Overhead press

What do you think a good standing overhead press weight would be compared to your bench press? I have been doing alot of bench work and got pretty strong in it. I was wondering what percentage of your bench weight would be a good weight for standing overhead press? thanks

Two-thirds.

thanks Bill
now what if its not even close to that could that be stalling my bench. I can bench press about 450 lbs raw but I can only overhead press while standing about 200 lbs off of the rack. I plan on trying to increase this. I appreciate your feedback.

John, from that I’d think that improving
your overhead press should be a priority and this may help your bench.

My figure of 2/3 is a good standing overhead
press relative to bench. A lot of guys are at only about 60% which is okay. Being half or well under half does indicate a weak area, either the delts or possibly stabilizers, a
weakness that might be better trained by the overhead press than with yet more benching.

BTW, that’s an outstanding bench if performed in powerlifting-legal style!

Bill
Thank you, I would say that my bench is probably more of a touch and go but it is very clean. I am definately going to start working on the oh press, because I think its actually a more impressive lift and I figured mine was week compared to my bench. I am also thinking of trying a bench shirt do you have any experience with them, I have never used one before. Thank you again for your help.

That’s funny. I can work out with 185 in behind the neck presses and have done 215x3. This is seated in kind of a rack/chair that supports your lower back. It gives you more support than standing presses. But I can only BP about 325. I guess that means maybe my delts aren’t the weak link.

John, sorry I can’t help on the bench shirt, I’ve never used one. I’m sure others on the board have.

Also, a site you might want to look at is
deepsquatter’s site. It’s the URL you would logically guess. It has a lot of good powerlifting info.

Thanks Bill I will look at it.

bri 215 x3 is great! Do you ever do the OH press? I don’t do BTN press anymore I kept hurting my neck. Maybe I am not that flexible.

i recall reading the structural balance article where poliquin recommended that overhead press strength be around 70% of bench press strength, and mine wasn’t close to that. after about 4 months i brought it up around that high and the problems i had been havingw ith my shoulders gradually went away.

You may also want to check out Poliquin’s article on “Achieving Structural Balance.” It compares various lifts. Your behind-the-neck press should be 64% of your best close-grip bench press. So Bill is right on with the two-thirds ratio.