Military press

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jc1961AA
jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Following the advice of psuLemon, i have been doing a PHUL routine which i quite enjoy. Where I don't see too much progress, and still find it quite hard, it's the military press exercise. I don't seem to be able to add weight, and even at the current weight i am using, I am struggling a fair bit. I do them with an olympic bar standing up (which i guess is good for the core). Should i use some complementary exercises to build up some extra strength or am i being too impatient (i have been training for about 20 days now, and by the way i have been able to increase all the other exercise i am doing)
TIA
J

Replies

  • Carry_That_Weight
    Carry_That_Weight Posts: 27 Member
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    Military Press is one of the more difficult exercises to advance in. Try adding just 2.5 lb plates to each side as you increase.

    Accessory shoulder exercises (you can use dumbbells, or bodyweight exercises, I’m sure a quick google search will reveal hundreds) can help, especially if it’s some support muscle that’s weaker and failing you.

    But yeah you’re not alone in slow progress on that lift.

  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    You can also drop weight as you progress through your set if it helps. Ex:Set 1: 60lbs 5 reps, Set 2 60lbs can only complete 3 reps, 55lbs 2 reps, Sets 3-5: 55lbs 5 reps
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    jc1961AA wrote: »
    am i being too impatient (i have been training for about 20 days now

    how did you decide on the weight that you're pressing right now? maybe it's a weight that was already close to your current max, in which case you've basically leapfrogged the newbie phase and you won't see the same rate of progress.

    and by the way i have been able to increase all the other exercise i am doing)
    TIA
    J

    ohp uses a lot of relatively small muscles, remember. almsot everyone has a much lower capacity for pressing than other lifts. and since the muscles used are less robust and a whole lot smaller, it's possible too that they just don't have the same growth potential as the big ones like hamstrings and glutes (just a guess though; i'm nothing professional).

    another thought is that because the muscles are pretty small and precise, you need to finesse a lot more with a press than you do with the big-muscle lifts. tiny deviatiosn from optimal form make a huge difference. for me personally (woman, early 50's, normal body weight/size) the trick with the ohp has been to be patient. work at lower weights for longer, because 'easy' weight makes it much easier to feel what your form is doing. for me, the moment i'm two or three or four pounds over my optimal weight, the muscles are harder to feel because they're just working too hard.

    more reps, much volume, and whatever weight allows me to do that are my solutions to the ohp struggle. for what it's worth, i am not especially strong overall, but i actually do have a fairly strong press, relative to what i can do with the other compounds.

  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
    edited March 2018
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    marissafit06 wrote: »
    You can also drop weight as you progress through your set if it helps. Ex:Set 1: 60lbs 5 reps, Set 2 60lbs can only complete 3 reps, 55lbs 2 reps, Sets 3-5: 55lbs 5 7+ reps

    I would actually try for more reps when you switch to the lower weights. I also use tiny fractional plates .25 as I have had the same issue with progressing OHP, but I've grown to really love the lift.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited March 2018
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    If your gym doesn't have any, buy a set of fractional plates (including pairs of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1# plates) to be able increase the weights at increments of 5# or less.

    Add a pair of 2.5 plates if your gym doesn't have those either to be able to increase the weight in fractions less than 10# too.

    It's humbling but necessary for most of us to continue incresaing the weight when doing the OHP.
  • jc1961AA
    jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
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    Thanks for the replies, the smallest plates they have is 1.25kg.I usually warm up with the bar empty, then add 5kg on each side, but maybe i need, as mentioned, to add a bit less weight and work my way up.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
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    jc1961AA wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies, the smallest plates they have is 1.25kg.I usually warm up with the bar empty, then add 5kg on each side, but maybe i need, as mentioned, to add a bit less weight and work my way up.

    There are fractional plates in kgs too.

