I am never going to progres in OHP !!

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kopmom
kopmom Posts: 491 Member
On week 5 (workout 15 tomorrow) and I still cannot do a 5x5 OHP with more then 45lbs (bar). Everything else if progressing...UGH !
What is my problem?
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Replies

  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    Go lower and work your way back up.

    Use the shortie women's bar and go from there. Increase in smaller increments than 5 lbs if you can, by using washers or fractional weights. :smile:
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
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    OHP is hard for us ladies to progress on. I've been stuck at 60lbs forever.
    I agree with maybe deloading a bit and working back up.
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
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    ive deloaded and worked my way back up multiple times. still no progress. lol damn OHP
  • Amazing1985RSD
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    Perhaps it's your form maybe?
  • bimmer2331
    bimmer2331 Posts: 59 Member
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    Ugh!!!! OHP Is the bane of my existence....I am right there with ya at 45 lbs oly bar....everything else is atleast progressing .... this thing seems i have been stuck on it for an eternity
  • morningmud
    morningmud Posts: 477 Member
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    I'm with you on that too. I get through 45# then go up to 50# but can't get 5x5 and have to deload again.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    I'm with you on that too. I get through 45# then go up to 50# but can't get 5x5 and have to deload again.

    Looking into getting fractional weights. Being able to go up by 1-2 pounds instead of 5 is REEEAAAALLLY helpful.
  • juliemouse83
    juliemouse83 Posts: 6,663 Member
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    Without reading everyone’s comments, please know that OHP is the freaking lift from hell for me. I thought I was all bad *kitten* and such until I found out I was actually doing a “push press” rather than a straight OHP. Those &&**%$ things. :grumble:

    I’m stuck at what? 50-55 lbs. I am thinking (even tho the hubs doesn’t think I need them) about going ahead and ordering some fractionals, simply because a five lb increase is just too danged much.

    Now I’m going to go back and read comments.

    :flowerforyou:

    ETA: haha…Auddii and I are on the same page…Yay…it’s not just me…(So I am either really smart, or Auddii is a freak, LMAO! I :heart: you, Auddii!)
  • kopmom
    kopmom Posts: 491 Member
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    I watched a video on form (Starting Strength video) over and over. I will keep at it. My gym only has 2.5 weights
  • zorreena
    zorreena Posts: 267 Member
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    A woman bodybuilder and I just recently had a long chat and she suggested that for OHP I should be using a pyramid. I'm not sure but I'm thinking I might see progress doing this. She admitted she is old school and said she would start at 50 until failure then go to 45 and go until failure. I started the whole conversation with her because aim suffering the same problem with OHP.
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
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    ^^^ I did just move from strong lifts to a Nia shanks program and she has you do something similar. Your first work set is to positive failure...then you reload 10% and do that until positive failure.

    I'll also add that I did feel a tad bit better about OHP after I put my numbers in the Strength Standards and found out that I'm really lifting at an intermediate level. So, if you do that...you might find that you don't feel so down about it. It's just a hard lift.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    I watched a video on form (Starting Strength video) over and over. I will keep at it. My gym only has 2.5 weights

    I bought my own 1.25lb weights off amazon, and they weren't too pricey. Other girls have bough washers from a fastenal store with a 2 inch inner diameter. They're made from zinc, weigh anywhere from 0.6-1lb, and can be used in multiple combinations to add different amount of weight.
  • morningmud
    morningmud Posts: 477 Member
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    If it says "Olympic Plate", it should have a hole large enough for the bar, right? These are the ones that I found on Amazon:

    http://www.amazon.com/Black-Olympic-Plate-1-25-Lbs/dp/B00BYPADJS/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1365685095&sr=8-11&keywords=fractional+weights+plate

    We have a fastener store close-by also, but their website just shows 100-count orders.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,081 Member
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    It takes time. As I said to another lifter on here, I have been lifting heavy in total for 10 years. Strength is not an overnight thing, neither is any type of fitness or health thing. It is not only about the form, the weight on the barbell or your muscle's ability to lift that weight. If things get tough, there are other things that may or may not help (if you are prepared to be flexible and experiment). These are food intake (calories and macros)...are you eating enough carbs? protein? calories? I know for upper body lifts I need more calories...especially carbs. Are you resting enough? Getting enough hydration and sleep? Are you warming up adequately, stretching the muscles before and after lifts? Are you taking enough rest between sets? Are you trying smaller increments at a time than 2.5 kg - 5 kg?

    Yes, there are a lot of variables...in order to build overall strength, you need time and patience. (hell, it would be fantastic if we could just BAMF every lift, doesn't quite work out this way in reality) If everything in the above paragraph is in order, then maybe it is time to try madcow or Wendler's 5/3/1, just for the OHP. I was shocked at how just warming up properly and resting long enough between sets has made a big difference...that and upping my calorie intake a smidge or two. : )
  • __RANDY__
    __RANDY__ Posts: 1,036 Member
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    It takes time.

    Do your home work, find the lifts that help you improve your OHP. For months and months I wanted to just skip the gym on OHP day because I felt it wasn't progressing, so why train for it. One day I adjusted my grip and reevaluated my form, soon I was progressing and now OHP is my favorite lift.
  • Fiesty1006
    Fiesty1006 Posts: 95 Member
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    I'm having trouble progressing quickly in OHP too. I'm only at 60lbs. And my last rep was hard.

    I spent two sessions at 55lbs... and now I've spent two sessions at 60lbs.

    Longer rest times between has helped.... And I can tell when my form wasn't good based on difficulty too.

    We'll all get there..... It just takes time. :-)
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    At the risk of seeming redundant:
    1. Check your form
    2. Understand the OHP will be the first lift to stall hard on, and for women much sooner than men.
    3. Use fractionals to progress. If you have to, go up a pound a week. Or a half a pound a week. That still allows you to go up 5 pounds in a month or two, which for the OHP is good progress.

    I love the OHP and I'm not worried about taking it ez with that lift because it's such a fabulous whole-body lift, and I would hate to grow to resent it. I'll get there when I'll get there weight-wise. Not worried about it. Going to enjoy the journey and not let some number goal throw me off.
  • macybean
    macybean Posts: 258 Member
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    I've been stuck on OHP too...deloaded again last week due to form, so back to 60 pounds. I agree on patience and fractional plates (or socks filled with pennies in my case!).

    Good to know I'm not alone!
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    I watched a video on form (Starting Strength video) over and over. I will keep at it. My gym only has 2.5 weights

    I bought my own 1.25lb weights off amazon, and they weren't too pricey. Other girls have bough washers from a fastenal store with a 2 inch inner diameter. They're made from zinc, weigh anywhere from 0.6-1lb, and can be used in multiple combinations to add different amount of weight.
    I got a set of 2 1 lb ankle weights and they fit perfectly on the Oly bar. Got them for $6 at Burlington Coat Factory.
  • faeriewings1
    faeriewings1 Posts: 98 Member
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    I've finally said @&$# it today, and I'm started 3x5 for my overheads. I'm hoping it'll help me progress more as I've been on 25kilos for months