finding difficult to Over head press
fitpal02020
Posts: 193 Member
so i recently started doing stronglifts, thanks everyone for the suggestion. its helping me a lot.
i have some questions:
-when will i start seeing my biceps getting bigger?
-my sleep has drastically improved ever since i started this program, in fact too much to the point dont want to get up for work. is this a normal benefit?
-i am having difficulty doing OP. The basic premise for me to do this program was that I would gain strength and become stronger. I am noticing slight increases in strength with all other works that are part of this program such as squats, bench press etc. EXCEPT for over head press.
Last time I had to do 60 lbs of over head. I was able to do it but it took a lot from me. Took a lot of effort.
So to others who started this program, did you face this challenge and how did you overcome it?
i have some questions:
-when will i start seeing my biceps getting bigger?
-my sleep has drastically improved ever since i started this program, in fact too much to the point dont want to get up for work. is this a normal benefit?
-i am having difficulty doing OP. The basic premise for me to do this program was that I would gain strength and become stronger. I am noticing slight increases in strength with all other works that are part of this program such as squats, bench press etc. EXCEPT for over head press.
Last time I had to do 60 lbs of over head. I was able to do it but it took a lot from me. Took a lot of effort.
So to others who started this program, did you face this challenge and how did you overcome it?
4
Replies
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How tall are you and how much do you weigh, if you don’t mind me asking?0
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I don't weight lift but I've read your posts over the last week or so. I'd really suggest that you get a copy of Microsoft Excel (which is a spreadsheet) and use it to predict the weights you can lift in the future. You use the trend line feature to predict way, way into the future.
Any version of Excel is fine, it hasn't changed much in the last 15 years. You graph your lifting weight and then create an exponential tend line which has a form of A(1-e^(Bt)). You want Excel to predict A which is your lifetime maximum lifting weight. You can predict how much you will lift at date B.
Learning Excel isn't particularly hard, but it's not super easy either. There are numerous YouTube videos on how to do things, plus websites and Reddit Excel, which is where I'd suggest you start.4 -
overhead presses are notoriously difficult. and you're never going to get an answer to the 'when will my biceps grow' question, they will grow when they grow.11
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I think you mean a logarithmic trend line which approaches a limit as time approaches infinity, whereas an exponential trend line approaches infinity as time approaches a limit...You graph your lifting weight and then create an exponential tend line which has a form of A(1-e^(Bt)). You want Excel to predict A which is your lifetime maximum lifting weight.
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2048:_Curve-Fitting
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*grabs popcorn*19
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Before my shoulder injury I was OHP about 115 (for reps) after 3 years of dedicated lifting and proper program @ about 170-180 pounds of body weight . OHP progress is very slow especially done with correct form. You may even need to log it to see the small gains in strength over a time. Adding a rep over a month sorta thing. 60 at the start is expected. Just follow progressive overload principles
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Before my shoulder injury I was OHP about 115 (for reps) after 3 years of dedicated lifting and proper program @ about 170-180 pounds of body weight . OHP progress is very slow especially done with correct form. You may even need to log it to see the small gains in strength over a time. Adding a rep over a month sorta thing. 60 at the start is expected. Just follow progressive overload principles
thank u i'll keep going0 -
Also how big of jumps are you taking between workouts? ie press 55 then next time 60 then next time 65 for 5# jumps for example...1
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Not having much for your biceps is about the only complaint I've heard about Stronglifts. Most suggest adding a set of chin-ups, I can't remember if it was A or B workout. Chin-ups gave me fantastic biceps.
OHP is just difficult. I think it is supposed to "take a lot from" you. That is how it works.4 -
I think you mean a logarithmic trend line which approaches a limit as time approaches infinity, whereas an exponential trend line approaches infinity as time approaches a limit...You graph your lifting weight and then create an exponential tend line which has a form of A(1-e^(Bt)). You want Excel to predict A which is your lifetime maximum lifting weight.
