Weak Shoulders

Hey, I've always had weak shoulders, even when I did a lot of sports. I've just started a beginner routine in the gym after a year of basically being sedentary and I already notice trouble with OHP.

The last time I went to the gym seriously was 6 years ago, and even then I remember being basically stuck on the same weights with OHP for a solid 6 months, while all my other lifts progressed.

How do I even begin to diagnose what is the issue? My shoulder mobility is a lot better now, I've been working on it hard, and AFAIK my technique is decent (I've video'd myself).

So, tldr is i'm currently pressing 30kg 3x5, and I'm almost certain it will be stuck there for months based on previous experience. How to get stronger at pressing?

Ape Out, Gorilla Mindset Shirt $21.68

Rise, Grind, Banana Find Shirt $21.68

Ape Out, Gorilla Mindset Shirt $21.68

  1. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    >How do I even begin to diagnose what is the issue?
    You are just weak and untrained and there is so specific issue that needs to be solved. Its just a matter of adding muscle to your frame and getting bigger and stronger trough proper programming. You might have shit technique so look up rippetoe's pressing guides they are good.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Last time I was lifting years ago, with sets of 5, I was benching 90kg, Squatting 110kg, Deadlifting 140kg, and guess what. Pressing 40kg.

      I'm afraid the same thing will happen this time. I'm currently at the absolute noob stage on all of my lifts but I want the press to progress with the other lifts. I don't understand how all beginner programs expect you to add weight every time, even up to 5kg in the first weeks.

      I'm absolutely scraping the web for all kinds of tutorials on shoulder mobility, back mobility, t-spine posture, breathing exercises, everything. I've watched hours of pressing guides.

      I'm just wondering what am I missing? Perhaps there's a smarter way to program progression here, adding more volume with less weights, or something? I'm just looking for a tip that I haven't heard.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        https://i.imgur.com/lmEZFMc.png

        Hey, I've always had weak shoulders, even when I did a lot of sports. I've just started a beginner routine in the gym after a year of basically being sedentary and I already notice trouble with OHP.

        The last time I went to the gym seriously was 6 years ago, and even then I remember being basically stuck on the same weights with OHP for a solid 6 months, while all my other lifts progressed.

        How do I even begin to diagnose what is the issue? My shoulder mobility is a lot better now, I've been working on it hard, and AFAIK my technique is decent (I've video'd myself).

        So, tldr is i'm currently pressing 30kg 3x5, and I'm almost certain it will be stuck there for months based on previous experience. How to get stronger at pressing?

        same bro. i got annoyed and stopped lifting few months ago because of it

  2. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    you may have any of these
    -rounded shoulders
    -lack of scapular mobility
    -winged scapula

    film yourself naked doing ohp and see if everything is symmetrical.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Thanks, that's a specific list of issues to look for.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      this is horrible advice and basically nocebo-ing the frick out of OP. aka gas-lighting him in to believing that his poor performance on the OHP is based on a structural damage/error or asymmetry, which almost NEVER the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5eYBp2xbwM&t=94s You probably mean well and its good intended but this way of looking at fitness is one of the worst things of 2010 to 2020 fitness that people like athlean-x and various youtube fitness channels with little understanding of fitness has helped popularize and it has not helped the fitness community, quite the contrary.

      Last time I was lifting years ago, with sets of 5, I was benching 90kg, Squatting 110kg, Deadlifting 140kg, and guess what. Pressing 40kg.

      I'm afraid the same thing will happen this time. I'm currently at the absolute noob stage on all of my lifts but I want the press to progress with the other lifts. I don't understand how all beginner programs expect you to add weight every time, even up to 5kg in the first weeks.

      I'm absolutely scraping the web for all kinds of tutorials on shoulder mobility, back mobility, t-spine posture, breathing exercises, everything. I've watched hours of pressing guides.

      I'm just wondering what am I missing? Perhaps there's a smarter way to program progression here, adding more volume with less weights, or something? I'm just looking for a tip that I haven't heard.

      >Last time I was lifting years ago, with sets of 5, I was benching 90kg, Squatting 110kg, Deadlifting 140kg, and guess what. Pressing 40kg.
      There is nothing wrong with that. That is very normal numbers for lifters to have and you see that all the time in the gym. The OHP is on the lower side, but those ratios are very normal. What is cuasing this is your programming and perhaps your ohp technique, and what you need to do to improve this is to do more OHP basically. However your ohp does not live in a vacuum and you have to balance it with benching and you are probably doing a lot more chest then bench and if you want to focus on ohp you probs need to reduce some of the benching. This is basically a programming issue. The lifts you mention here are still in the newbie tier.

      >I'm absolutely scraping the web for all kinds of tutorials on shoulder mobility, back mobility, t-spine posture, breathing exercises, everything. I've watched hours of pressing guides.
      Drop that shit its horseshit and ha nothing to do with it.

      >I'm just wondering what am I missing?
      You are missing good programming.

      It would be a lot better if you posted your program, that is kind of required info in cases like this

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'm doing the GZLCP program (https://www.saynotobroscience.com/gzclp-infographic/)

        I'm still making noob progress and adding weights every time on the other lifts. I've certainly thought about the lack of volume specifically for the press, since based on the program I'm only pressing twice a week. I'm considering adding a few high rep sets, perhaps on the bench days, e.g. seated dumbbell press 3x12 or something.

