OHP Specialization = Serious Gains!

Overhead press specialization will change your life. Do you realize that it’s much more than a shoulder builder? It’s actually an old-school, time-tested competition lift. Acquiring elite strength will greatly contribute to your shoulders, upper chest, triceps, upper back, traps, core, and athleticism. Best of all, you don’t need to go as heavy as bench press. If you can rep 200lbs or more, your physique should look amazing. You’ll also be strong on most presses, even without specific training. A late-intermediate or advanced bench press is certainly possible, and of course your incline press will be solid.

The OHP does not provide the best leverages, making it a true strength builder and demonstration of pressing performance. You cannot shorten the range of motion through extreme arching, gaining excessive weight, or relying on ribcage pop. Some may bend the legs, but that is a push press which is a totally different exercise. The strict press (which is ideal), will build strength like you wouldn’t even believe. On top of that, it’s totally safe to do! Some lifters believe that vertical pressing is dangerous, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The scapula actually rotates as you press and there is no shoulder impingement in the locked out position. The only way you’ll experience problems is if you’re doing half reps with completely flared elbows (as seen in the shoulder press), or favoring behind the neck presses. A properly executed strict press should not hurt you, in fact many lifters report their pain being cured through this lift alone. This is very common among elite benchers who decide to switch to OHP, as they get strong while correcting their dysfunctions. Furthermore, the OHP does not require safety pins. If you were to fail the repetition, the bar will come down to your chest and you can just re-rack it. Alternatively, you don’t even need a rack! You can clean the bar to your shoulders, press, and once done lower it back to the ground. In a commercial gym, the convenience factor will save you lots of time. Fast setup and no spotters needed. At home, your safety is ensured and effective training can be achieved with a tight setup. And of course, you can still use pins if you want.

It’s important to note that you’re getting more out of less weight given the difficult standards. This is a brutal exercise that cannot be messed around with. You’re either strong or you’re not, and getting proficient at OHP is a long grind. A decent standard is your bodyweight for 1-5 reps, or 135lbs for 10-20 reps. For a 1RM, anything over 200lbs is excellent. As you can see, the absolute number is not that high compared to other presses.  Why is this a good thing? It means faster workouts and superior recovery without sacrificing size gains! Now that’s what I call bang for your buck.

Finally, I’d like to state that this truly is a classic lift that deserves more attention. It’s an ultimate test of raw strength that has stood the test of time. All the old school greats favored overhead pressing, because they knew how beneficial it really was. The competitions from the 1940s-1960s reflect what’s naturally achievable, which is actually quite impressive. It was not uncommon for 160lb men to max out over 200lbs! Unfortunately, we rarely see that today. The standards have risen for the bench but fallen on OHP. This has led to an epidemic of gym bros asking “how much you bench?” instead of “how much you press?”. The truth is that overhead pressing existed before benching, and was once extremely popular. In my opinion, those who neglect it are making a mistake. It’s great for general strength, injury prevention, efficiency, and bodybuilding, while being a badass lift by itself. This is why I emphasize OHP in my Naturally Enhanced program. It will also do more for your yoke than bench press, which is the secret to looking big without drugs.

Anyway, the overhead press is worth it. I strongly recommend specializing for some months to see what happens to your physique. I think you’ll be amazed with the results, to the point of becoming obsessed. This badass lift maximizes gains on many levels. so enjoy!