Starting doing standing OHP b/c of you Alex & all my presses shot up. Even without bench specialization I’m finally hitting 225 on bench for 3-4 reps. 154ish lbs at 5’6”
@@DAatDA all I’ve ever wanted was to be able to bench 2 plates on each side 😭 . Now trying to get true working sets out of them (6-8 range) & to hit 135 on OHP (can hit 1 or 2 reps) … after that I wouldn’t mind maintaining & then working on my other numbers on the squat, weighted pull-up/dip, etc.
Your channel is such a knowledge goldmine! I saw some family members over Christmas that I hadn’t seen since 2019…immediately asking me what I was doing for training (I’ve lost 75-80 pounds and put on a decent amount of muscle since then and still grinding!)…such a great feeling. Tonight my wife told me that I’m more buff than most of the military guys in my town (and she candy coats absolutely nothing)….small gains and CONSISTENCY add up! Keep up the great work…this 38 year old fella definitely appreciates it!!! ❤💪🏋️
@@MarcoAshford I’m currently doing a push/pull/legs split. I do a variety of exercises but started incorporating Bulgarian split squats about a month and a half ago…love the way they feel.
The OHP is literally just lifting something heavy up over your head. Lifting heavy shit over you head is a _definitive_ feat of strength (in humans). So it's not just that OHP _leads_ to strength; the OHP *IS* strength. If your press is weak, you are weak. Forget muscle groups. Focussing on muscle groups is a path to body dysmorphia, vanity and other forms of girliness.
Once I started incorporating dumbbell shoulder press and barbell OHP as staples into my various push day routines my delts blew up. People around me have started regularly complimenting my shoulder development. OHP and all the other variations are no joke, they really help with everything and noticeably increased the size of my delts within just over a month of making them a staple in my routine.
As I split my chest and shoulders/arms into separate workouts with 2 or 3 days in between them, started increasing volume in shoulders to include 2 sets of OHP, 2 sets BNP, 2 sets of reverse flies, 2 sets of layer raises. Shoulders a tad sore from yesterday!
2-years ago Alex talked about overexpressing and I've been doing that ever since I've gotten a lot of gains and that's why I listen to Alex and don't listen to other fake fitnes influencers and I get jacked af
Twice a week, I already do dumbbell incline press + cable lateral raises, I don't really see how I could fit OHP's or if it would provide any specific benefit
Ive been anecdotally experiencing this myself. Was always weak at side laterals (Im doing 22 lbs per side) but my OHP is at 200 lbs and this year Im confident I will hit 220 lbs. My shoulders have been my most massive looking muscles as well besides not really isolating the side delts that much. Great video showcasing this
You’re awesome Alex I have so much respect for you man. Your video about torso dominance really helped me, you’ve inspired me to get my weighted pull ups up to about 60lbs for 5 reps, at bw of 190lbs and 6’2”, however my arms have been lagging behind, and I’ve been wondering why, and thought that my way to pull ups, where is gotten my arms bigger, but the information that you’ve given on prioritizing arms has been very helpful, you’re very respectable, reputable, influencer in the natty community, and I have so much respect for you man💪🏾💛
I agree. You most certainly need to do arm specific training if you want them to grow. Some people might get away with doing compounds only but not everyone and certainly not me.
I love both though if it's larger side delts someone is after specifically I'd personally recommend upright rows over the overhead press. OHP primarily loads the front delts and triceps with little activation of the side delts until the top half of the movement, and even then it remains too eclipsed by the front delts for a meaningful stimulus. Upright rows are all side delt with zero front delt if you do them right, plus some killer trap work if you shrug at the top (which I recommend to avoid potential impingement issues). Do them in the 8-12 rep range 3x week and you will absolutely blow your shoulders UP. Obvioulsy do what works for you, and you can do both if your shoulders can handle it though have found it extremely hard to tolerate personally. But after doing OHP for years and swapping them out in favor of barbell upright rows a month or so ago my shoulders have never felt fuller and happier.
I have said it before. I’ll say it again. It just is a badass lift that gives a tremendous amount of return. First strength,also fun and oh yeah it just is fun. Yes I like OHP
One thing people don't realise that ohp hits the side delts and the traps/upper back very well. A lot of strongmen and oly lifters only do presses overhead and most have very well developed delts and traps. Imma go with my gut feeling and say that getting strong strictly ohp will get you extemely yoked.
The idea of only doing lateral and rear delt work for shoulders has always been weird to me. How are you meant to progressively overload on lateral raises and facepulls for 10+ years 😂
Honestly i started fn hating the OHP because it makes you feel sooooo weak at the start. But after i ramped up the frequency to 3x and really hitting the triceps work with extensions and shit, its become my favorite lift bar none. It just feels amazing. There is nothing quite like it. The fact that it also helped with my shoulder health has been a welcomed side effect but its also a mindfuck since many people claim its injurious. I get worse shoulder health when i dont press, not when i press. Im not swapping this exercice in a million years, the variations are cool too. Dont stop hoisting shit overhead bois, its mad good.
Ohp simply feels so badass performing and the pump is surreal for me. Haven't done it lately tho (focused on the seated anterior delt press for now). Gotta give them a try again
I overhead press 220 as a 1RM and even though my delts aren’t necessarily small they’re definitely not "big". I’m 5’10/175lbs and if I don’t have a pump and some good lighting they’re not impressive by any means
Standing OHP is definitely something I an weakest at. The muscle volume of my shoulders is genetically large… but I always had trouble with the ohp standing. Legs/core are weak
I didn't get better gains without it, but i never seen any different. You convinced me to reintroduce 4 sets of seated barbell ohp tho, on a 60° incline bench. I almost always did it with dumbbells, but at a certain point, putting the weight up is a struggle. So, gonna try a different variation. Your speeches always are the ones that make me change my mind on certain things lol
I just came off ohp specialisation today lol. My pecs are seriously lagging. I can almost ohp 180 but struggle benching above 2 plates. Need water melon pecs.
