Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy #2- Ain’t No Half Steppin’ When You’re Overhead Pressin’

Jamie Chaos

March 7, 2012

Recently on Reddit, I was horrified to discover a discussion about Joe Defranco’s comments regarding the overhead press. His the gist of his article, available here if you want to spend five minutes screaming “HORSESHIT!” at your computer, is as follows:

“Only one in fifty athletes I see can overhead press without risk, but they’re the genetic outliers, born with more “room” in there than most of us have. And even for them, we’ll only work in two-week cycles of light to moderate-weight push presses, Bradford presses, and neutral-grip strongman log presses.”(Defranco)

He’s a genetic miracle, right Dr. DeFranco?

Rather than dismissing this article as the fucking poppycock that it is, a multi-page paean to weakness was created wherein everyone on that site whined like a dog with his balls stuck underneath a pile of cinderblocks about how horribly their shoulders hurt after overhead pressing. They do this because they’re not real strength athletes, and neither is Joe Defranco- they’re idiots obsessed with bench pressing since they touched a barbell. As such, their shoulders are horribly pronated due to tight pecs and weak backs, and this ridiculous situation is exascerbated by the fact that the vast majority of them spend the bulk of their time sitting, slouched, and typing on a fucking keyboard all day long. Clearly, this goes on long after the workday’s finished, as they have time to blather about weightlifting on internet chatboards rather than getting their max squat over 315. Thus, most people have biomechanically fucked themselves into a shitty physique and a lot of internet bitching. On top of that, you have the fact that most people rarely do any kind of overhead pressing. According to Greg Zulak, “Arthur Jones pointed out that the average untrained man can actually press much more than he can bench press, and the only reason powerlifters and bodybuilders bench more than they can press is that they practice benching more than pressing, and emphasize it more in their programs.”(Zulak) As such, they’ve got no groove on the overhead lifts and they’re fighting tight tendons, a weak back, and an unremitting desire to sit or lay down on something padded every time they enter the gym.

STAND THE FUCK UP IN THE GYM. YOU SIT ALL FUCKING DAY, DICKFACE. THIS IS WHY YOU LOOK LIKE A PILE OF FUCKING LAUNDRY SOAKED IN MAYONNAISE.

So, how to resolve this issue?

Start fucking overhead pressing. Do these while standing. You don’t need to come out of the gates trying to hit the numbers I suggested in part one of this series- just start light. Learn the movement. I’m talking 25% of your bodyweight for very strict sets of 10 on military presses. As you get stronger and more comfortable, your range of motion will increase and and shoulder twinges you have should be reduced. Do this at least twice a week, and preferably three times a week. You need to learn the movement, and the weight is going to be light enough that you shouldn’t be too fatigued. At least initially, avoid push presses and focus on getting smooth, full-range repetitions on strict military press. That’ll build tremendous strength in your triceps and shoulders and leave you in much better shape for explosive movements later on.
While you’re doing this, start working heavy rows into your routine at least once a week. I’m talking heavy fucking Pendlay rows, from the floor, blasting yourself in the chest with the bar at the top of your pull. These will be the polar opposite of the rep speed and level of control you use on the military press, but you’re in no danger of injuring yourself worse than a bruise with these, and you need to build back strength in a fucking hurry.
Once you’ve built a basic platform from which to press, namely a strong back and shoulders capable of pressing a weight overhead (“HORRORS!” says Joe DeFranco!), it’s time to start training the overhead press seriously. We’ll say the watershed for this is hitting 85% of your bodyweight for 3 sets of 5 strict reps. Once you’re there, start upping the ante on the overheads. De-emphasize bench pressing for the first time in your life and start doing standing military press, push press, or behind the neck push press first in your workout.
Come to the startling realization that anyone with a brain’s already had- Joe Defranco is full of shit. His programs are shit, and he thinks you’re a flaming fucking pussy with an asscrack full of whipped cream who wears a disposable party hat and matching anklets to bed every night. I know that makes no sense- he’s the one who thinks it, not me. Take a look at his programs- they’re as unoriginal as any I’ve ever seen, and low intensity to boot. They’re about as likely to produce champions as Ellen Degeneres is erections- that shit’s just not fucking happening. Check it out- for $40 you get the workout every high school kid does without ever hearing Defranco’s name, in addition to warmups from track practice and conditioning from wrestling practice! Congratulations! You just paid a substantial amount of money to relive what was probably a shitty four years.

