[quote]kgildner wrote:
I keep banging away at overhead work because I want to improve (or at least maintain) my overhead mobility and strength. Since I’m so poor in that ROM, I don’t think that the loading would have any measurable effect on my bench press, but even if this were the case, I’d rather still be able to overhead press in twenty years and sacrifice 10 kg on my bench press than vice versa. I’ve also found that, since it’s a weak link, training the OHP requires a ton of discipline from me, which is always good to practice.
Also, I can’t imagine that working the shoulders just in one plane (i.e., with bench presses and rows) for the length of one’s athletic career would be ideal. Maybe it’s bro science, but I like to “hit the shoulders” from different angles to keep them up to snuff.
Incidentally, my current est. total is LOL (530 kg/1166 lbs) at 87 kg/192 lbs BW, so take my advice with a big-ass grain of salt.[/quote]
I think that I am finding that, if you can tolerate it without an injury, it makes sense to train shoulders in this manner.
Trust me, I created this thread to make myself feel better about dropping the press from my regular programming.
I don’t like to think that I can’t do a lift that I love, but I don’t like to think that it may put me out of a sport that I am growing to love before I can even participate in it.
I am also going to switch from wide grip pull up to narrow-neutral grip chin ups for the sake of my shoulders as well.
I am going to drop dips.
I want to be in this sport for 20 years. Having a shoulder problem as a novice lifter 2.5 years out (185x2 at 215 lbs bodyweight) doesn’t seem like a good way to start my powerlifting career.
I am just trying to come to terms with the fact that, FOR ME, the risk reward ratio might be unbalanced. I may be better off doing a second bench session, and lateral raises/rear laterals/face pulls.
And, your total isn’t bad. I would be proud of it, and I would love to hit that with sound form some day. I just tossed in the “post up your total” thing because of the fact that I feel it prevents guys who cannot bench bodyweight from turning this into a shit storm.