Perfect timing! Do you think Z presses are overall better to overcome overhead press plateaus or would the seated variation be better? Edit: to clarify I’m at 135 for 8 reps right now on standing barbell OHP
Definitely the seated overhead press with back support, and Big Z used to do this in the Smith Machine. More stability = more force output and the carryover of the AD press is high.
I have 2 goals : - OHP my BW - Chin up my BW I already done the chin up in the past but I was lighter My BW is 65 kg (143lbs), I will try to be at 70 kg (154lbs) I will be back
For me, I don't like that big prominent side delt look, so I don't do any side delt work. But what I have found that made my side delts grow anyway has been, interestingly, external shoulder rotations on a cable machine, which I only include to combat the overwhelming amount of internal rotation work I do as part of armwrestling training. My shoulders grow well enough for me with all the pressing and pulling work I do, so I'm not going to put in another press haha
My only conundrum: some swear by it for shoulder health while others either are very against it because it’s inherently risky over the long haul (Matt Wenning, Eric cressey, joe defranco,etc) Until now I’ve chosen to err on the side of trusting the latter group, mainly because most old dudes can’t do it anymore even if they used to all the time
I swear by it for shoulder health. I used to have really bad shoulders in my late 20s and now almost 40 doing OHP all the time my shoulders have never felt better. Almost never click, pop, etc. Like silk. Mobility is really good without ever stretching. You feel stronger on bench to because shoulder pain inhibits max force so you will always be limited by pain on bench.
@@silatguy that’s great man. What have been your main variations and rep ranges do you use? Also do you shrug at the top or keep the shoulders unshrugged?
@@patrickjulius7352 Just standing OHP and standing behind the neck press. I usually stay in the 1-5 rep range but occasionally will do a set of 10. I don't shrug at the top, just focus on the lockout.
Hi Alex,your video was tremendously informative and awesome!!However, I'd like a full day of eating video because I've trouble gaining weight even though I apply progressive overload and eat 5 to 7 times a day! I'd appreciate it!!Again,thanks for your time and hope you crush your goals!!
Overhead press lost some favour because some articles and trainers started boycotting the behind neck version. To be fair, some guys can not handle that version or any and are better off sticking to laterals and maybe 45 degree incline's.... The other reason is famed trainer Vince Gironda was more ion favour of side lateral's coupled with his version of upright row's. (Y rows with dumbelss). This really hit that side lateral head, and you more or less rely on dips and chest movements for front delt development. But there is another school of thought that believe's the deltoid heads can not be so neatly divided in recruitment anyway. Like you say, "guys that can overhead press a lot have big delts."....True. Are they wide, and evenly developed is another debate, but there is something to Over Head Pressing that seems to have an effect. Ditto Gymnasrs and hand balancers. Many have excellent delt development and are quite wide. There are 17 total muscles in the Shoulder complex. It is capable of a HUGE range of motion. It would seem silly to just restrict any reasonable movement. Especially pressing. Again IF your shoulders can take it. One last thing. Leg day. Are you a squatter? If you are be carefula nd always warm up your delts and traps before planting a heavy bar up there. I have paid more attention to this and notice the difference. A few light sets of shrugs and behind the neck press will do....WHY?....Consider that you will have a least a couple hundred pounds and probably more resting in what is essentially the very bottom of a behind the neck press!!!....My shoulders feel much better after I started doing this. Interesting how some trainers who have banished the behind neck press, go ahead and prescribe Barbell Squats. Tanks for listening. Good luck in your training.
Alex how beneficial do you think OHP is to strengthen our Dip? And for which specific part of the dip ROM? The very bottom? Or perhaps slightly above it?
do you think my upper day that i do 2 times a week is good for side delts? so far this is working for me. 5x Weighted Dip 5x Weighted Pull up 3x OHP 4x Lateral Raise 3x Tricep extension 3x Curl
I'd imagine that's the best you could do if you were targeting side delts. for an added postural benefit that could also give some more side delt love with no recovery issues, I'd do some high rep band face pulls at the end
Hey Alex! Do you think the Viking Press can give me as good shoulder gains as the DB/BB OHP? I tried em' both on a bench with a super high incline to make up for my lack of mobility but it still wrecked my shoulders (rotator cuffs I think). If so, any idea of which stats should I aim for? Thank you so much for everything. You are inspiring.
I do full body 3x a week. OHP is frustrating, I can’t seem to go beyond 95LB @ 215. I’m a newbie, started back in July and been going at it. I love the exercise and will keep going at it, hoping to see some progress down the road.
You should focus certain muscle groups on certain days, PPL is a good routine Push: chest, shoulders, triceps Pull: Back and biceps Legs: Squat and deadlift
Thats what i do and my shoulders blew up. I have one heavy shoulder workout a week and other days i do few sets of press at the end of my workout to get the pump and my shoulders responded well. Frequency is the one
I'd agree that a little bit goes a long way. I've averaged ~4-5 sets a week for the last year. I think for shoulder health some overhead work is absolutely essential. Also, it's fun.
Really? I avoid any overhead work because of shoulder pain I feel during, and some nerve impingement-related pains afterwards. Any recommendations on how I should progress?
@@fahadaltamimi4872 maybe just don't do the movement then. If it hurts then your body is telling you the movement isn't ideal for your structure. Unless it's some other underlying issue (e.g mobility).
@@fahadaltamimi4872 I also get weird pain when my arms are overhead. It has gotten way better for me over time though just by lifting lighter weights for high reps and pushing through a little bit of pain. You could also try rotator cuff exercises.
@@fahadaltamimi4872 I found changing my my elbow path from being very out to the side to being more in front of my body helped limit the shoulder issues OHP would give me
My take is the following: the OHP is the squat of the upper body. A truly “jack of all trades” type of lift. From shoulders to arms and to general core strength and stability, it brings alot to the table. This is my #1 lift. It’s difficult as hell but the benefits make up for it. It is the only lift that I keep in my rotation on a permanent basis. My shoulders feel great.