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2048:_Curve-Fitting
I forgot to add the negative before B, but the logarithmic of infinity is infinity, whereas e^(-Bt) is zero. Logarithmic will never reach a constant.0 -
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Jon u only just started lifting. Literally gonna take years to see muscle unless you are a high responder to weight training.
Patience.
My OHP was the first lift to plateau on stronglifts. Do a de load as it suggests. Get micro plates6 -
Plus I was resting 4 mins between sets . Make sure you rest.0
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When I did this program the OHP was my lowest weight lift as well and took the longest to see progress. I think that’s normal because the muscles in your neck and shoulders are considerably smaller than your legs and back.
Building muscle takes time, and eating at a surplus (unless you’re really new to lifting). My oldest son is 28, tall and thin, and he has to pretty much eat everything in sight and work really hard to put on muscle.0 -
it would be more helpful if you could be a little more specific: number of hours sleep per night average, daily calories and macro breakdown and examples of some foods you eat each day.amazing, i am getting the best sleep of my life and i eat good healthy nutritious food
Also what would be very helpful is a video of your press session to help identify any form issues. It could also be that what you think is hard is indeed not and you just need to learn how to move heavier weights, which is also easy to identify in a video via bar speed...
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OP, if you want biceps, I would recommend the following:
1. Continue on strong lifts
2. Have patience
3. Continue on strong lifts
4. Have patience
5. After a time longer than you think, when your dead lift approaches 300+ for reps (you are about the same size as me, but I'm 25 years older and 20 pounds heavier), so I know over time it will get there, add chin-ups to your routine. If you can't do them, start with either lat pull downs or a chin up "machine" that has an assistance component and work your assistance weight down. You'll get all the benefits of a curl, but you'll augment strength in your core, your back, and your shoulders.
6. Have patience.
If you want your overhead press to improve, see above.
I think most folks who do programs like this - or similar will agree that the OHP is the slowest mover of the lifts. For me, it was always the one that stalled first and most often, that I would need to take a step back every once in a while and go ahead. It is a movement whose form is very important. Most people trip up when they do not engage their entire kinetic chain in the movement. You have to tighten everything for this lift to give the most benefit - and for your growth in it to be the most steady.
To give you an idea, my reps went up pretty steadily until I reached about 105 pounds. I failed the reps on that for 3 straight sessions. Then went back to 85 and worked back up. Passed 105 and stalled again at 120. Backed off to 100 or so, and worked back up. Lather, rinse, repeat. Now, about 1.5 years later, was repping close to 160 for 5 (before a recent car accident - which has sent back down to about 125). It is a process.
Remember that failing reps is a normal part of your progression at times. Follow what the program says about this.
This is going to take time. It takes consistent, regular work.
Have patience.14 -
Silentpadna wrote: »
I think you mean a logarithmic trend line which approaches a limit as time approaches infinity, whereas an exponential trend line approaches infinity as time approaches a limit...You graph your lifting weight and then create an exponential tend line which has a form of A(1-e^(Bt)). You want Excel to predict A which is your lifetime maximum lifting weight.
https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2048:_Curve-Fitting
I forgot to add the negative before B, but the logarithmic of infinity is infinity, whereas e^(-Bt) is zero. Logarithmic will never reach a constant.
Why is there a flag on this?
Either way, I'm not all this math (which is great BTW) is beneficial for what our OP wants. What the OP needs is patience.
When I see posts that IMO use the flags incorrectly, I Flag > Report > Other and add a note such as "Misflagged for Abuse" so the mods can take a look and judge for themselves.1 -
Silentpadna wrote: »OP, if you want biceps, I would recommend the following:
1. Continue on strong lifts
2. Have patience
3. Continue on strong lifts
4. Have patience
5. After a time longer than you think, when your dead lift approaches 300+ for reps (you are about the same size as me, but I'm 25 years older and 20 pounds heavier), so I know over time it will get there, add chin-ups to your routine. If you can't do them, start with either lat pull downs or a chin up "machine" that has an assistance component and work your assistance weight down. You'll get all the benefits of a curl, but you'll augment strength in your core, your back, and your shoulders.
