OHP is better for athletes. OHP has done more for my athleticism than bench. it makes you more solid in contact sports. ppl don’t go over head often enough, if done right it’s gonna be beneficial for shoulder health unlike bench. And you build a huge upper back/rotator cuff from OHP, unlike bench.
I’d have to disagree. I think it’s important to strengthen full range of motion throughout the shoulder joint and limited yourself to just benching could cause potential imbalances. From a cost benefit scenario, the benefits from taking a few sessions to get someone to be an efficient overhead pressers outweighs the negatives. I’ve noticed my general pushing strength has gone up as well as a feeling of better overall shoulder health since I’ve started prioritizing getting my OHP volume in. I also tend to thing the OHP has generally more muscles mass involved. Your entire chest, entire shoulder, upper back, and tris get good volume from it. I think it’s fine to priority the bench in the sense that you get a LOT of bang for your buck, but I really don’t think throwing in a few sets of OHP hurts, and will make someone generally stronger, give them more mobility, and a better sense of proprioception. OHP is a goated movement IMO, and it’s for the very reason you dismiss it I love it, I get just as much growth from hitting 135, even 95 pounds, for reps, as I could from 2 plates on the bench. Anyways, your opinion and reason for it are valid.
Hi Will, some feedback and a hopefully rudimentary question. As a recreational sprinter I choose the Incline Swiss Bar ‘Reverse Grip’ CGBP as my ‘horizontal’ press (using the diagonal handles). Easier setup and less accident risk, more ROM, requires more power output IIRC due to both instability of the bar, close-grip, and the incline (I presume due to the increased ROM). I just prefer these modifications too. Am I leaving upper body strength on the table by omitting Flat Bench and Dips? The centrepieces of my upper body weight work are different overhead presses (particularly BTN), weighted chinups, and then oly variations for yoke (usually Block SGHP but I love the Clean-Grip Snatch - thanks for that). EDIT: Almost forgot that I recently started weighted deficit pushups. Maybe the question still stands as this isnt a maximal loading movement, but comment however you see fit Thanks!
The bench press uses a greater degree of muscle mass? Really? I struggle to believe that; When standing, overhead pressing involves practically every muscle group in the body to activate? Shoulders, delts, upper pecs, triceps, trapezius, serratus, abs, obliques, quads, glutes, calves etc? Obviously it depends on your goals, but I personally think overhead pressing is much more demanding and potent exercise for overall body functional strength.
You use more prime movers in the bench, chest shoulders triceps. Sure there are more supporting/stabilizers in ohp. But bench is also a mechanically stronger position.
There's a difference between needing your glutes in order to stand up, and your glutes actually contributing to the motion. Really OHP is all triceps and delts, with some assistance from traps and serratus etc. Bench is triceps, delts, pecs, serratus etc. And just factually you can lift more on bench so obviously you're either using more muscle or are in a more advantageous position.
I have a homeboy have play football with that bench pressed for years. He stood up to do the overhead press for the first time after years of bench pressing and being able to hit 405 for several reps in his lower back started hurting the bench press does not use your core lower back the bench press does not use more muscle mass.
You might as well say the leg press uses more muscle mass in the squat or the deadlift because you can lift heavier weight just because you can lift heavier on something doesn’t always mean more muscles are involved sometimes is the opposite and because my muscles are involved those weaker muscles limit you to lifting less weight
Since I stopped heavy OHP my front delt shoulder pain has completely gone away. Honestly I rarely do any shoulder work other than lateral raises every once in a while, and my shoulders have still grown just from bench pressing and doing heavy pulls/rear delt work
OHP variations require more shoulder mobility. Which isn't a bad thing. OHP promotes shoulder health, bench press can be detrimental. Technically it's probably the same. I have seen many ugly bench presses. You can use less weight for OHP, but the ROM is bigger. So, the difference in work done is smaller. Push presses tick the most boxes in my opinion.
TBF if you want to get into the tech then most athletes aren't good technical benchers, and they're still pressing overhead so who cares if their tech is sloppy. But over-all for sure your thinking makes sense.
I prefer behind the neck press to OHP because it's less technically demanding and you can't really cheat as much. It's also safer IF you have the requesite mobility....
I think that OHP is a better exercise than the bench press. The Standing Overhead Dumbbell Press targets more muscles in the CORE - needed to maintain proper balance when a vertical load is lifted above the head.
I train OHP once a week, bench twice. OHP was never a lift I cared all that much about but I've still managed modest increase over time with it. My bar path isn't super great, but I'm working on it.