Yeah I agree. I would say OHP is best the way to build up overall upper body mass. You will get big shoulders which contribute to the v-shape, your triceps will get big which takes up 3/4 of the arm, and develop your yoke (aka upper traps) with added thickness of the upper chest which is the best part of the chest atheistically.
Most people avoid the OHP just because it's so humbling. I've seen big guys struggling with 135lbs. I can say the OHP rack is always empty at my gym. I do a lot more DB Arnold Presses but when I was on my 5 day split routine it had OHP and I got really strong doing them. You can really feel the gains and pump afterwards
I'd say you're right about that! 135 for proper rep work/form is hard for many big guys. The humbling, strictness factor is what turns many ego lifters off.
In the past year or so I've been to three gyms, and I've seen maybe 3 other people use 1 plate plus on the OHP. You might say I'm training in the wrong gyms, but from experience it is significantly rarer than seeing reps on the corresponding 2/3/4 plate lifts. Getting beyond one plate for a few reps is a serious grind. It's why I had to switch to seated press and focus on incline press for a while, because otherwise I would be breaking the plateaus slower than a snail's pace.
I love the ohp and there's something really cool about putting weight overhead, but progress is slow it can really wear on you mentally after a while. It's no wonder a lot of guys skip it. I was stalled for so long! Introducing the Z press really helped a lot though
Definitely a punishing lift, particularly after hitting advanced/elite numbers. But that's where smart programming comes into play, as well as using other variations that allow for smoother progression. I've found any seated press with back support to be King for this purpose.
Man if you've got other suggestions I'm all ears. Stuck at 85kg and I wanna reach 90kg eventually but I've been stuck for ages. Don't know jack shit about programming so I've just spammed singles and triples 3x a week which has worked really well up until now. Not keen on bulking since I wanna keep my bodyweight at 80kg
Simple as fuck. Chest - barbell bench, back - barbell row, legs - barbell squat, core and lower back - barbell lift, arms - barbell curls and barbell crushers, shoulders - barbell press. Nothing more like fancy gym devices needed. One bench, one barbell with set of weights, and dips and pull-ups to add to get supreme result. I have in my gym all that fancy mind-bending equipment but I touch only dumbell and barbell and have body 10x times better than those who I usually see seating in equipment avoiding free weight.
I would have never imagined Alex making a video titled this way 2-3 years ago, it's good how he has evolved his expertise and is now a Master of resistance training science. he has truly broadened his and our vision. Thank you alex.
I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps for OHP and I was stuck at 70lbs for months. Now I achieved 100lbs for 8-10 reps each set and I was so happy 😀 I just patiently trusted the process
I’m there right now. Been stuck at 70lbs for a while. But, been cutting too, so nutrition may be why. I’m starting to do one arm dumbbell presses and it feels great.
Thanks for the shout out! I live by overheads. Did BTNs for 20 years and mostly seated and they've never let my delts down. I think we tend to worry too much about optimal and forget the simple brutality of this movement pattern.
I've been doing the Standing Barbell Overhead Press for 51 years, and I still love it. My best accessory is the Dragon Flag. This gives strength to shut down lumbar layback. Near the top I internally rotate, squeeze up with the traps, and visualize putting the bar over the back of my head. Thanks Alex. PS your channel wears your name well.
OHP just hits too many areas for me to choose not to do it. Upper chest, shoulders, triceps, upper traps, mid and lower traps, and sometimes I even feel it recruiting my lats. Great exercise.
It hitting so many areas is for me a reason NOT to do it. If you’re trying to hit lats do you want the exercises that hits as much biceps, lower back & grip as possible or do you want the exercise where the intended muscle is for sure the limiting factor?
The side-delt involvement during vertical presses is really the only reason I keep them in. Horizontal close grip pressing is at least equally effective for the front delt imo.
OHP hits the long head of triceps more though that’s another advantage. Close grip (whatever is closest for you) with a barbell or neutral grip with a dumbbell/swiss bar 👍🏻
This is true. My side delts grew a lot from just overhead pressing. At one point I stopped doing lateral raises and I didn't do them for a long time, but I did a lot of OHP. When I started doing lateral raises again, I did them with twice as much weight as I used to. So they obviously grew and got stronger from the OHP.
I thought about that too. If OHP doesn't stimulate side delts then why do people who stop doing lateral raises only do OHP, only to come back doing more weight on lateral raises?
On the opposite side of the coin, i stopped doing all variations of ohp (db, machine, barbell) and replaced it with heavy wide grip upright rows, mostly with ropes and dbs, and all 3 heads of my delts along with my traps are now the biggest they ever been.
Being doing Seated Anterior Delt Press on my Max Effort Days for a basic 3x8 with Double Progression and I haven't plateaued yet! 2 months going strong 🔥
Haven't done any OHP since 2016 , I don't find OHP useful at all. Did them with 100% effort from 2013 to 2016 and it did little to nothing in terms of size.
Overhead press (or military press)/ strict press or push presses or behind the neck overhead presses, all are awesome workouts! You want to add more power to some of those lifts make sure to add in the handstand pushups as well (they tend to get overlooked) Nice vid Alex!
behind the neck press are very detrimental to your shoulders. Avoid them at all cost. Strict or push press are far worse than seated dumbell or barbell press because you're not constricted by your core and cheating the weight up with your legs. Please refrain from recommending horribe exercises.
I avoided BB OHP because I fell for the notion that they were redundant. But for the last year I’ve been getting strong on BB and DB OHP and I’ve noticed a huge improvement in shoulder growth
Since binging my Ohp from 180lbs to 220lbs it’s made my delts massive and now I’ve started callisthenics it’s helping speed up the process for a handstand. Vertical pressing is goated👍
@@liamcoleman1550 I appreciate it man! Got to 155 with linear progression. Then got to 210 with Naturally Enhanced using it as my main press and rotating through variations i was weak at. I then stalled for ages so ran a bench phase (286lbs to 308lbs) and gaining that strength just carried over and got the rest. Also did a lot of weighted dips as a secondary press which definitley helped
I think Bench and OHP do a lot to mutually help each other out as well. If you're moving your OHP up, and you're moving your bench up, they kind of help each other out. Maybe it's just a mental thing of knowing you can push your upper body harder, maybe it's the triceps and shoulders being a little stronger, I don't see gains in one area without seeing gains in the other. I got my OHP up to 200 and my bench up to 300 around the same time, mostly from breaking through a plateau on the bench
As soon as you mentioned Steve Shaw 🤘 A long time ago I took his words on ohp's (and rows, all the rows) to heart. I credit my shoulder development to ohp's more than anything.
