what if I go lower than mid neck level
 
It looks like a shoulder mobility issue...the same thing many athletes run into when doing a clean-grip front squat for the first time.

Your grip is fine, your bar path is fine, but try to start with the bar resting on your collar bone and front delts. Squeeze your serratus and lower traps to stabilize your scapula when you push up...you may need to do more serratus and low-trap activations.
 
ZiR RED said:
It looks like a shoulder mobility issue...the same thing many athletes run into when doing a clean-grip front squat for the first time.

Your grip is fine, your bar path is fine, but try to start with the bar resting on your collar bone and front delts. Squeeze your serratus and lower traps to stabilize your scapula when you push up...you may need to do more serratus and low-trap activations.
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Yeah thats the whole issue, if I try to do that my elbows want to point backward and not forward.
 
Do you have a reason for wanting to do Overhead Press instead of seated shoulder press? Just curious.
 
VinD said:
Do you have a reason for wanting to do Overhead Press instead of seated shoulder press? Just curious.
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Two reasons 1. to build up more core strength and 2. just in case I ever want to pick someone up over head lol. I alternate with dbs each week but I always do presses standing.
 
DerickVonD said:
Two reasons 1. to build up more core strength and 2. just in case I ever want to pick someone up over head lol. I alternate with dbs each week but I always do presses standing.
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Doing them seated properly will build core strength too. I think the form you need to aim for depends on your goal. Do you do these overhead presses as a part of a shoulder routine?
 
VinD said:
Doing them seated properly will build core strength too. I think the form you need to aim for depends on your goal. Do you do these overhead presses as a part of a shoulder routine?
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Not nearly to the same extent. You can do heavy seated presses without having to engage the glutes to level the pelvis and abs to reduce lordosis. You'll notice most people turn standing over head presses into a form of incline press via lumbar hyperextension. And seated presses follow suit, except that the butt slides away from the pad, or its set in such a way that its not 90 degrees to the floor.
 
ZiR RED said:
Not nearly to the same extent. You can do heavy seated presses without having to engage the glutes to level the pelvis and abs to reduce lordosis. You'll notice most people turn standing over head presses into a form of incline press via lumbar hyperextension. And seated presses follow suit, except that the butt slides away from the pad, or its set in such a way that its not 90 degrees to the floor.
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I agree. I find that the effort of keeping my back flat on the pad while also keeping my but back works my abs quite a bit. As fare as the rest of the core, I'm sure standing would be more beneficial. I'm just trying to figure out his goals, because ultimately that will determine what his form should look like (generally).
 
Do some shoulder mobility like joe defrancos simple six. Learn to tuck your head back and create a shelf with you lats to support the bar. This should allow you to keep the bar inline. I also pull the bar apart to activate my traps and lats more from the bottom.
 
SweetLou321 said:
Do some shoulder mobility like joe defrancos simple six. Learn to tuck your head back and create a shelf with you lats to support the bar. This should allow you to keep the bar inline. I also pull the bar apart to activate my traps and lats more from the bottom.
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I think its the serratus anterior you are activating by pulling the bar apart...I agree with everything above entirely. A lot people have under active serratus and lower traps, and it really hampers their upper body performance.
 
ZiR RED said:
I think its the serratus anterior you are activating by pulling the bar apart...I agree with everything above entirely. A lot people have under active serratus and lower traps, and it really hampers their upper body performance.
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Well when I said traps, I ment mid and lower traps more then upper. But I agree with you. I do different variations of pullaparts and face pulls about 5 days a week and rows and chins twice a week to make sure that vary area isnt lacking. Im aware chins dont hit nearly as much tho.
 
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Thats the best I can do right now I can not make my elbows point forward without moving the bar up. The only reason I have wrist wraps on in the vid is to help me find a grip where I'm not bending my wrists much.
 
Lean back a lil, load your lats with the bar. Tuck elbow forward and up. Push head back and make a double chin so you dont knock yourself out and allow for a better bar path.
 
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