I realize that a great many of you might be considering a rush to DeFranco’s defense. Before you utterly embarrass yourselves, however, let’s look at a little thing i like to call “reality”. In reality, where you and I live. In reality, there’s a country called Bulgaria that has a population that numbers almost a million fewer people than New York City, yet has amassed 36 medals at the Olympics in weightlifting (12 gold, 16 silver, 8 bronze) in the last 100 years. By comparison, the US has 43 total medals, in spite of the fact that our population is comprised of roughly 300 million more people. Using the produce of DeFranco’s genius, Bulgaria shouldn’t even be able to field a weightlifting team, much less dominate the sport, and yet they do. Why?

Because they fucking overhead press. Morning, noon, and night. Six days a week, they’re putting heavy weights over their heads and doing it with the sort of impetuousness and general contempt for gravity that you’d only expect out of a drunken midget shot out of a cannon. Most Olympic weightlifting teams, no matter their level of success, follow the Bulgarian prescription to some degree, and those teams with the most success lift most often. Their shoulders haven’t fallen off, blown up, or caught fire, and Olympic weightlifters routinely have some of the most developed shoulders on Earth- all from putting weights overhead daily.

Even powerlifters benefit from overhead pressing- recently deceased badass Doug Furnas did behind the neck presses religiously and was the first many to total 2400 lbs twice at 275. (Gallagher 53) Ed Coan joined him in this, doing 5×2-8 reps on the behind the neck press once a week (Gallagher 62) Former Olympic weightlifting phenoms and total assholes Bob Bednarski and Norm Schemanski both put weights overhead four times a week while working full-time, labor-intensive jobs.(Gallagher 28) Jim Wendler recommends weekly overhead pressing for powerlifters (5/3/1 for Powerlifting). Paul Anderson pressed overhead, fucking HEAVY, three times a week (Gallagher 15) Fuck, even Paul Kelso recommends adding overhead pressing in his workouts, and he recommends you do virtually no lifting whatsoever. The only person of whom I can think of off the top of my head who might agree with Mighty Joe DeFranco is Bob Cicherillo, the bodybuilder famous for not winning a motherfucking thing while preaching a gospel of not doing any real lifting in favor of fucking about on machines all day long like you work at Jiffy Lube. His physique, as a result, is bizarre, unsettling, and generally godawful, and again- he never won a motherfucking thing.

The anti-functional physique- he can’t bench, squat, deadlift, or overhead press a paperweight.

Thus, Joe Defranco’s full of shit, most of the people who post on Reddit appear to be flaming vaginas, and you should be working overhead movements into your workouts at least twice a week. If you need tips on the form, go here. I’m not in the business of form critiques- just be fucking intelligent about it and utilize form that doesn’t murder your shoulders. That means that rather than debating with other idiots online whether you should pack or shrug your shoulders at the top of a movement, try them both and see which works for you- I found that shrugging my shoulders at the top of the lift completely fucked my shoulder to bits. If you’re unclear about the difference, go here for an explanation of the two. I don’t give a homeless guy’s greasy balled shit which one you do- just figure out which works for you and fucking do it already. If you’re horribly inflexible, I’d recommend against the shrug. All of the powerlifters I’ve seen with decent overhead presses pack their shoulders as well, so that’s something to keep in your back pocket… i.e. avoid shrugging your shoulders when the bar is at full extension on an overhead press.

For those legions of you who’ve complained to me that you can’t overhead press for shit and who’ve asked me for some panacea or quick fix, here it is- FUCKING OVERHEAD PRESS. The only way you’ll get better at it is to do it. A lot. That’s how the greats did it, and that’s how you’re going to do it. You’re not genetically predisposed, physically, to sucking at the movement. It’s your goddamned brain that makes you suck, not your shoulders or your genes.

Go put some weight overhead, fuckers, and stop paying attention to assholes who don’t understand that there’s no “best” way for everyone to lift weights and who think that you’re an even bigger pussy than you likely make yourself out to be on message boards. With that, however, I will reassert that the only reason you’d lift a kettlebell is because you’re too fucking weak to lift a barbell, so let’s keep this out of the realm of Dragon Door and in the realm of strength training, shall we?

Sources:
Gallagher, Marty. Purposeful Primitive.
Rader, Pearry. Training on the Olympic Lifts. http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2011/12/training-on-olympic-lifts-peary-rader.html
Zulak, Greg. The Press. http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2011/12/press-greg-zulak.html

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Jamie Chaos

I am a former all-time, all federation world record holder in raw powerlifting at 181lbs, a record I broke just to say fuck you to the internet’s “lifting” community and the powerlifting community at large. Over the last ten years I’ve written over 500 articles on strength training, nutrition, and supplementation, and continue to do so simply to fight the tide of weakness and sadness that currently pervades the scene I’ve called home for the better part of three decades. I’ve got personal trainin certs, BodyPump and BodyCombat certs, a BA in History and East Asian Studies from the University of Arizona, and MBAs from the Vienna University and University of South Carolina on my side, in addition to some sick lifts and a hell of a lot of rage. What the fuck have you got?