There’s something about standing OHP that’s just barbarically raw and I love it. My numbers for it are absolutely terrible but it’s such a good display of strength - I’m also glad your brang up the fact it recruits a lot of side delts, a lot of info on it but not enough people know
I started doing it just because i mostly watch all the Strongmen's UA-cam channels (Shaw, Hall, Obie etc) and you don't do a strongman workout without it.. basically, plus yeah it just looks and feels very impressive to lift something over your head.
The overhead press is king. It helps build triceps and brick like abs that pop even without flexing. Just look at all the worlds strongest men. That is how most got abs protruding from 25-35 percent body fat.
@Alex Leonidas But I gotta say I actually recently started doing front raises and I'm surprised that they've actually made a difference, looks like they're not pointless for my case.
Hi Alex, could I ask your thoughts on the Clean and press vs the press where the bar is taken from the rack? Or the clean in general? My personal goals this year are to clean and strict press bodyweight and unlocking the one arm push up, so all OHP content is appericated lol!
Not a fan of the clean and press, I don't see any advantages for upper body hypertrophy. But if you like it, go right ahead. I would rather stand or sit down with back support.
Any man should be able to lift weight over the head, If a woman feels like she wants to do it, all the power to her. It’s a fundamental human exercise, Certainly more than bench press
Starting doing standing OHP b/c of you Alex & all my presses shot up. Even without bench specialization I’m finally hitting 225 on bench for 3-4 reps. 154ish lbs at 5’6”
HELL YEAH MAN, STRENGTH IS STRENGTH!!
Keep on going bro
That's a very impressive bench for your weight.
@@DAatDA all I’ve ever wanted was to be able to bench 2 plates on each side 😭 . Now trying to get true working sets out of them (6-8 range) & to hit 135 on OHP (can hit 1 or 2 reps) … after that I wouldn’t mind maintaining & then working on my other numbers on the squat, weighted pull-up/dip, etc.
@@Limbaugh_ no doubt! My goal weight for myself has always been 165 lbs!
Your channel is such a knowledge goldmine! I saw some family members over Christmas that I hadn’t seen since 2019…immediately asking me what I was doing for training (I’ve lost 75-80 pounds and put on a decent amount of muscle since then and still grinding!)…such a great feeling. Tonight my wife told me that I’m more buff than most of the military guys in my town (and she candy coats absolutely nothing)….small gains and CONSISTENCY add up! Keep up the great work…this 38 year old fella definitely appreciates it!!! ❤💪🏋️
I’m 34. What’s your routine? And which exercise is the most effective for you?
@@MarcoAshford I’m currently doing a push/pull/legs split. I do a variety of exercises but started incorporating Bulgarian split squats about a month and a half ago…love the way they feel.
The OHP is literally just lifting something heavy up over your head. Lifting heavy shit over you head is a _definitive_ feat of strength (in humans). So it's not just that OHP _leads_ to strength; the OHP *IS* strength. If your press is weak, you are weak. Forget muscle groups. Focussing on muscle groups is a path to body dysmorphia, vanity and other forms of girliness.
great yappanese
Once I started incorporating dumbbell shoulder press and barbell OHP as staples into my various push day routines my delts blew up. People around me have started regularly complimenting my shoulder development. OHP and all the other variations are no joke, they really help with everything and noticeably increased the size of my delts within just over a month of making them a staple in my routine.
you do a dumbell and a barbell shoulder press ? why ? i was told to just to a dumbell shoulder press.
@@mcpartridgeboyno problem with doing them both
@@thatoneguy1741 time.
As I split my chest and shoulders/arms into separate workouts with 2 or 3 days in between them, started increasing volume in shoulders to include 2 sets of OHP, 2 sets BNP, 2 sets of reverse flies, 2 sets of layer raises. Shoulders a tad sore from yesterday!
I love Alex, he's the shiz when it comes to good advice on hypertrophy. This channel is an awesome resource, there is some gold here.
I've been doing heavy OHP and benching big weight for over 28 years. I bench with a close grip and small arch. My shoulders feel great.
2-years ago Alex talked about overexpressing and I've been doing that ever since I've gotten a lot of gains
and that's why I listen to Alex and don't listen to other fake fitnes influencers and I get jacked af
OHP is king. I rather spend energy and time doing rear delt workouts in lieu of lateral to supplement.
Twice a week, I already do dumbbell incline press + cable lateral raises, I don't really see how I could fit OHP's or if it would provide any specific benefit
Ive been anecdotally experiencing this myself. Was always weak at side laterals (Im doing 22 lbs per side) but my OHP is at 200 lbs and this year Im confident I will hit 220 lbs. My shoulders have been my most massive looking muscles as well besides not really isolating the side delts that much. Great video showcasing this
The quad and upper back pump you get after an all out set of ohp hits different . YOU FEEL LIKE AN IMMOVABLE PILLAR .
You’re awesome Alex I have so much respect for you man. Your video about torso dominance really helped me, you’ve inspired me to get my weighted pull ups up to about 60lbs for 5 reps, at bw of 190lbs and 6’2”, however my arms have been lagging behind, and I’ve been wondering why, and thought that my way to pull ups, where is gotten my arms bigger, but the information that you’ve given on prioritizing arms has been very helpful, you’re very respectable, reputable, influencer in the natty community, and I have so much respect for you man💪🏾💛
If you're not already doing them, add in weighted dips, that'll help a lot of your other arm movements and help increase bench gains.
