Overhead Press, What is a full rep?!

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FrnkLft
FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I learned the overhead press as barbell from chest/clavicles, up to full lockout, and back again.

Trainer on Monday (he's no bro, a serious guy), and another guy yesterday who has a previously torn shoulder both told me that it's best to rep from about eye level to lock out and back.

They say it's to protect your shoulders. I get it, but it just looks like a half-rep to me, and that's not something I'm into doing.

Anyone else "bottom out" at eye level and can explain why they do them?
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Replies

  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    Trainer on Monday (he's no bro, a serious guy), and another guy yesterday who has a previously torn shoulder both told me that it's best to rep from about eye level to lock out and back.

    They say it's to protect your shoulders. I get it, but it just looks like a half-rep to me, and that's not something I'm into doing.

    This is one reason I sort of prefer the dumbbell for OHP. I had a serious rotator cuff injury a couple of years ago (From a sports activity outside of the gym) and the barbell puts you in an unnatural position with that full range of motion. Most people can probably do it if you're healthy but it does put more stress on that joint if you take it all the way down. Even with the dumbbells I don't take the weight all the way down to my shoulders.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Depends on grip width. Slightly outside shoulders, the bar should go about halfway from chin to collarbone. With a wide grip, I'll only take it to chin for shoulder safety.
  • kyodi
    kyodi Posts: 376 Member
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    bump... I'm about to add these and I don't want to add an injury as well.
  • PradaGx
    PradaGx Posts: 29 Member
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    Don't ever let anyone tell you that you need FULL RANGE OF MOTION. Everyone's range of motion is different. You will tear your rotator cuffs if you let the weights go too low. I personally just stop at the point where my arms are making a 90 degree bend then I push back up but I also don't lock out cause I personally think its not good for the joints, I like to keep tension on the muscles and locking out pretty much removes all tension from the muscles. That's just me tho, do what works best for you man.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    It helps to keep your shoulder packed all the way in the socket at lockout, with lats fired the whole time. If you disengage your lats and extend your shoulders all the way up, you are begging for an injury. Keeping it packed will protect your shoulder girdle.

    I press from clavicle to lockout.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    Meh, I go from the chest.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
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    It helps to keep your shoulder packed all the way in the socket at lockout, with lats fired the whole time. If you disengage your lats and extend your shoulders all the way up, you are begging for an injury. Keeping it packed will protect your shoulder girdle.

    I press from clavicle to lockout.

    ^ This is also what I do.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    My first guess would be it depends on your strength and flexibility? If I felt bringing it lower was beginning to strain my joints I'd stop but I'm unusually flexible and it's not like I have any power or strength yet. Someone let me know if I'm wrong.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I go until my upper arm goes just past parallel with the floor, anything more tends to upset my elbows.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    I never bring my elbow down below shoulder level. It's less stressful on the joint.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    It helps to keep your shoulder packed all the way in the socket at lockout, with lats fired the whole time. If you disengage your lats and extend your shoulders all the way up, you are begging for an injury. Keeping it packed will protect your shoulder girdle.

    I press from clavicle to lockout.

    Rippetoe teaches the exact opposite. You want to shrug your shoulders up at the top of the movement to avoid shoulder impingement/excessive stress on the rotator.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
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    If there's nothing preventing you from doing a full range of motion then you should do it. I know you're doing 5/3/1 and I'm pretty sure Wendler talks form in his book. I actually have issues with my right shoulder from baseball and an old injury and OHP'ing with a full range of motion does nothing to cause any problems, I actually feel better to be honest.
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    It helps to keep your shoulder packed all the way in the socket at lockout, with lats fired the whole time. If you disengage your lats and extend your shoulders all the way up, you are begging for an injury. Keeping it packed will protect your shoulder girdle.

    I press from clavicle to lockout.

    Rippetoe teaches the exact opposite. You want to shrug your shoulders up at the top of the movement to avoid shoulder impingement/excessive stress on the rotator.

    This is what I do. Never had any problems.
  • edwardgaweda
    edwardgaweda Posts: 40
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    Don't ever let anyone tell you that you need FULL RANGE OF MOTION. Everyone's range of motion is different. You will tear your rotator cuffs if you let the weights go too low. I personally just stop at the point where my arms are making a 90 degree bend then I push back up but I also don't lock out cause I personally think its not good for the joints, I like to keep tension on the muscles and locking out pretty much removes all tension from the muscles. That's just me tho, do what works best for you man.

    Oh yes, tell us more about that 6" range of motion you're describing. I'm sure you feel so accomplished after moving those weights around.

    Half repping is bad, and you should feel bad for doing it.
  • ahmadfahmy
    ahmadfahmy Posts: 214 Member
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    I learned the overhead press as barbell from chest/clavicles, up to full lockout, and back again.

    Trainer on Monday (he's no bro, a serious guy), and another guy yesterday who has a previously torn shoulder both told me that it's best to rep from about eye level to lock out and back.

    They say it's to protect your shoulders. I get it, but it just looks like a half-rep to me, and that's not something I'm into doing.

    Anyone else "bottom out" at eye level and can explain why they do them?

    I use a wide grip (ring finger on the ring of the barbell) and i bring it down to chin level then extend to lock out. you should not have to go any lower than that (at least on wide grip). going from eye level to lockout is only a half rep.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    Rippetoe teaches the exact opposite. You want to shrug your shoulders up at the top of the movement to avoid shoulder impingement/excessive stress on the rotator.

    ^^^^Exactly (this is what I was going to post but you beat me to it :) )
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,026 Member
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    I go to my Adam's apple, which is a natural range of motion for me.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    If there's nothing preventing you from doing a full range of motion then you should do it. I know you're doing 5/3/1 and I'm pretty sure Wendler talks form in his book. I actually have issues with my right shoulder from baseball and an old injury and OHP'ing with a full range of motion does nothing to cause any problems, I actually feel better to be honest.

    ^This.

    My right shoulder is messed up, but I do OHP with full range and it's been a great shoulder rehab for me. Agree also with a previous poster about packing the shoulder and activating the lats - this has worked for me all the way......
  • koing
    koing Posts: 179 Member
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    So much fail...

    From shoulders to above your head is a full over head press. Anything else is a partial. BUT if you are injured you may not be able to do a full rep.

    Start light and build up. Don't go crazy if it's a new exercise.

    This is like saying squatting to 1/3 of the range of the squat is a full rep because the guy can't go lower. Well no. That is not a full rep. It may be your full rep because you can't go lower as you don't stretch at all.

    I will stress again you must WARM UP AND STRETCH BEFORE DOING WEIGHTS. You can't just go in cold and lift. You need to prepare your body. There is no real reason to be injured by this exercise if you have prepared yourself properly.

    Koing
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
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    I was taught from clavicle to locked elbows. Of course, if you're injured or are prone to injury any number of adjustments can be made for your individual situation. If you don't experience any discomfort from it, though, I don't see the point in not going through the full range of motion.

    Those bottom few inches are the hardest in the movement for your shoulders, but that's the point of doing a strict press as opposed to a push press, you know, to work those shoulder muscles.

    I was also taught to shrug the shoulders up ("active shoulders" i.e. shoulders engaged in the direction of the load) at the top of the movement.

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