An upper-body motion that makes a daily look within the power circuits of CrossFitters and body-builders, the overhead press is a sound addition to the train routine of just about anybody who has their eyes (er, physique) set on constructing power, dropping pounds, or in any other case optimizing their total well being and well-being, in keeping with licensed power and conditioning coach Jake Harcoff, CSCS, head coach and proprietor of AIM Athletic.
That’s as a result of along with strengthening your higher physique, the overhead press engages a number of different muscle teams, similar to your core, glutes, and quads, he says, which makes it a full-body burner.
The factor is, you may’t simply seize a weight and begin slinging it towards the sky. Performing the overhead press requires some motion savvy. Executing the motion with sound kind and proper weight is important for reaping the potential advantages of the train and minimizing danger, Harcoff explains.
With that in thoughts, forward you’ll discover all the things it’s essential know concerning the overhead press, together with a step-by-step information on easy methods to do it safely, the muscle teams it really works, security ideas, and extra.
The way to do an overhead press with excellent kind
Utilizing dumbbells is a good possibility for anybody who has mobility limitations with one or each shoulders, Harcoff says.
“Each arm is able to move independently of each other instead of being bound to the shape of the bar,” he explains. “Using dumbbells also challenges the stabilizing muscles around the shoulder joint more dynamically,” he says, which finally promotes higher joint well being long run and reduces the chance of harm.
- Stand together with your toes hip-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in every hand, arms at your sides. Your palms needs to be dealing with in towards your physique.
- Raise the weights to your shoulders together with your elbows bent at 90 levels.
- Brace your core and have interaction decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press each dumbbells instantly over head, preserving your again tight and your wrists in step with your shoulders the complete time.
- Preserve urgent till your arms are straight.
- Inhale as you come back the dumbbells to begin place. That’s one rep.
The overhead press muscle mass labored, defined
To the bare eye, the overhead press might appear like simply an upper-body strengthener. And certain, the overhead press primarily targets your prime half, however most overhead press variations are literally full-body actions.
The act of urgent the burden overhead works your chest, shoulders, traps, and triceps, together with all of the stabilizing muscle mass within the rotator cuff and the wrists, in keeping with Harcoff.
“You also call on various core muscles including the rectus abdominis and obliques to maintain proper upright posture and spinal alignment throughout the movement while you are standing,” he says. Your core may even must activate if you’re performing a seated variation of the motion on a bench and not using a again.
All of the overhead press advantages that’ll persuade you to attempt it
The overhead press is a full-body motion that, when carried out correctly, can enhance your high quality of life in addition to capability throughout different power actions. Specifics, forward.
1. It helps shoulder well being
Your shoulders are a finicky body-part. Want proof? An estimated that 20 % of the inhabitants will expertise shoulder ache of their lifetime, in keeping with Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports activities Medication.
Clearly, there isn’t any solution to completely injury-proof any a part of your physique. However so far as the shoulder goes, “generally the stronger the shoulder muscles are, the stronger the shoulder joint is,” says bodily therapist Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS, founding father of digital motion platform Motion Vault. “And the stronger the shoulder joint is, the lower the risk it is for accruing injury.”
Assuming somebody has ample shoulder mobility to execute the overhead press safely (extra on this forward) and is correctly weighting the train, the motion excels at strengthening all of the muscle mass within the fussy joint, he says.
2. It will increase power, head-to-toe
Typically referred to as the shoulder press, you is likely to be shocked to be taught that the overhead press works much more muscle teams than simply these in your shoulder. Staying secure when you press the burden overhead requires you to activate your midline, in addition to massive and small gamers in your legs, Wickham says.
3. It boosts stability massive time
Each holding the burden in entrance of your physique (the beginning place) and urgent the burden in your head require your core muscle mass to faucet in, Harcoff says. Specifically, the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis are referred to as on that will help you keep sound kind, he says.
Whereas core muscle mass are sometimes considered mirror-muscles, having a sturdy core helps enhance your total high quality of life out and in of the health club.
“The midline is the epicenter for the body,” Wickham says. “When this epicenter is well-trained and strong, it helps you stay safe when doing anything from picking up a package to getting on your tip-toes to get something from the top shelf,” he says.
A powerful core additionally helps you throw and kick extra highly effective throughout area sports activities, and relieve decrease again ache, he says.
