StrongLifts 5x5

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Stalled on the overhead press this morning

crawfishag
crawfishag Posts: 19 Member
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I stalled on overhead press this morning and if I read the Stronglifts program right I need to retry at current weight and only take weight off if I stall again. I think that's right. Any suggestions on how to overcome a stall on overhead press?

Replies

  • ay1978pa
    ay1978pa Posts: 142 Member
    I believe you retry for two more workouts, then deload if you can't reach 5x5.

    How is your form? What worked for me (so far) was clenching the glutes, stabilizing the abs and moving the neck forward as I raise arms. The latter really made it easier. You're probably doing it all already.

    I thought I was going to stall yesterday but made it through another "B" workout.
  • mikejholmes
    mikejholmes Posts: 291 Member
    I failed on OHP -- twice. I'm using the iPhone app (which I LOVE), and it said you have to fail at it 3x, and then deload, and start to add weight back slowly.

    If you've deloaded twice already, then you're ready to graduate to StrongLifts 3x5 on that exercise.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    I believe you retry for two more workouts, then deload if you can't reach 5x5.

    How is your form? What worked for me (so far) was clenching the glutes, stabilizing the abs and moving the neck forward as I raise arms. The latter really made it easier. You're probably doing it all already.

    I thought I was going to stall yesterday but made it through another "B" workout.
    Also make sure to keep your feet shoulder width apart. The closer you have your feet together, the harder OHP gets (and putting feet together is actually the military press).
  • Slamdunkpro
    Slamdunkpro Posts: 88 Member
    I've failed OHP 3 or 4 times. Twice I just repeated the weight and moved up the next session. One time I knew I was tired and upped my weight anyway and made the next level no problem.

    What weight are you stalling at?
  • nykdem
    nykdem Posts: 119 Member
    I stalled on the OHP for the first time today, too. Although stalling on 42.5kg/94 lbs probably seems a bit puny to some of you guys, I'm actually amazed I made it this far before stalling. I'm a really small guy at 5ft 8inches with wrists of only 6.5inches (all my excess weight is around my gut and moobs!) and when I started 5x5 I even struggled with the empty bar on OHP!!

    I studied loads of videos on YouTube to get my form right and will keep studying those videos to make sure my form stays correct as the weights increase. My favourite videos on correct form are Mark Rappetoe's. They are simple, concise and informative with great visuals.

    I'm hoping that I can get past 42.5kg next time I attempt it. Good luck to the others of you that have stalled.
  • spongeh
    spongeh Posts: 152 Member
    I knew the OHP stall was coming and it did last night 5/5/5/5/4 ... not much of a stall, but at only 90lb/40Kg ti feels like a bit of a fail. Still going strong on all the others.
  • crawfishag
    crawfishag Posts: 19 Member
    It may have just been a bad day, I knocked out the OHP the workout before yesterday without any problems and 5 more pounds should not have made that much of a difference. I am going to look at my form in the lift. I was in a hell of a hurry yesterday morning and may have been sloppy in my OHP. I appreciate the help. Hopefully on Monday when its OHP day again I will get past it.
  • tootoop224
    tootoop224 Posts: 281 Member
    ...I'm using the iPhone app (which I LOVE)...
    What app are you using, and do you know if there is one for Android? I am using "Strong Log" and it's OK. Pretty basic and it doesn't sync up with an on line source. Anybody have any suggestions?
  • mikejholmes
    mikejholmes Posts: 291 Member
    I'm using the "official" stronglifts 5x5 tracker app.
    Not sure if there is an Android version.
    It would be good if it synced to something online -- if anyone has a better tool, I'm all ears!
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    ...I'm using the iPhone app (which I LOVE)...
    What app are you using, and do you know if there is one for Android? I am using "Strong Log" and it's OK. Pretty basic and it doesn't sync up with an on line source. Anybody have any suggestions?
    I have the "Lifting Buddy" app on my android. Very basic too and no online sync.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    Funny this post was here, I was about to make my own stating I feel I'm about to hit my 1st stall on OHP. Maybe it's from the 2 weeks I took off, and this is my 1st week back, though squats and bench were fine. We'll see how it goes next week but this week's weight was difficult, the last rep of the last 3 sets was a grind! I'm at 135 on the press. Deadlifts were hard this week too, 385, but I got them all. 2nd rep was hard and I willed my way thru the rest. I think deadlifts are so much more of a mental lift because you can't really feel the weight like you can with squats and bench and press. You only know how heavy it feels when you pick it up for the 1st rep and I have a tendency to get amped up/psyched out when I stare at the bar getting ready for the set.

    I had a huge lunch today and it was sitting at the back of my throat the entire workout which didn't help. I know better, but it's my wife's b'day and we had a some Carolina BBQ she brought home from vacation. Won't do that again!