70 responses to “Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy #2- Ain’t No Half Steppin’ When You’re Overhead Pressin’”

svunt

March 7, 2012

Well said – I press overhead a minimum of twice a week and as often as four times a week. It's the single most useful thing I do in the gym.

Benching too much kills my shoulder, but I press overhead often enough and heavy enough that an eight month break from the bench didn't change my 1rm on bench press one iota.

Reddit's a great place to talk about lifting instead of lifting 😉
Anonymous

March 7, 2012

I BTNPP 3-4 times a week, AND post on Reddit. But it's the last place I'd ever turn to for lifting information.
AreThoseNewShoes?

March 7, 2012

Finally somebody called out that fuckface Defranco.
He's totally against Olympic lifting, entirely, also.
I just don't trust a man that looks like a shitty, marshmallowy Vin Diesel impersonator (the kind you'd see on the "Chronicles or Riddick" ride or some shit.)
And I guess Defranco hasn't seen the NFL Combine statistics that show the best players had weak bench numbers and good 40 yard times.
Maybe he should spend more time making athletes good at being athletic instead of good at bench pressing.
1. AreThoseNewShoes?
  
  March 7, 2012
  
  Also:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8BRaqxAmOM
  
  Berestov (O-lifter) strict pressing 150kg/330lbs
2. Paul Carter
  
  March 7, 2012
  
  DeFranco has the worst case of Louie Simmons chin nuts I've seen outside of Chris Mason. Who the fuck cares what you can above parallel box squat with chains?
  
  No one.
  
  Jamie hates me for being great at standing overhead work and fail to do it on a regular basis.
seand

March 7, 2012

i can't get over that chick on the red bench.
1. Justin_PS
  
  March 7, 2012
  
  Well, you're in luck! Her name is sarah de herdt and she has a hardcore video on xvideos.com! She's a bit of a butterface but she has a slaming body and she's a dirty bitch that doesn't say no to much!
Nick

March 7, 2012

I had neck problems with overhead pressing – I tried all kinds of rehab, stretches, massages and assorted bullshit. Then I started SHRUGGING heavy and the problems evaporated.
Troy

March 7, 2012

I agree with you that everyone can overhead press and theres no excuse for that. But have you seen the athletes that his gym produces? Many of them squat 500-600+ and deadlift 600+
1. Paul Carter
  
  March 7, 2012
  
  They don't squat that. Those guys would get crushed under 500 and 600 pound squats. They box squat, usually above parallel, and I haven't seen them deadlifting shit. His whole program is grossly overrated and nothing more than a rip off of Westside Barbell principles.
2. Howard
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  ^ Yep. Exactly what Paul said.
3. Javier
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  It is shocking that some people still consider the box squat a useful exercise.
4. Adam B
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  The deadlifts are also all trap bar. Sweet life.
5. AreThoseNewShoes?
  
  March 9, 2012
  
  He's just a bro that gets paid to babysit athletes performing shitty ego lifts.
6. jack
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  They are american footballers, not training for a powerlifting competition. Box squats are a great cue for someone struggling to drive through their heels to active their glutes and hams. Great for a quad dominant athlete, like so many are.
7. Paul Carter
  
  March 13, 2012
  
  I played football and I can tell you that box squats are a shit football lift. The reason he has them do it is because he has Louie Simmons chin nuts. That's all. The front squat is a better "football" exercise. And the bench press sucks for football as well. The incline press has better carryover.
  
  Don't just repeat some shit you read on the internet, please. Think.
CJ

March 7, 2012

His gym produces?
Allot of those guys were already good and he got them stronger in the gym.
What comes first a chicken or an egg?
DHB

March 7, 2012

I think the best reason for pressing is just that it's so fucking satisfying shoving a weight overhead. Laying down uncomfortably and trying to avoid chopping your head off doesn't quite compare.
Jippo

