Overhead press, I can't go low enough to touch my chest, anyone else?

[johnjay06]

I've always had this problem. Almost all videos show you starting from the bar resting on your chest, pressing, then back to the chest. Well I can't bring the bar any lower than just below my chin. Anyone else have this problem? Or am I just realizing that I have trex arms after 40 years?

 

[Lizard King]

I never go down past my nose or chin, hurts my shoulders too much and I don't see the benefit.

 

[johnjay06]

I never go down past my nose or chin, hurts my shoulders too much and I don't see the benefit.

Good, I'm not the only one

 

[Lizard King]

Think about the natural range of motion when you do shoulder presses with dumbbells, you are only going down as far as your chin or nose, not below.

 

[parttimer]

I go parallel for everything pressing and only use dumbbells anymore. Unless you're in a competition I don't see a reason to go further.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[PillarofBalance]

Tuck your elbows under the bar. If you are only going to the nose that's half the lift.

Don't go fucking up your shoulders over it or anything, but start with an empty bar on the chest and get in position. If you can't do that ROM with a weight then maybe it's a bit to heavy.

Have you suffered shoulder injuries?

 

[Lizard King]

You're a 1/2 of a lift!

 

[tommyguns2]

I find it difficult to do as well. I think part of it is poor range of motion, but I don't sweat it too much. Typically I follow the rule that if it hurts to do that.... then stop doing that.

If it's a flexibility thing, you could try increasing your range of motion by doing that exercise with a broomstick or very light dumbbells and bring it down all the way and see if after several weeks you start to feel more comfortable.

 

[CFM]

Some people can do the splits and some simply cannot. Depends on how your built. I am still performing behind the neck presses all the down and touch my traps. Never able to touch my toes very well. We are all different.

 

[schuyler]

either that or fuck your tendons up *you need to watch a lot of videos for shoulder press?

 

[macgyver]

I think a lot has to do with form. Some guys still OHP with elbows wide like the days of benching the same way and putting way too much stress on the shoulder putting it in an unstable position. Same thing @PillarofBalance is saying.

Tuck the elbows and press off your lats, there should not be an issue getting much larger ROM and running through a much more natural position for the shoulder joint. Even as bad as my upper body mobility is and a bad shoulder, I have no issues going full ROM and pressing from bar almost on my clavicles all they way to lockout.

 

[johnjay06]

either that or fuck your tendons up *you need to watch a lot of videos for shoulder press?

No I don't have to watch a ton of videos, but someone I respect in the gym a while back told me he thought I should go lower, hence the videos, hence the question. Was that a "gotcha" attempt?