4. It improves posture
This shoulder train strengthens the three predominant muscle-groups liable for sound posture: The shoulders, higher again, and core.
Rounded shoulders are sometimes induced when a person doesn’t have the shoulder or higher again power essential to tug the higher physique into an upright place, Wickham says. In the meantime, a sagging center again, which may intensify rounded shoulders, is attributable to a weak midline, he says.
Primarily any train routine that includes improved again, shoulder or midline power might help counteract poor posture over time, Wickham says. (Specifically, when mixed with chest-opening stretches). The overhead barbell press, nevertheless, permits a person to strengthen all three muscle teams directly, making it an excellent environment friendly addition for ditching the droop.
5. It has carryover to different actions
Regardless of your particular health targets or exercise regime, a weekly or biweekly overhead press session might help you get there.
The motion will improve consolation with having weight overhead, Wickham says, which is useful for different workouts such because the overhead squat, snatch, clear and jerk, overhead lunge, and overhead carry.
Additional, as a result of the train strengthens your pushing muscle mass—i.e. the chests, triceps, and shoulders—you’ll see enhancements in your means to carry out actions similar to a bench press, push-up, handstand push-up, dips, and muscle-ups, he says.
“Generally the stronger the shoulder muscles are, the stronger the shoulder joint is. And the stronger the shoulder joint is, the lower the risk it is for accruing injury.” —Grayson Wickham, DPT, CSCS
One of the best overhead press variations to spice issues up
Little doubt, the usual overhead press is a good motion however there different overhead press variations you are able to do to kick issues up a notch within the identify of even better positive factors.
1. Barbell overhead press
The standing overhead barbell press makes use of muscle mass of the decrease physique, together with the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, Harcoff says. “These all contribute to creating a stable base for you while you do the movement,” he says. Even your foot muscle mass must activate throughout standing variations of the overhead press with a purpose to preserve you regular when you work.
- Load the barbell into an influence rack, J-cups positioned in order that the barbell is at chest top.
- Unrack the bar by positioning your palms simply exterior of your shoulders, and rotating your elbows below the bar and away out of your physique.
- With the bar within the front-rack place, step away from the rack in order that toes are hips-width.
- Take into consideration pulling the highest a part of your rib-cage all the way down to the ground to activate your midline. Floor your toes into the ground, squeeze glutes, and pull-up on quads for additional stability.
- Press the barbell straight overhead. Because the bar nears face, tilt head again and proceed pushing the bar instantly up. As soon as the bar has handed your face, return your neck to impartial place.
- Proceed urgent till your arms are locked out overhead, together with your wrists stacked instantly above your shoulders.
- Use your lats to tug the barbell again down, inhaling as you come back the burden to the front-rack place. That’s one rep.
Observe: Within the occasion that you do not have a rig or squat rack to set the barbell up in, you can even energy or squat clear the barbell from the ground. Alternatively, you are able to do the dumbbell overhead press above.
2. Single-arm dumbbell overhead press
Whether or not you solely have one dumbbell on faucet or are tremendous into constructing midline power, give the only arm dumbbell overhead press a whirl. A unilateral model of the overhead press, this train permits you to strengthen all sides of your physique individually. “Because you’re only weighted on one side, your side obliques have to work overtime to keep your body steady while you press weight up on just the one side,” Wickham says.
Simply remember to choose a weight you may bodily carry with sound kind with all sides. Wickham explains: Until you are totally ambidextrous, odds are that you simply will be barely stronger on one aspect than the opposite. A lil power differential between sides okay, he says, but when the imbalance is simply too pronounced it places you at elevated danger for overcompensation accidents and poor posture.
You solely ever wish to carry as a lot as you may on the weaker aspect as lifting extra weight with the stronger aspect will proceed to exacerbate power variations. The excellent news is that the weaker aspect will get stronger when it is pressured to work independently, he says.
- Stand together with your toes hip-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in your proper hand, arms at your sides. Your palms needs to be dealing with in towards your physique.
- Raise the burden to your shoulder together with your elbow bent at 90 levels.
- Brace your core and have interaction decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press the dumbbell instantly over head, preserving your again tight and your wrists in step with your shoulders the complete time.
- Preserve urgent till your proper arm is straight.
- Inhale as you come back the dumbbell to begin place. That’s one rep.
- Repeat for the specified variety of reps after which repeat on the alternative aspect.