I agree. You most certainly need to do arm specific training if you want them to grow. Some people might get away with doing compounds only but not everyone and certainly not me.
I love both though if it's larger side delts someone is after specifically I'd personally recommend upright rows over the overhead press. OHP primarily loads the front delts and triceps with little activation of the side delts until the top half of the movement, and even then it remains too eclipsed by the front delts for a meaningful stimulus. Upright rows are all side delt with zero front delt if you do them right, plus some killer trap work if you shrug at the top (which I recommend to avoid potential impingement issues). Do them in the 8-12 rep range 3x week and you will absolutely blow your shoulders UP.
Obvioulsy do what works for you, and you can do both if your shoulders can handle it though have found it extremely hard to tolerate personally. But after doing OHP for years and swapping them out in favor of barbell upright rows a month or so ago my shoulders have never felt fuller and happier.
Advanced strict press gang checking in with 180lbs press at 198lbs bw
I have said it before. I’ll say it again. It just is a badass lift that gives a tremendous amount of return. First strength,also fun and oh yeah it just is fun. Yes I like OHP
One thing people don't realise that ohp hits the side delts and the traps/upper back very well. A lot of strongmen and oly lifters only do presses overhead and most have very well developed delts and traps. Imma go with my gut feeling and say that getting strong strictly ohp will get you extemely yoked.
One thing you have to say About Alex is his form is superb.
The idea of only doing lateral and rear delt work for shoulders has always been weird to me. How are you meant to progressively overload on lateral raises and facepulls for 10+ years 😂
Honestly i started fn hating the OHP because it makes you feel sooooo weak at the start. But after i ramped up the frequency to 3x and really hitting the triceps work with extensions and shit, its become my favorite lift bar none. It just feels amazing. There is nothing quite like it. The fact that it also helped with my shoulder health has been a welcomed side effect but its also a mindfuck since many people claim its injurious. I get worse shoulder health when i dont press, not when i press. Im not swapping this exercice in a million years, the variations are cool too. Dont stop hoisting shit overhead bois, its mad good.
I do headstand pushups only and I think it's fine !
Can't go wrong with that!
Ohp simply feels so badass performing and the pump is surreal for me. Haven't done it lately tho (focused on the seated anterior delt press for now). Gotta give them a try again
Why do some believe a lat pull down essential, but an overhead press optional?
It works it’s a compound exercise and it’s hard and dangerous but the benefits are definitely there
behind the neck vs regular? btnp is more suitable for my build
4:01 Yup Massive Iron - Steve Shaw has been a great inspiration for me to OHP, especially single DB OHP. Both of you bring out great content 😊💪
Overhead Pressing worked in 1974 and it still works today.
Ive been here since “Alpha Destiny” was a thing and ive loved it all since
Overhead press will also increase your bench!
Thanks man, I've added OHP to my routine
I dont understand why you put the side delt and front delt as if theyre the exact same muscle
I overhead press 220 as a 1RM and even though my delts aren’t necessarily small they’re definitely not "big". I’m 5’10/175lbs and if I don’t have a pump and some good lighting they’re not impressive by any means
Alex, I love your work! When are you releasing a new training program? And what is your current workout split? Thanks
Standing OHP is definitely something I an weakest at. The muscle volume of my shoulders is genetically large… but I always had trouble with the ohp standing. Legs/core are weak
Drugs aside when you look at CrossFit and strongman the development of the shoulders are just nuts from all the overhead work
hey man great content just a question
will 60 degree angle db or barbell press hit both my delts and upper pecs?
I didn't get better gains without it, but i never seen any different. You convinced me to reintroduce 4 sets of seated barbell ohp tho, on a 60° incline bench. I almost always did it with dumbbells, but at a certain point, putting the weight up is a struggle. So, gonna try a different variation.
Your speeches always are the ones that make me change my mind on certain things lol
I can't do any overhead presses because my shoulders always hurt, not to mention i can't even fully lift my arms straight up.
Are lateral raises necessary? I don't do them and have massive shoulders in comparison to the rest of my body. I just have a really strong ohp
I'm not surprised. Looks like you answered your own question.
Plus they're fun to do
Holy fuck I'm advanced according to that chart
Do I need to overhead press? I don't know, but I like doing it! They're certainly a lot more fun than lateral raises, which I don't do anymore.
you've inspired me to add them in now
Excellent, you get those boulder shoulders!
Correct me if I'm wrong but isnt the ohp considered the upper body squat!
Also the carry over from doing the standing version is very good..
I needed to hear this. Thank you!
155lbs for 5reps OHP PR and doing 20+reps with 35lbs on lateral raises got me boulder shoulders
maybe do a 45 degree incline press which hits the front delt nicely, and complete with side delt work like upright rows or lateral raises
I just came off ohp specialisation today lol. My pecs are seriously lagging. I can almost ohp 180 but struggle benching above 2 plates. Need water melon pecs.
Yeah you need the opposite of this video. More flyes, and more pause benching/dips/pushups/weighted stretch brutal presses.
@@AlexLeonidas yh definitely keeping ohp for volume once a week and be in the range you said, pretty close to standards you mentioned
Perfect timing! Do you think Z presses are overall better to overcome overhead press plateaus or would the seated variation be better? Edit: to clarify I’m at 135 for 8 reps right now on standing barbell OHP
I think Z press is better if ur weak point is at the bottom and it improves mobility so you’ll have better leverage
Definitely the seated overhead press with back support, and Big Z used to do this in the Smith Machine. More stability = more force output and the carryover of the AD press is high.
@@AlexLeonidas in which case would using Z-Press be a good exercise selection? Thank you 🙏
Z Press has improved by OHP form tremendously, use it as an accessory with lighter weight.
