Bench position for military press

CyberMuscle

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How do you guys set the back of the bench when doing military presses. At a 90 degree angle or slightly less? I have always done them with a 90 degree angled bench but have been recently seeing alot of amatuers and pros a like doing them with slightly less than 90 degress.
 

david4zero8

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I'm wondering the same thing as well. I usually do them seated with no back support. At a perfect 90* with an adjustable bench, the back of my head is pressed into the back padding and it makes the movement extremely awkward and uncomfortable.

I would prefer to do the movement on a utility stool/bench where the back support only goes half way up my back, but i workout at home and dont have access to the bench.

It would be nice to know how others setup their adjustable bench for military presses.
 

ryano

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I used to do them straight up at a 90 but I hurt my back trying to get that last rep in.

I like a little bit of room now to kind of cheat to get that last rep in without putting more pressure on my back.
 
rysigpi

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I used to do military dumbell as well as barbell on a 90 degree bench. Now I use an adjustable bench and set it at about what I would say 85 degrees. It makes i a lot more comfortable and I have had shoulder problems so that helps relieve stress on my RC.
 
Beelzebub

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one notch below 90 degrees. hard enough to kick the dumbbells up, at a 90 degree angle, it would suck even worse.
 

Jstrong20

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Same here. Do you guys also find you can keep much tighter standing? If I clench my ass and tighten my abs I feel no back pain. Doing them sitting always kills my back. Also its nice when you want to push press a couple extra out.
 
Beowulf

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one notch below 90 degrees. hard enough to kick the dumbbells up, at a 90 degree angle, it would suck even worse.
Yup, if I set it too straight I get spasms in my hips when I try to kick the dbs up.

Recently, I've actually started getting some momentum going while standing in front of the bench, then I whip the dbs up to my shoulders as i sit in one quick move. I practiced with light ones, and now I find that I am much stronger out of the hole when I start my set.
 
sean taylor

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Same here. Do you guys also find you can keep much tighter standing? If I clench my ass and tighten my abs I feel no back pain. Doing them sitting always kills my back. Also its nice when you want to push press a couple extra out.
Yep, everything stays nice and tight when doing them standing. When I did them seated my lower back would hurt under the weight.
This is just like using the bathroom...

Men stand and women sit.

Hmmmm...interesting...






:rofl:
 
Beelzebub

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Yup, if I set it too straight I get spasms in my hips when I try to kick the dbs up.

Recently, I've actually started getting some momentum going while standing in front of the bench, then I whip the dbs up to my shoulders as i sit in one quick move. I practiced with light ones, and now I find that I am much stronger out of the hole when I start my set.
flip some 130's up while standing? not this guy. i'd fall backwards and kill my TP.
 
Beowulf

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flip some 130's up while standing? not this guy. i'd fall backwards and kill my TP.
Actually, I don't do it completely standing. I have my ass against upright part of the bench so I can lean all my weight against that. Of course, this is definitely easier with the 85's.
 
Beelzebub

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oh, ok, yeah i can see that. our benches aren't bolted down so that'd just be a jumblefuck waiting to happen.
 
sean taylor

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Come on, I do it free standing.
 

david4zero8

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flip some 130's up while standing? not this guy. i'd fall backwards and kill my TP.
Beelze. I saw that clip of you vs. MMI over at the MMI forums doing the DB presses with 125's. Looks like you could have went on forever with those suckers. Good stuff.
 
Beelzebub

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lol, yeah, he wasn't happy about that. got a rechallenge on rack deads.
 

sly

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one notch below 90 degrees. hard enough to kick the dumbbells up, at a 90 degree angle, it would suck even worse.
Exactly what I do. I would never be able to get the 100's up with out the back a few degrees back. I feel the movement better this way also, much more comfortable.
 

david4zero8

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lol, yeah, he wasn't happy about that. got a rechallenge on rack deads.
Did you guys set a date yet? I know you said you have problems with the rack at your gym being so spaced apart.
 
Beelzebub

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i have rack height issues and MMI has back issues. may be a while. in the mean time, i've got another against casanova. not really worth my time but it'll be fun anyway.
 

david4zero8

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i have rack height issues and MMI has back issues. may be a while. in the mean time, i've got another against casanova. not really worth my time but it'll be fun anyway.
lol. Cant wait to see the clip.:woohoo:
 
jminis

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Yep, everything stays nice and tight when doing them standing. When I did them seated my lower back would hurt under the weight.
This is just like using the bathroom...

Men stand and women sit.

Hmmmm...interesting...






:rofl:

Sean Taylor you have a good point. :D I guess were the men of the bunch but who didn't know that:nutkick:
 

kelsey

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standing here too, I am working on pressing overhead 80% of my best
1RM bench.

if standing BBell presses are hard for you(and especially for reps)

Then put the pins up high on the rack (bout collarbone level)
Then step into it and explode,


i havent seated pressed in a great while, i would love to see how much i could do.
i can do about 205 5x5 (maybe more) standing.

i know you are limited to much less weight while standing, but i truly believe it is welding together all of my stabilizers .

just my 2c
 
jminis

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i know you are limited to much less weight while standing, but i truly believe it is welding together all of my stabilizers .

just my 2c
Training the stabilizers are key. A big reason why I do them standing.
 
Beelzebub

Beelzebub

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Yep, everything stays nice and tight when doing them standing. When I did them seated my lower back would hurt under the weight.
This is just like using the bathroom...

Men stand and women sit.

Hmmmm...interesting...






:rofl:
mayhap your lower back needs strengthing.:blink:
 

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