6. Have patience.
If you want your overhead press to improve, see above.
I think most folks who do programs like this - or similar will agree that the OHP is the slowest mover of the lifts. For me, it was always the one that stalled first and most often, that I would need to take a step back every once in a while and go ahead. It is a movement whose form is very important. Most people trip up when they do not engage their entire kinetic chain in the movement. You have to tighten everything for this lift to give the most benefit - and for your growth in it to be the most steady.
To give you an idea, my reps went up pretty steadily until I reached about 105 pounds. I failed the reps on that for 3 straight sessions. Then went back to 85 and worked back up. Passed 105 and stalled again at 120. Backed off to 100 or so, and worked back up. Lather, rinse, repeat. Now, about 1.5 years later, was repping close to 160 for 5 (before a recent car accident - which has sent back down to about 125). It is a process.
Remember that failing reps is a normal part of your progression at times. Follow what the program says about this.
This is going to take time. It takes consistent, regular work.
Have patience.
This is a really good post.
When you stall the saying "take two steps back to make one step forward". .....is the truth!
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it would be more helpful if you could be a little more specific: number of hours sleep per night average, daily calories and macro breakdown and examples of some foods you eat each day.amazing, i am getting the best sleep of my life and i eat good healthy nutritious food
Also what would be very helpful is a video of your press session to help identify any form issues. It could also be that what you think is hard is indeed not and you just need to learn how to move heavier weights, which is also easy to identify in a video via bar speed...
i already have a bad rep on this forum, cant share any videos publicly unless you are some well know instagram trainer who i could trust to give me good advice then sure i could DM you1 -
thanks. but im trying to loose weight so dunno if thats whats causing me difficulty with OHPWhen I did this program the OHP was my lowest weight lift as well and took the longest to see progress. I think that’s normal because the muscles in your neck and shoulders are considerably smaller than your legs and back.
Building muscle takes time, and eating at a surplus (unless you’re really new to lifting). My oldest son is 28, tall and thin, and he has to pretty much eat everything in sight and work really hard to put on muscle.1 -
Silentpadna wrote: »OP, if you want biceps, I would recommend the following:
1. Continue on strong lifts
2. Have patience
3. Continue on strong lifts
4. Have patience
5. After a time longer than you think, when your dead lift approaches 300+ for reps (you are about the same size as me, but I'm 25 years older and 20 pounds heavier), so I know over time it will get there, add chin-ups to your routine. If you can't do them, start with either lat pull downs or a chin up "machine" that has an assistance component and work your assistance weight down. You'll get all the benefits of a curl, but you'll augment strength in your core, your back, and your shoulders.
6. Have patience.
If you want your overhead press to improve, see above.
I think most folks who do programs like this - or similar will agree that the OHP is the slowest mover of the lifts. For me, it was always the one that stalled first and most often, that I would need to take a step back every once in a while and go ahead. It is a movement whose form is very important. Most people trip up when they do not engage their entire kinetic chain in the movement. You have to tighten everything for this lift to give the most benefit - and for your growth in it to be the most steady.
To give you an idea, my reps went up pretty steadily until I reached about 105 pounds. I failed the reps on that for 3 straight sessions. Then went back to 85 and worked back up. Passed 105 and stalled again at 120. Backed off to 100 or so, and worked back up. Lather, rinse, repeat. Now, about 1.5 years later, was repping close to 160 for 5 (before a recent car accident - which has sent back down to about 125). It is a process.
Remember that failing reps is a normal part of your progression at times. Follow what the program says about this.
This is going to take time. It takes consistent, regular work.
Have patience.
I cant have patience when i look at people like this guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ0n3N59VnM
who have a solid physique by doing more or less the same exercises I was doing in my original routine but now I only have to stick to 3 exercises for god knows how long and no guarantee when i will see big forearms and big biceps but other people can hit the gym do all sorts of exercises and get a fit physique!
Why do I have to stick to such a boring routine? life is not fair.2 -
Comparing yourself to other people is a dead end endeavor there is always somebody who is better without putting in the effort you have.