I have 2 goals :
- OHP my BW
- Chin up my BW
I already done the chin up in the past but I was lighter
My BW is 65 kg (143lbs), I will try to be at 70 kg (154lbs)
I will be back
For me, I don't like that big prominent side delt look, so I don't do any side delt work. But what I have found that made my side delts grow anyway has been, interestingly, external shoulder rotations on a cable machine, which I only include to combat the overwhelming amount of internal rotation work I do as part of armwrestling training. My shoulders grow well enough for me with all the pressing and pulling work I do, so I'm not going to put in another press haha
Transverse adduction into external rotation is a function of side and rear delts so it's no wonder.
My only conundrum: some swear by it for shoulder health while others either are very against it because it’s inherently risky over the long haul (Matt Wenning, Eric cressey, joe defranco,etc)
Until now I’ve chosen to err on the side of trusting the latter group, mainly because most old dudes can’t do it anymore even if they used to all the time
I swear by it for shoulder health. I used to have really bad shoulders in my late 20s and now almost 40 doing OHP all the time my shoulders have never felt better. Almost never click, pop, etc. Like silk. Mobility is really good without ever stretching. You feel stronger on bench to because shoulder pain inhibits max force so you will always be limited by pain on bench.
@@silatguy that’s great man. What have been your main variations and rep ranges do you use? Also do you shrug at the top or keep the shoulders unshrugged?
@@patrickjulius7352 Just standing OHP and standing behind the neck press. I usually stay in the 1-5 rep range but occasionally will do a set of 10. I don't shrug at the top, just focus on the lockout.
Hi Alex,your video was tremendously informative and awesome!!However, I'd like a full day of eating video because I've trouble gaining weight even though I apply progressive overload and eat 5 to 7 times a day! I'd appreciate it!!Again,thanks for your time and hope you crush your goals!!
Overhead press lost some favour because some articles and trainers started boycotting the behind neck version. To be fair, some guys can not handle that version or any and are better off sticking to laterals and maybe 45 degree incline's....
The other reason is famed trainer Vince Gironda was more ion favour of side lateral's coupled with his version of upright row's. (Y rows with dumbelss). This really hit that side lateral head, and you more or less rely on dips and chest movements for front delt development.
But there is another school of thought that believe's the deltoid heads can not be so neatly divided in recruitment anyway.
Like you say, "guys that can overhead press a lot have big delts."....True. Are they wide, and evenly developed is another debate, but there is something to Over Head Pressing that seems to have an effect. Ditto Gymnasrs and hand balancers. Many have excellent delt development and are quite wide.
There are 17 total muscles in the Shoulder complex. It is capable of a HUGE range of motion. It would seem silly to just restrict any reasonable movement. Especially pressing. Again IF your shoulders can take it.
One last thing. Leg day. Are you a squatter? If you are be carefula nd always warm up your delts and traps before planting a heavy bar up there. I have paid more attention to this and notice the difference. A few light sets of shrugs and behind the neck press will do....WHY?....Consider that you will have a least a couple hundred pounds and probably more resting in what is essentially the very bottom of a behind the neck press!!!....My shoulders feel much better after I started doing this.
Interesting how some trainers who have banished the behind neck press, go ahead and prescribe Barbell Squats.
Tanks for listening. Good luck in your training.
I can never feel comfortable and feel strong or even pain free with over head press either
looks like ur cut is going well bro !
Super well! I feel chiseled at this weight and there's still a lot left to lose
Alex how beneficial do you think OHP is to strengthen our Dip? And for which specific part of the dip ROM? The very bottom? Or perhaps slightly above it?
do you think my upper day that i do 2 times a week is good for side delts? so far this is working for me.
5x Weighted Dip
5x Weighted Pull up
3x OHP
4x Lateral Raise
3x Tricep extension
3x Curl
I'd imagine that's the best you could do if you were targeting side delts. for an added postural benefit that could also give some more side delt love with no recovery issues, I'd do some high rep band face pulls at the end
I always use my side delts to press(feels like screwing) the weight up on the OHP, it burns and my delts get dense af
Hey Alex! Do you think the Viking Press can give me as good shoulder gains as the DB/BB OHP? I tried em' both on a bench with a super high incline to make up for my lack of mobility but it still wrecked my shoulders (rotator cuffs I think). If so, any idea of which stats should I aim for? Thank you so much for everything. You are inspiring.
Would doing this with a smith machine still work?
I do full body 3x a week. OHP is frustrating, I can’t seem to go beyond 95LB @ 215. I’m a newbie, started back in July and been going at it. I love the exercise and will keep going at it, hoping to see some progress down the road.
You should focus certain muscle groups on certain days, PPL is a good routine
Push: chest, shoulders, triceps
Pull: Back and biceps
Legs: Squat and deadlift
@@KZ_MMA_probably better off going to 4x a week, 2 days on squat and deadlift, the other 2 days full upper body a la Candito's linear programme.
I'm a freak my Z-Press ohp is stronger then my military press. It's so weird but I think it's the stability of the move
I don’t do any shoulder presses due to my genetics ( naturally big) so I just do side raises sometimes
What about upright rows?
I started doing OHP simply to add a new challenge. While my bench is decent, my OHP is comparatively weak. Challenge accepted.
Thats what i do and my shoulders blew up. I have one heavy shoulder workout a week and other days i do few sets of press at the end of my workout to get the pump and my shoulders responded well. Frequency is the one
I'd agree that a little bit goes a long way. I've averaged ~4-5 sets a week for the last year. I think for shoulder health some overhead work is absolutely essential.
Also, it's fun.
The geoff himself 💪💪
Really? I avoid any overhead work because of shoulder pain I feel during, and some nerve impingement-related pains afterwards.
Any recommendations on how I should progress?
@@fahadaltamimi4872 maybe just don't do the movement then. If it hurts then your body is telling you the movement isn't ideal for your structure. Unless it's some other underlying issue (e.g mobility).
@@fahadaltamimi4872 I also get weird pain when my arms are overhead. It has gotten way better for me over time though just by lifting lighter weights for high reps and pushing through a little bit of pain. You could also try rotator cuff exercises.