3. Overhead press from break up jerk place
Break up jerk might sound like an R-rated dance transfer, nevertheless it’s truly an Olympic weightlifting motion that includes “catching” the barbell overhead in a lunge place. Nicely, the overheard press from the break up place includes getting right into a jerk (lunge) stance after which urgent the burden instantly overhead, Wickham explains.
As you may guess, this motion is a better talent motion in comparison with different overhead press variations. Nonetheless, for people who’re comfy with a barbell—powerlifters, CrossFit athletes, Olympic lifting opponents, and so forth.— Harcoff says it’s a fantastic add-in.
Strict urgent from this split-legged place will increase the demand in your core “as the body must resist lateral movement and maintain balance throughout the movement,” he explains. “This heightened core engagement not only strengthens the abdominal but also targets the oblique muscles to improve overall stability and control.”
- Stand together with your toes hip-width aside and maintain a dumbbell in every hand, arms at your sides. Your palms needs to be dealing with in towards your physique.
- Raise the weights to your shoulders together with your elbows bent at 90 levels.
- Then, step right into a lunge place, together with your entrance knee bent and your again leg hovering above the bottom.
- Brace your core and have interaction decrease physique for stability. Exhale as you press each dumbbells instantly over head, preserving your again tight and your wrists in step with your shoulders the complete time.
- Preserve urgent till your arms are straight.
- Inhale as you come back the dumbbells to begin place. That’s one rep.
The commonest overhead press mistake—and easy methods to repair it
Usually, when persons are doing the overhead press incorrectly, it isn’t as a result of their set-up is flawed or they don’t perceive the mechanics of the motion. As a substitute, it’s as a result of they lack the prerequisite shoulder or thoracic backbone mobility to do the motion appropriately, in keeping with Wickham.
In case your shoulder complicated or T-spine lacks mobility—as a result of pre-existing harm, lack of use, or restricted physique positions all through your day—you’ll seemingly nonetheless have the ability to get the burden overhead, he says. Sadly, to take action, your physique will pressure on the encompassing joints and muscle mass to do the work as an alternative. Normally, it is your decrease again that can find yourself compensating for lack of mobility in these areas, Harcoff says.
The rub? “This compensation leads to increased risk of injury for the compensating joints down the line,” Wickham says. Certainly, a herniated disc, decrease again pressure, elbow dislocation, and generalized ache are all attainable, he says. Not best for anybody, not to mention somebody seeking to enhance total power and efficiency!
Plus, if you don’t have the mobility to carry out the train correctly, the compensations your physique robotically employs truly cut back the work that your shoulders and midline must do, which makes the train much less efficient at strengthening the muscle mass you’re concentrating on. Sigh.
Your transfer: Ensure you have ample mobility earlier than making an attempt the overhead press. You may assess this by standing in opposition to a wall, or mendacity down, and making an attempt to completely flex your arms overhead, Harcoff says. Are you able to accomplish that with out arching your decrease again excessively or compensating by pushing the top ahead? If that’s the case, you most likely have stable shoulder and T-spine mobility.
If mobility deficits are noticed throughout this check, Harcoff suggests incorporating particular stretches that concentrate on the shoulder restrictions, similar to shoulder dislocations utilizing resistance band, PVC pipe determine 8s, and wall angels.
“Arm circles, the ‘thread the needle’ stretch, cross-body shoulder stretches, and doorway stretches are also good options,” says train physiologist and licensed power and conditioning coach Sharon Gam PhD, CSCS. You also needs to incorporate thoracic backbone stretches similar to thoracic extensions over a foam curler and cat-cow stretches, Harcoff says.
“While addressing mobility limitations, you can integrate other shoulder-strengthening exercises that don’t demand quite as much mobility,” Harcoff says. “Exercises like the lateral raise, front raise, bent-over lateral raises, and face pulls will help you strengthen your shoulder muscles while you prepare for more complex movements like the overhead press,” he says.
If you graduate to overhead urgent motion, Gam recommends making an attempt out the landmine press first earlier than leaping straight into the overhead shoulder press. “It allows you to overhead press at a less vertical angle, which means it may be a more accessible exercise,” she says.
Security tricks to contemplate when performing the overhead press
For people who meet the motion’s pre-requisite mobility calls for, the overhead press is usually fairly protected train. Nonetheless, there are some issues you must take into account to guard the well being of your muscle mass, in addition to your physique as an entire.
