The Case Against Overhead Presses

[jcp2]

Do you do your overhead pressing seated or standing. If you do standing overhead work and finish each rep over your head, this usually helps your shoulders and may increase your bench. It actually keeps my shoulders healthy, i can see seated overhead preses cuaing problems due to imbalances especially since most people don't do much rear delt work.

[Narkissos]

Do you do your overhead pressing seated or standing. If you do standing overhead work and finish each rep over your head, this usually helps your shoulders and may increase your bench. It actually keeps my shoulders healthy, i can see seated overhead preses cuaing problems due to imbalances especially since most people don't do much rear delt work.

^^Agreed with the parts above in bold.

[Cronos]

I agree with the OP pretty much 100%. I think he's bang on, and here's why. I have injured my rotator cuff more times than I can count, an am currently dealing with the one right now, ALL occurring while performing this exercise. I was attempting to incorporate it into my routine once again on the recommendation of a few powerlifting friends of mine. I didn't rush, I worked up in weight slowly over a few weeks, but it still got me when I started to hit some heavier poundages. People have always complimented me on my delts, and my bread and butter routine is side laterals, rear laterals, upright rows and MAYBE light dumbell presses at the end all in that order. Most people don't believe that I'm not an overhead presser, but I am not and I have good deltoid development.

[maxwkw]

I really think that it depends on what you are training for. If you are going for physique goals (which many here are) then it can be an unnecessarily risky movement. However, if you are training for powerlifting or strongman it can be really helpful.

I do agree that many people have contraindications for overhead pressing, but I would say that many people are also not healthy enough for barbel flat bench press, or dips, or barbel squats.

For physique development there are better movements, but for strength development or certain sports overhead pressing can be useful.

Just different movements for different people and different goals.

[BgMc31]

I know lots of powerlifters that don't do barbell overhead presses. Some only do seated. Lots of strongmen don't bench. But if you are into strongman, you HAVE to overhead press, considering its one of the events. There is always some type of overhead press in all comps.

Like stated before, if you in it for physique development, and you don't care about numbers, don't do them, as they are not always necessary. But certain strength athletes, like myself, its absolutely essential.