@@fahadaltamimi4872 I found changing my my elbow path from being very out to the side to being more in front of my body helped limit the shoulder issues OHP would give me
My take is the following: the OHP is the squat of the upper body.
A truly “jack of all trades” type of lift.
From shoulders to arms and to general core strength and stability, it brings alot to the table.
This is my #1 lift. It’s difficult as hell but the benefits make up for it.
It is the only lift that I keep in my rotation on a permanent basis. My shoulders feel great.
On top of all that, it’s just so fun to do. It’s easily my favorite lift in my program
So much truth here!
More like the deadlift of the upper body
Yeah I agree. I would say OHP is best the way to build up overall upper body mass. You will get big shoulders which contribute to the v-shape, your triceps will get big which takes up 3/4 of the arm, and develop your yoke (aka upper traps) with added thickness of the upper chest which is the best part of the chest atheistically.
Overhead squat exists
Hearing Alex talk about how the overhead press works the side delts made me happy beyond belief
I'm happy to hear that Nathan!! Keep loving the OHP
Most people avoid the OHP just because it's so humbling. I've seen big guys struggling with 135lbs. I can say the OHP rack is always empty at my gym. I do a lot more DB Arnold Presses but when I was on my 5 day split routine it had OHP and I got really strong doing them. You can really feel the gains and pump afterwards
I'd say you're right about that! 135 for proper rep work/form is hard for many big guys. The humbling, strictness factor is what turns many ego lifters off.
In the past year or so I've been to three gyms, and I've seen maybe 3 other people use 1 plate plus on the OHP. You might say I'm training in the wrong gyms, but from experience it is significantly rarer than seeing reps on the corresponding 2/3/4 plate lifts.
Getting beyond one plate for a few reps is a serious grind. It's why I had to switch to seated press and focus on incline press for a while, because otherwise I would be breaking the plateaus slower than a snail's pace.
@@AlexLeonidas Been at it for 2 years, still barely breaking the 185 mark. My shoulders were already seen as too large at my first show, lol.
That's so funny! I just realised I've rarely seen anyone in the gym doing OHP. Never thought about that before.
I avoid it because it hurts my shoulder.
I like doing db ohp
Same. Just hit the 75’s for 6
@@Musclingus I just hit the 76s for 7
Same bruh
I prefer seated dumbell overhead press. Standing ohp takes out of the focus on the anterior delt, and you have to waste effort just to stand.
@@2weakkickflip 77s for 8 here
I love the ohp and there's something really cool about putting weight overhead, but progress is slow it can really wear on you mentally after a while. It's no wonder a lot of guys skip it. I was stalled for so long! Introducing the Z press really helped a lot though
Definitely a punishing lift, particularly after hitting advanced/elite numbers. But that's where smart programming comes into play, as well as using other variations that allow for smoother progression. I've found any seated press with back support to be King for this purpose.
@@AlexLeonidas I believe it! I need to get myself an adjustable bench so I can do these
It’s so mentally draining!!
Man if you've got other suggestions I'm all ears. Stuck at 85kg and I wanna reach 90kg eventually but I've been stuck for ages. Don't know jack shit about programming so I've just spammed singles and triples 3x a week which has worked really well up until now. Not keen on bulking since I wanna keep my bodyweight at 80kg
@@johnkyle2205 man that's strong! If you have access to an axle bar and/or a swiss bar getting better at those ohp variations will probably help
Thanks for the mention. OHPs are easily in my top 5 favorite lifts.
Simple as fuck. Chest - barbell bench, back - barbell row, legs - barbell squat, core and lower back - barbell lift, arms - barbell curls and barbell crushers, shoulders - barbell press. Nothing more like fancy gym devices needed. One bench, one barbell with set of weights, and dips and pull-ups to add to get supreme result. I have in my gym all that fancy mind-bending equipment but I touch only dumbell and barbell and have body 10x times better than those who I usually see seating in equipment avoiding free weight.
You rock brother!!!! The basics always work, and I feel what you mean about the average gym lifter looking like garbage.
I would have never imagined Alex making a video titled this way 2-3 years ago, it's good how he has evolved his expertise and is now a Master of resistance training science. he has truly broadened his and our vision. Thank you alex.
2-3 years ago he would be making a rack pull video for the 20th time lol.
Preciate that, though my conclusions support my basic thoughts just with some few modifications.
Evolving is necessary in this iron game!
@@burritodog3634 Naaah more like 4-5 years ago
I do 4 sets of 8-10 reps for OHP and I was stuck at 70lbs for months. Now I achieved 100lbs for 8-10 reps each set and I was so happy 😀 I just patiently trusted the process
I’m there right now. Been stuck at 70lbs for a while. But, been cutting too, so nutrition may be why.
I’m starting to do one arm dumbbell presses and it feels great.
Thanks for the shout out! I live by overheads. Did BTNs for 20 years and mostly seated and they've never let my delts down. I think we tend to worry too much about optimal and forget the simple brutality of this movement pattern.
Seated/Standing OHP is a chad lift. One of my favorite lifts and attribute it to my shoulder gains
I've been doing the Standing Barbell Overhead Press for 51 years, and I still love it. My best accessory is the Dragon Flag. This gives strength to shut down lumbar layback. Near the top I internally rotate, squeeze up with the traps, and visualize putting the bar over the back of my head. Thanks Alex. PS your channel wears your name well.
51 years of OHP, now that's awesome!
Hey man, here’s to another 51 years of pressing. Longevity at its finest 🥂
OHP just hits too many areas for me to choose not to do it. Upper chest, shoulders, triceps, upper traps, mid and lower traps, and sometimes I even feel it recruiting my lats. Great exercise.
It hitting so many areas is for me a reason NOT to do it. If you’re trying to hit lats do you want the exercises that hits as much biceps, lower back & grip as possible or do you want the exercise where the intended muscle is for sure the limiting factor?
@@Djdkdkdndkzn1 I’m still doing other exercises for lats
For me I feel it the most on left side of neck on the more intense reps, some kind of injury I guess. Does OHP increase neck size ?