1. Get the inexperienced mild from a health and/or healthcare professional
You probably have any pre-existing shoulder accidents, you’d be smart to speak with a bodily therapist earlier than making an attempt the overhead press, Wickham says. In spite of everything, you wish to make it possible for your supporting musculature can deal with the load and positioning.
You also needs to test with a healthcare supplier when you’ve got any pre-existing situations or have lately undergone both minor or main surgical procedure, he notes.
2. Hearken to your physique
Really feel a pinching, grinding, or different sensation of ache whereas overhead urgent? That’s your physique’s manner of telling you that one thing ain’t proper!
When you really feel any form of discomfort whereas urgent, Gam suggests switching out the barbell for dumbbells (or a single dumbbell).
“For people with limited shoulder mobility or certain types of shoulder pain, using dumbbells instead of a barbell can also be more comfortable,” she says. Why? Nicely, “because dumbbells allow you to perform the overhead press in a neutral position with their palms facing each other, which just isn’t possible with a standard barbell.”
When you expertise ache with dumbbell presses, too, nevertheless, cease. Right here, a bodily therapist could also be useful in assessing why you’re experiencing ache, as properly aid you discover overhead press alternate options you are able to do to strengthen your shoulder girdle, she says.
3. Let means, not ego, dictate weight
From a cost-benefit standpoint, for the overall inhabitants, there may be zero cause to seek out your one-rep max overhead press, or to in any other case press super-duper heavy. Most individuals could be significantly better suited choosing a weight that they’ll safely transfer and management for 8 to 12 reps in a row, in keeping with Harcoff.
Performing 3 to 4 units of this rep vary with a weight that’s difficult, however poses no danger of you failing, with 2 minutes relaxation in between, will assist your muscle development in addition to total health targets, he says.
4. Don’t overlook to warm-up correctly
As crunched as chances are you’ll be for time, you may’t simply arrange a barbell, toss on some weight plates and get urgent. Going proper from zero to heavy weight is harmful for even essentially the most seasoned lifter, Wickham says, as your physique isn’t prepped for urgent after a day of sitting on the workplace or behind the wheel.
If you get to the health club you wish to do a correct 5 to fifteen minute warmup, replete with some slow-and-steady cardio to get your blood pumping, dynamic stretches to prep your joints, after which a sluggish construct to the burden you wish to carry out your units at.
5. Prioritize different well being measures
Whether or not you might be overhead urgent to get stronger, drop some weight, or optimize different well being markers, overhead urgent isn’t sufficient! “To optimize muscle growth and recovery as well as general well-being you also need to maintain optimal nutrition, manage stress levels, and prioritize quality sleep,” Harcoff says.
FAQ
1. What number of units and reps must you do?
“Muscle growth can be stimulated across various rep ranges,” Harcoff says. “Determining the ideal sets and reps for the overhead press, like any exercise, is highly contextual and depends on individual factors such as training ability, age, and desired training outcomes.”
For most individuals, performing 3 to 4 units of 8 to 12 reps with 2 minutes relaxation at a average weight that permits for difficult however managed actions is the transfer, he says. Nonetheless, more-advanced lifters actually seeking to pack on muscle can attempt doing 4 to five units of 4 to six reps with 2 minutes relaxation between with near-maximal load.
“Regardless of the rep range chosen, it’s crucial to gradually increase the weight or intensity over time to continue challenging the muscles and driving adaptation,” Harcoff says. (This is named making use of the progressive overload precept).
2. How efficient are overhead presses?
Very! “The overhead press effectively works the shoulders, especially the front of the shoulders, which are called the anterior deltoids,” Gam says. “It also works the lateral deltoids (sides of the shoulders), triceps (on the back of your upper arms), the upper chest, and core,” she says.
3. Why are overhead presses so troublesome?
The overhead press requires sound shoulder and thoracic mobility in addition to some requisite upper-body and midline power (even with lighter weights). The motion can really feel troublesome if a person lacks any of the baseline mobility and power wanted to carry out it, says Wickham.
Factor is, whereas it is okay for the train to be difficult muscularly, it shouldn’t be painful. In spite of everything, difficult your muscle mass is a vital step in getting stronger, whereas ache is an indication that one thing goes awry!