        I have to say I'm not up to date on what are normal ratios for those lifts, but I was watching my absolute noobie friends (tall dudes, though) pressing more than me while struggling to squa tthe bar back then.

        It needs to be said out loud how humiliating it is to not be able to lift the weight of a small child over your head a couple of times.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          The Press is almost always the first lift to start stalling on beginner programs. Its a tale as old as time. A db press could work, but doing more barbell pressing will improve the press further and faster because its more specific work. So what you could do is you could add more sets to your pressing sessions, and do your pressing sub maximally. I don't remember how the gzlcp do the progression in the moment, but a lot of people don't think its that good and do not recommend it. It don't handle stalls and deloads very well.

          I think the program runs 4 days a week, 2 days are bench and 2 days are OHP. If so then you could do this on your OHP, this taken from barbell medicine and its a bench and press plugin for people running SS, as they usually stall on bench and press first. https://www.barbellmedicine.com/blog/novice-bench-and-press-plug-in/

          Press workout 1
          Press x 8 reps x 4 sets @ -12% from previous press 5 x 3 sets on LP
          This basically mean you take 12% off your last working weight, which in this case is 30kg 3x5, so -12% of 30. Then you do that for 4 sets of 8

          Press workout 2
          Press 1 @ +5% from last 5 x 3 sets, then take 15% off the bar for 4 reps x 6 sets
          1 @ (@ = means at +5) from your last 3 sets of 5, that is you add 5% weight to the bar and you do a single repetition, then you take 15% off the bar and do 6 sets of 4 reps.

          And then you attempt to add 1.5-2.5 on a weekly basis. This worked for me. Or you could add db presses but they are less specific and probably won't be that good at raises the press short term at least.

          If this is to complicated then read over, its not that complicated.

          • 1 year ago
            Anonymous

            Thanks for taking the time to write this down. I will definitely study what you suggested.

            I've definitely had the false impression that my press should just automatically progress using the same programming as the other big lifts.

            If I suspend that for a second, it seems like a promising fix to just find a better routine sepcifically for pressing. Thanks.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        >this is horrible advice and basically nocebo-ing the frick out of OP.
        I'm speaking from experience and had to do physiotherapy to fix my right shoulder.
        I've been stuck to 30-40kg OHP for 2 years and now I reached it in just a year.

        >HURR DURR JUST LIFT
        Shut the frick up.
        Having the ability to self examine and gain an understanding on your body is fundamental for lifting.

        Literally just shut the frick up if you can't give any constructive comment aside from common knowledge, you're of no use.

  3. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Imagine caring so much about a number that you stop lifting completely. Just man up and find a solution.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      You're underestimating the importance of at least believing in the possibility of progression as a part of motivation and willpower.

      I agree, quitting completely is not the solution, however, we are looking for solutions here. Your comment doesn't help at all in any way.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Train less, rest more, rest less, eat more, train heavier, train singles, walk more, more volume, less volume.

        Just go in with an idea and execute it. Do it for a year. There’s no chance you’ve even tried anything on your own. You just want to be spoon fed solutions that you’ll give up on anyway. This is a huge waste of everybody’s time.

  4. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I was stuck at that exact weight 5x5 for around 4 months too. What helped me get past it was a combination of
    >Deloading substantially and going for 10-12 reps of absolutely flawless form instead of hopelessly failing a 5 rep PR every single week
    >Drop sets on the shoulder press machine
    >(Possibly controversial) 1-2 sets of Smith machine OHP before going into normal barbell OHP

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      This is interesting. If low reps are not progressing maybe I can add some muscle with higher reps and see progression that way before going back to lifting big weights.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        I think for me it was a mental block more than anything - I was frustrated about plateauing, and my form suffered because I was thinking too much about numbers. Lower weight for reps helped me get my form up to par, while the machines helped me feel comfortable/confident pressing heavier weight.

        Just be sure to always get your free weight OHP sets in. Machines are great, but there's no substitute for the stability training you get from free weights.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        This is the fundamental principle of progressive overload. If you can’t increase the load, increase the reps or sets. Also incorporating or focusing on getting stronger on other presses can help you

  5. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I just did weighted ring dips and pullups for half a year, tried OHP and did 60kgs for reps easy
    To get a better OHP unironically do other things besides OHP

  6. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Thread theme:

  7. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    A wise man once said
    >to press a lot you must press a lot.
    Thats basically all it is. If you're doing gzclp I'd recommend throwing some heavy singles after your T1 OHP work. So hit 5x3 at 40kg then do singles until you don't think you'll make the next rep. Shoot for 6 total (2 sets worth) and each rep should be perfect. Use the singles to dial in technique.
    For T2 I'd advise switching to double linear progression (for all your lifts not just OHP). Make it 3x6-8 and only increase weight when you get 8 reps on all 3 sets. This'll make T2s a little heavier in a manageable way
    And in general do more vertical pulling. A stronger upper back = a more stable platform to press from. So do pullups every training day (2 days BW 2 days weighted)
    Good luck anon

  8. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    I think klokov presses helped me a lot. At first they hurt like a b***h with my impingement prone shoulders but I stuck with them and my OHP started going up again.
    Also a lot more volume in general on OHP. I started doing 8 reps per set.

  9. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Doing dips for triceps and using a low rep high set scheme on OHP allowed me to break through plateaus.

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *