[quote]kuzy_247 wrote:
elih8er wrote:
Consider doing front squats as well. They work your core a lot harder than overhead squats, which are limited to the amount of weight you can keep stabilized over head.
Really? I think not. Your core has to engage a lot more to stabilize the load over your head than it does on a load already close to your center of gravity. Also, front squats are a quad dominant exercise when 99 percent of lifters need to work more on their posterior chain anyway.
I would recommend that you incorporate overhead squats into your training routine, just focus on form and not on weight (at least when you’re starting out). They will definitely help you improve on your back squats!! Good Luck![/quote]
The limiting factor in overhead squats is not core strength. It is upper body strength. If your core is the limiting factor you are either mind boggling strong over head or pathetically weak in your core. If the later, you would much better doing front squats, even though they are “quad dominant”…
Secondly, I would not recommend anyone doing overhead squats unless they have a platform. Doing such exercises in a power rack is asking for fucking disaster. Where do you go if you lose your balance and the weight starts coming down?
Most commercial gyms give you the stink-eye the moment you put weight over head outside of the standard press as well, and dropping weights on the floor from such heights, even if accidental, gets you the fast track to 86 land.
[quote]Kulturkampf wrote:
What’s this Chinese style DB rows?[/quote]
Explosive DB rows done with one hand/elbow on the knee rather on a bench, with a lot of scapular retraction. Hits the obliques hard because you’re resisting rotation on the way down.
Nice little warm-up someone wrote about here recently, Reverse Lunges holding a pair of DBs overhead (or a single DB or KB). Return to the feet-together position for each rep.
Another overhead squat variation that is tough is starting them from the full squat position as the Chinese weightlifters train. You can use a power cage with the pins set low or better yet jerk blocks if you have an OL-friendly gym. You have the potential to go much heavier than you would be able to push press into position for normal OHS.
From the perspective of an athlete from another sport (ie not o-lifting or power lifting)… a lot of coaches use the overhead squat as an indicator regarding your level of athletic preparation.
pchain activation
shoulder stability
hip, ankle, knee ROM
etc
(if you really want to fuck around with them, do them with chains on the bar that will screw with your stability like no other).
If you can overhead squat properly than means your body is pretty healthy. if you can do it with any reasonable amount of weight then you’re a pretty damned efficient athlete imo.
Not a good indicator of much else though.
That said if you want exercises for your “core”
I personally do the following:
side lever pulls-
Russian leg lifts (need stall bar)-
body levers/dragon flags-
cranks-
Other than just for shits and giggles I don’t see why else you’d specifically train overhead squats. If you’re doing the snatch, overhead pressing, and squatting A2g, then you’re pretty much training it anyway.
When i focused on front squatting and the overhead press for a few months my OHS shot up like 50lbs.
Why not heavy weighted situps on the decline bench? I hold a 100 lb dumbell on my chest and crank out a couple sets of a dozen or so reps. Leaves my abs feeling mighty sore the next day EVERY TIME. Just add weight.
[quote]elano wrote:
Why not heavy weighted situps on the decline bench? I hold a 100 lb dumbell on my chest and crank out a couple sets of a dozen or so reps. Leaves my abs feeling mighty sore the next day EVERY TIME. Just add weight.[/quote]
Because that’s too easy. And too hard at the same time.
FWIW it’s worth, I agree. Just train you abs fucking heavy and they’ll get strong. Not just heavy. Fucking heavy.
Weighted declines and pulldown abs are my favourites.
[quote]elano wrote:
Why not heavy weighted situps on the decline bench? I hold a 100 lb dumbell on my chest and crank out a couple sets of a dozen or so reps. Leaves my abs feeling mighty sore the next day EVERY TIME. Just add weight.[/quote]