    Don't know exactly what the fractions are but they are comparable to the US wts.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    edited March 2018
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    jc1961AA wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies, the smallest plates they have is 1.25kg.I usually warm up with the bar empty, then add 5kg on each side, but maybe i need, as mentioned, to add a bit less weight and work my way up.

    There are fractional plates in kgs too.

    Don't know exactly what the fractions are but they are comparable to the US wts.

    I've got a set of 4x0.25kg and 4x0.5kg means I can increase the weight by just 0.5kg at a time. Not that I'm increasing weight atm.
    Instead I'm doing pyramids starting with the 10kg bar (training for a marathon so going lighter)
    And I'll do
    10@10kg
    9@12.5kg
    8@15kg
    7@17.5kg
    6@20kg
    5@22.5kg
    4@25kg
    3@27.5kg
    2@30kg
    1@32.5kg
    Then work my way back up to 10 reps taking the weight off. Means I'm getting the volume in without going too high on the weight.
  • pdxhak
    pdxhak Posts: 383 Member
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    Try to get stronger with volume. Either add 1-2 reps or add another set.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
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    Form is the first governor of most lifts and not a stranger to the OHP.

    Read upon how to properly lift with a book such as Starting Strength 3rd addition and progress will push forward for a spell until more complicated programming is needed.

    After that more frequency with also volume will drive progress. I have several lifters pressing four days a week. All of them pressing more than there body weight.
  • jc1961AA
    jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
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    Chieflrg wrote: »
    I have several lifters pressing four days a week. All of them pressing more than there body weight.

    Holly macaroni!!!

    Re the form, that's something i really need to work on. After today session I have decided to drop some of the weight and really work on my form. I am also going to buy a PVC pipe and work my form at home (really would love to have power cage with olympic bar at home, but it is just not possible)
  • BeccaLoves2lift
    BeccaLoves2lift Posts: 375 Member
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    The military press is the most difficult lift for me as well. My progress on it is slow but it's there. Just be patient.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    jc1961AA wrote: »
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    I have several lifters pressing four days a week. All of them pressing more than there body weight.

    Holly macaroni!!!

    Re the form, that's something i really need to work on. After today session I have decided to drop some of the weight and really work on my form. I am also going to buy a PVC pipe and work my form at home (really would love to have power cage with olympic bar at home, but it is just not possible)

    Have you watched the links on form in the lifting thread?
  • jc1961AA
    jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
    edited March 2018
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    jc1961AA wrote: »
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    I have several lifters pressing four days a week. All of them pressing more than there body weight.

    Holly macaroni!!!

    Re the form, that's something i really need to work on. After today session I have decided to drop some of the weight and really work on my form. I am also going to buy a PVC pipe and work my form at home (really would love to have power cage with olympic bar at home, but it is just not possible)

    Have you watched the links on form in the lifting thread?

    No i haven't, i have been mainly watching YouTube videos so far, + one coaching session at my gym that was an eye opener. I will check them up, [do you have a link please] thanks PSU
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
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    jc1961AA wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    jc1961AA wrote: »
    Chieflrg wrote: »
    I have several lifters pressing four days a week. All of them pressing more than there body weight.

    Holly macaroni!!!

    Re the form, that's something i really need to work on. After today session I have decided to drop some of the weight and really work on my form. I am also going to buy a PVC pipe and work my form at home (really would love to have power cage with olympic bar at home, but it is just not possible)

    Have you watched the links on form in the lifting thread?

    No i haven't, i have been mainly watching YouTube videos so far, + one coaching session at my gym that was an eye opener. I will check them up, [do you have a link please] thanks PSU

    Alan Thrall has a really good video. I suspect once you correct your form, you will be able to life more. And if you need to, do a couple more sessions with a PT.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
  • jc1961AA
    jc1961AA Posts: 283 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    jc1961AA wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »

    Alan Thrall has a really good video. I suspect once you correct your form, you will be able to life more. And if you need to, do a couple more sessions with a PT.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Thank you

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