Overhead Press or Bench?

Which lift do you guy like the most? And which has more value to you?
Will42

Bench

but my pec is giving me problems at the moment. So im learning to like the overhead press more

I like overhead pressing. I hate to bench because it causes me a lot of back problems. Overhead pressing, in my opinion, is a lot more useful than benching.

I’ve always benched and until the last few months I never overhead pressed.

Obviously I found out that I had a weakness with my overhead press (go figgure) and since I’ve been doing it, I’ve noticed that my shoulders and upper peck seem to have filled out better than ever before.

I’m liking overhead press better right now because it was so neglected that I’m seeing quick gains in it, and it actually feels good to do it.

It’s like my body’s thanking me for correcting the imbalance.

And, I also feel like I’m always being judged when I bench. I think it’s probably just paranoia.

It’s like people are thinking “why the hell would he be doing 10 sets of 3 benching? What’s he trying to show off? He’s using too much weight…”

I swear it’s like people roll their eyes when they see other people do anything that they’re not doing at the time.

Both have equal value to me.

Overhead press. It seems to help me develop more overall mass to the shoulders and triceps better than a bench and pecs almost equally. Shoulders are also my favorite bodypart. I also feel standing movements are more realistic and most real life pressing situations involve more deltoid and tricep and less pec.

I’ve emphasized overhead pressing for quite a while so I’m focusing on bench for a couple months.

Even though I need to relearn benching, I’m pressing more weight than before I had emphasized overhead pressing.

I don’t think that happens vice versa.

[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
I’ve emphasized overhead pressing for quite a while so I’m focusing on bench for a couple months.

Even though I need to relearn benching, I’m pressing more weight than before I had emphasized overhead pressing.

I don’t think that happens vice versa.[/quote]

I noticed that, too. Overhead press = bigger bench without benching. Benching just = benching.

Best triceps move for me has been close grip incline presses. Don’t ask.

I like them both. If I had to choose only one exercise to do for the rest of my life, it would be the Overhead Press. Or better still, John Davies’ “The Bear”. But I like benching too, preferable low incline db bench presses.

Overhead press helps you get a bigger bench.

I actually like the OHP, but my numbers are far too low to mention, in relation to my bench. I guess I know what I need to do more often :slight_smile:

Question 2: What exercises helped you the most with the OHP?
Thanks in advance
Will42

nothing helps overhead press like overhead press

and squats.

How often do you guys like to train the overhead press? Is it true that training the overhead press very frequently (a la Tsasouline) is the best way to make strides in this area? Does doing a Max Effort thing with the overhead press work, or is the total load just too light?

OHP is much more valuable for strongman.

Best assistance I’ve found for it is heavy overhead supports (think close-grip overhead squat lockouts), but it’s a personal weakness thing.

-Dan

I like Bradford presses too.

I’ve made the most progress with my overhead press by switching between jerks and presses. I’d stick with jerks or push presses until my gains slowed, then swtich back to strict presses until I was within 10k of my best push press.

I’ve been cycling through front squats, dips, incline presses, pullups, and zercher squats for assistance work. It really depends on where I’m getting stuck.

I press at least twice a week (under normal circumstances) with a max effort day and a 10x3 day.

The overhead press is the squat of the upper body. Words to live by.

Last December, I started over pressing due to a shoulder injury that hampered my bench press. Now, I prefer over pressing: military press, push press, jerk, all with both barbell and dumbells, one hand and both hands with the dumbells. My shoulders have never been better. I don’t even do the bench press any more. Maybe giving up the bench isn’t a good idea but I’m injury free and getting stronger so I’ll go with it for a while. Good luck.

if you want a full, thick upper body add both plus heavy dips into your routine.