The only thing that matters is continuously making a legitimate attempt to be better than you were yesterday.
If you don’t have the patience required to build a base of strength in the squat, bench, press, and deadlift then you will also not have the discipline required to achieve your goals.
Which is ok, like I said this is not for everybody...8 -
Having done strong lifts I think it’s a great program. Depending on the version it will graph your progress for you. You can also adjust how many reps per set you are doing in the app. When I started OHP I was using just the bar - and that was heavy for my at 45lb. I actually did the bar for everything all 3 workouts of week one as a baseline. After a year my max was at 75lb, and 65lb was what I could do 5x5 of with good form. It progressed much slower than the other lifts for me as well.
I’m not lifting now and have had to take nearly a year off but it is the program I’ll use when I start again. It’s a good program. Just follow it and trust the process.
The app will even tell you that failure is part of the process and it will not increase weight until you can complete the 5x5 at the given weight.2 -
Silentpadna wrote: »OP, if you want biceps, I would recommend the following:
1. Continue on strong lifts
2. Have patience
3. Continue on strong lifts
4. Have patience
5. After a time longer than you think, when your dead lift approaches 300+ for reps (you are about the same size as me, but I'm 25 years older and 20 pounds heavier), so I know over time it will get there, add chin-ups to your routine. If you can't do them, start with either lat pull downs or a chin up "machine" that has an assistance component and work your assistance weight down. You'll get all the benefits of a curl, but you'll augment strength in your core, your back, and your shoulders.
6. Have patience.
If you want your overhead press to improve, see above.
I think most folks who do programs like this - or similar will agree that the OHP is the slowest mover of the lifts. For me, it was always the one that stalled first and most often, that I would need to take a step back every once in a while and go ahead. It is a movement whose form is very important. Most people trip up when they do not engage their entire kinetic chain in the movement. You have to tighten everything for this lift to give the most benefit - and for your growth in it to be the most steady.
To give you an idea, my reps went up pretty steadily until I reached about 105 pounds. I failed the reps on that for 3 straight sessions. Then went back to 85 and worked back up. Passed 105 and stalled again at 120. Backed off to 100 or so, and worked back up. Lather, rinse, repeat. Now, about 1.5 years later, was repping close to 160 for 5 (before a recent car accident - which has sent back down to about 125). It is a process.
Remember that failing reps is a normal part of your progression at times. Follow what the program says about this.
This is going to take time. It takes consistent, regular work.
Have patience.
I cant have patience when i look at people like this guyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ0n3N59VnM
who have a solid physique by doing more or less the same exercises I was doing in my original routine but now I only have to stick to 3 exercises for god knows how long and no guarantee when i will see big forearms and big biceps but other people can hit the gym do all sorts of exercises and get a fit physique!
Why do I have to stick to such a boring routine? life is not fair.
Are you twelve years old? Seriously?
All the people you see who have ‘fit physiques’ started with some variation of what you’re doing now and worked for it. For months or years. What they are doing now is not relevant to you, because you haven’t built that foundation yet. You need to build the foundations before you can noodle about with window dressing. Unless you want to end up a weakly string bean with weirdly disproportionate biceps, I guess.
There are no shortcuts. If you want it, you have to do it the ‘boring’ way the same as everyone else.
And you know what? Life is fair. It gives a fit physique to the people who are willing to graft and grind for it over the course of a year or more. It doesn’t give it to people who start whingeing that it’s ‘boring’ a week in.
Oh, and you’re probably not going to build muscle if you’re currently in a calorie deficit. Muscles need building materals.26 -
Jon you have had good advice here. Maybe lifting isn’t the thing for you.
Stronglifts is a good novice programme. If you find it boring then try something else. But beware of keep changing programmes too often. There isn’t a programme out there they is magically gonna make you look ripped. The insta people have all put in years of hard work. It isn’t glamorous it’s just years of training week in week out and appropriate nutrition tailored to goals.11
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CnBmiBqp-AI
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