    As far as the Android app, I'm using a simple free one called Lift Big. It tracks all your sessions and has a timer for between sets. It calcs your weights and you plug in the number of reps you get for each set. There is a section where it looks like it will count stalls and deloads for each lift too, if you were to do that. It's nothing fancy but it's easy to use.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    I stalled last week on 135lbs for OHP on the last rep of the past set, but I had only been resting 1 minute between sets due to the weight having been lite to start off with and never thought to adjust it more until I failed. This past workout, I rested 2 minutes between sets and did 135lbs OHP without issue.

    Thanks for the Android app mentions as I use one called Strong Log and its very basic. The one danimalkeys mentions sounds better...will have to check it out.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    I stalled on OHP at 80lbs, got to 85 and stalled on that yesterday. It's by far my hardest exercise. I'm amazed you guys are putting up 135, great job! I hope i get there eventually, but right now that sounds damn near impossible haha.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    You'll get there Rage Phish, we all started somewhere. Be patient and consistent and it'll come. I used to do 185 for reps, I'm hoping to get back there at some point. 75lb dumbbells too. It'll be a while but I have nothing but time!
  • mikejholmes
    mikejholmes Posts: 291 Member
    I stalled on OHP at 80lbs, got to 85 and stalled on that yesterday. It's by far my hardest exercise. I'm amazed you guys are putting up 135, great job! I hope i get there eventually, but right now that sounds damn near impossible haha.
    I so hear you -- I stalled twice at 65lbs, and finally got it. Tried 70 for the first time yesterday and failed miserably. :embarassed:

    I wonder how many people have to drop to 3x5 in the first 3 months. :sad:
  • tsimblist
    tsimblist Posts: 206 Member
    I stalled on OHP at 80lbs, got to 85 and stalled on that yesterday. It's by far my hardest exercise. I'm amazed you guys are putting up 135, great job! I hope i get there eventually, but right now that sounds damn near impossible haha.
    I so hear you -- I stalled twice at 65lbs, and finally got it. Tried 70 for the first time yesterday and failed miserably. :embarassed:

    I wonder how many people have to drop to 3x5 in the first 3 months. :sad:

    I bought a pair of 1.25 lb weights so that I could bump up in smaller increments. It helps if you're an old guy with no arms like me.

    The StrongLifts app supports those smaller weights.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    I stalled on OHP at 80lbs, got to 85 and stalled on that yesterday. It's by far my hardest exercise. I'm amazed you guys are putting up 135, great job! I hope i get there eventually, but right now that sounds damn near impossible haha.
    I stalled too at 80 on Monday. Got it today though. Widened my stance a bit because I realized I was a little too narrow. Wasn't paying attention on Monday. Also put my hands a little closer together (about two inches). Made a big difference.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    135 seems impossible* at this point. I haven't stalled on the OHP yet but it's feeling close...currently at 85lbs (tomorrow).

    *impossible is nothing...i know :)
  • crawfishag
    crawfishag Posts: 19 Member
    Today was overhead press day again and I was able to complete it. I guess it was bad form or something. It was tough on the last one but went well. Great workout today.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    im basically stalling on OHP every time i increase, i then take 3 attempts or so to complete and then soon as a i increase i stall again lol. This might take a while. Came close to completing 90lbs today
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    Pushed through and completed 90lbs yesterday. Felt great!
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
    I stalled today, in a big way. 3 reps of 150 on set 1, I quit after that. Finished the workout super setting hang cleans with 170x3 and db press with 40s for 8 reps, 5 sets of each.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    Well, I too stalled tonight at 155lbs. Could only get 5,5,5,4,2. I knew it was coming because 150 was very tough, but I eeked that one out. I even upped my calories this week as the weight for all the other lifts are starting to push my limits. Deadlifts were also on the tough side for me tonight as I never have done deadlifts until this program. I might have another week or two on those before I really have problems.
  • cajuntank
    cajuntank Posts: 924 Member
    Well, I too stalled tonight at 155lbs. Could only get 5,5,5,4,2. I knew it was coming because 150 was very tough, but I eeked that one out. I even upped my calories this week as the weight for all the other lifts are starting to push my limits. Deadlifts were also on the tough side for me tonight as I never have done deadlifts until this program. I might have another week or two on those before I really have problems.

    Well, knew it would come soon on this one, but OHP will be my first deload. I don't know if it's because I cut my calories back a bit(weight loss is my primary goal right now over getting strong quicker) or just not getting fully recovered due to being into heavier bench presses on Workout A, but will have to scale back to 140lbs and work back up for my next Workout B. I also did a self imposed deload on rows to fix a major form issue I overlooked.
  • Rage_Phish
    Rage_Phish Posts: 1,507 Member
    At first i hated overhead press because i kept failing at it. But i gotta say, even though i fail often when i advance weight, it is my favorite exercise now. I really like the feeling i have after doing it. Totally worn out and strong feeling at the same time. Big fan.

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