@@tvhead7074
I noticed some kinda soreness in Lats...
When you lower bar slowly while arching Back, your Lats stabilize and support the weight...
Also abs if youre doing it standing
Bro you are looking lean. The cut is definitely paying off. Your arms and delts have so much shape and detail to them. Awesome work, man.
Thanks so much man!! I love seeing the bulked gains being revealed, tris and delts really came along 💯
The side-delt involvement during vertical presses is really the only reason I keep them in. Horizontal close grip pressing is at least equally effective for the front delt imo.
This!!
OHP hits the long head of triceps more though that’s another advantage. Close grip (whatever is closest for you) with a barbell or neutral grip with a dumbbell/swiss bar 👍🏻
@KurokamiNajimi yes. That is part why I do them too
He’s like “the proof is in the pudding-and I AM THAT PUDDING Booooooy!” 😂
Fun fact: the shoulders are the biggest muscles of the upper body.
That's right, first time I heard this my mind was blown!
Oh wow, I actually would not have guessed that!
This is true. My side delts grew a lot from just overhead pressing. At one point I stopped doing lateral raises and I didn't do them for a long time, but I did a lot of OHP. When I started doing lateral raises again, I did them with twice as much weight as I used to. So they obviously grew and got stronger from the OHP.
I thought about that too. If OHP doesn't stimulate side delts then why do people who stop doing lateral raises only do OHP, only to come back doing more weight on lateral raises?
Same thing happened to me bro 👍🏻
On the opposite side of the coin, i stopped doing all variations of ohp (db, machine, barbell) and replaced it with heavy wide grip upright rows, mostly with ropes and dbs, and all 3 heads of my delts along with my traps are now the biggest they ever been.
Being doing Seated Anterior Delt Press on my Max Effort Days for a basic 3x8 with Double Progression and I haven't plateaued yet! 2 months going strong 🔥
Awesome Bryce, looks like you're experiencing the same thing that I did!! Keep it up 🔥
Its the only extra shoulder exercise I do since I have shoulder pain doing lateral raises. But DB OHP is pain free and can see good shoulder growth
Haven't done any OHP since 2016 , I don't find OHP useful at all.
Did them with 100% effort from 2013 to 2016 and it did little to nothing in terms of size.
Overhead press (or military press)/ strict press or push presses or behind the neck overhead presses, all are awesome workouts! You want to add more power to some of those lifts make sure to add in the handstand pushups as well (they tend to get overlooked) Nice vid Alex!
Bru, those sets of 190lb weighted dips are sick.
Yo, how are you so f'n strong at such a light bodyweight? 240 lb weighted dip and 345 bench? wtf
@@jdog2984 lol, Hard WORK!
behind the neck press are very detrimental to your shoulders. Avoid them at all cost. Strict or push press are far worse than seated dumbell or barbell press because you're not constricted by your core and cheating the weight up with your legs. Please refrain from recommending horribe exercises.
The guy who can ohp 225 will have a much better physique and be stronger overall than the guy benching 315
I avoided BB OHP because I fell for the notion that they were redundant. But for the last year I’ve been getting strong on BB and DB OHP and I’ve noticed a huge improvement in shoulder growth
Since binging my Ohp from 180lbs to 220lbs it’s made my delts massive and now I’ve started callisthenics it’s helping speed up the process for a handstand. Vertical pressing is goated👍
Some serious strength there mate. How did you make such a big jump? How long did it take?
@@liamcoleman1550 I appreciate it man! Got to 155 with linear progression. Then got to 210 with Naturally Enhanced using it as my main press and rotating through variations i was weak at. I then stalled for ages so ran a bench phase (286lbs to 308lbs) and gaining that strength just carried over and got the rest. Also did a lot of weighted dips as a secondary press which definitley helped
I think Bench and OHP do a lot to mutually help each other out as well. If you're moving your OHP up, and you're moving your bench up, they kind of help each other out. Maybe it's just a mental thing of knowing you can push your upper body harder, maybe it's the triceps and shoulders being a little stronger, I don't see gains in one area without seeing gains in the other. I got my OHP up to 200 and my bench up to 300 around the same time, mostly from breaking through a plateau on the bench
@@CharidemosPapageorgiouthis is literally how to train. Bravo on some good lifts 👏👏👏
As soon as you mentioned Steve Shaw 🤘 A long time ago I took his words on ohp's (and rows, all the rows) to heart. I credit my shoulder development to ohp's more than anything.
There’s something about standing OHP that’s just barbarically raw and I love it. My numbers for it are absolutely terrible but it’s such a good display of strength
- I’m also glad your brang up the fact it recruits a lot of side delts, a lot of info on it but not enough people know
I started doing it just because i mostly watch all the Strongmen's UA-cam channels (Shaw, Hall, Obie etc) and you don't do a strongman workout without it.. basically, plus yeah it just looks and feels very impressive to lift something over your head.
I think people don't like to OHP because it's hard.
The overhead press is king. It helps build triceps and brick like abs that pop even without flexing. Just look at all the worlds strongest men. That is how most got abs protruding from 25-35 percent body fat.
The Barbell OHP and Dumbell OHP are the exercises I credit the most for my shoulder development, love em
The two GOATS by far
@Alex Leonidas But I gotta say I actually recently started doing front raises and I'm surprised that they've actually made a difference, looks like they're not pointless for my case.
Hi Alex, could I ask your thoughts on the Clean and press vs the press where the bar is taken from the rack? Or the clean in general?
My personal goals this year are to clean and strict press bodyweight and unlocking the one arm push up, so all OHP content is appericated lol!
Not a fan of the clean and press, I don't see any advantages for upper body hypertrophy. But if you like it, go right ahead. I would rather stand or sit down with back support.
I love behind neck press, I can do it pretty wide without any shoulder issues for years and I always feel side delts a lot.
Any man should be able to lift weight over the head,
If a woman feels like she wants to do it, all the power to her.
It’s a fundamental human exercise, Certainly more than bench press