March 7, 2012

I stopped benching about a year ago and have had zero detrimental effects. It's also one of the reasons i stopped training at a gym, all anyone would ever talk about was fucking bench pressing. If you're not interested in competing in powerlifting i see no real utility for the bench. Close grip is awesome for strengthening triceps but overall a combo of weighted dips and all manner of overhead work is far superior in my opinion.
1. Javier
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  Dips are pretty useless too, imo. I'd rather do variations of the pushup with weight.
2. Jippo
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  Never really thought of trying that before. What do you do for weighting them?
3. Javier
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  A good backpack; it depends on how much weight you are using. You are looking fucking jacked and are posting on CnP, so I assume you have good strength. I'm sure a pack from a military supply or something similar would work fine. If you have a partner, you can also do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6B_rE2J3Iw or use a chain and a padlock to keep it in place.
Thanos

March 7, 2012

Pendlay rows are nice. I use horizontal rows however with everyone I train.
Better for scapular repositioning and learning how to contract the rhomboids at the right time. Fixed my own scapular dyskinesis with those.

Plus EMG studies hsow you actually recruit 20% more musclefibers that way. Need to find the link to it.
1. drealacarte
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  Can you elaborate some? My scapula gives me a lot of shit, I'm winging all over the place.
Anonymous

March 7, 2012

I had 2 shoulder dislocations from boxing, both times my arm was literally punched out of its socket. I was told by the 'physio' and a 'surgeon', I use the terms loosely, that I should avoid lifting a bag of shopping over my head ever again. Thankfully, I ignored her, and started OHP with a 20lb sandbag, and started working on handstands as well. A couple of years on, I can do a full range of motion handstand pressup, and press a bodyweight sandbag over head for 2 reps. If I can do it after 2 shoulder dislocations, I'm willing to bet it's piss easy for almost everyone else. I don't know much about weightlifting, since I'm still primarily a boxer, but even I can tell this deFranco guy is a clown.
1. jack
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  the problems with your arms were due to the fact that you were weak as piss posteriorly, due to all the anterior work you did as a boxer. I dont see pro boxers with this problem!
2. Anonymous
  
  March 13, 2012
  
  You this tough in real life, sweetheart? What you said is ignorant for a couple of reasons. 1. Plenty of pro boxers have shoulder dislocations during fights – Danny Williams, off the top of my head. 2. You have never seen me, you have no idea what my muscle composition is, and no facts about the circumstances under which the dislocations happened.
  
  My problem was getting an uppercut in the bicep, when my jab was fully extended, from the former British heavyweight champion. At a time I was competing as a middleweight.
daily-obs

March 7, 2012

I know you have your issues with Rippletits, but you should check out his chapter on pressing in SS3. He recommends shrugging at the top because it stabilizes the scapula or something. Anyway, I tend to agree with him because most gym who attempt some kind of press never shrug at the top.
1. Thanos
  
  March 7, 2012
  
  Yeah, I wouldn't advise it.
  
  Simple reason: when you shrug, you contract the Pars Descendens of the Trap muscle. Now this on itself it not bad. Point is: when you shrug you are most likely activating the Levator Scapula at the same time (given the fact that it is an extremely dominant muscle, even when compared to the traps). This muscle due to its origins and insertion rotates the shoulderblade (as the muscle inserts on the medial side of the angulus superior of the scapula). If you have the type 1 or even type 2 of anatomic versions of the acromion roof, you are actually narrowing the space between the acromionroof and the humaral head. What is known as primary impingement. With a rotator cuff not fucntioning well, you can swallow poison and check out your odds with that. Most people actually have bad rotator cuffs, due to sitting in front of a screen the whole damn day. As Jamie points out.
  
  The scapula is most stable when sticking against the thorax, shrugging lifts it up from the thorax.
  
  Rippletits has some good ideas, but like most trainers understands only the basics of human biomechanics.
  
  Simple biomechanics. No-one escapes them.
2. Carlos Daniel
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  The reason Rippetoe recommends shrugging at the top it to reduce impingement. I fail to see how rotating ths scapulae reduced the space between the humeral head and the acromion, actually, it is the opposite, it increases it.
3. Thanos
  
  March 9, 2012
  
  Than Rippletoe has even less biomechanical background than I was giving him credit for.
  
  http://www.scielo.br/img/revistas/rbfis/v13n1/010fig01.gif
  
  The place of insertion of the Levator Scapula is on the medial Angulus Superior. When it contracts it causes Downward rotation. Hope you are seeing it now?
  
  Check out the tenderness rates: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21777478
Nathan

March 7, 2012

I guess I should feel lucky to be in the 2% of people who can overhead press without any problem then.
I would be kind of surprised though, if anyone does try to defend Defranco on this blog. Reading Chaos and Pain and liking Joe Defranco's training methodology seems about as likely as having a favorite books list that includes both Das Kapital and Atlas Shrugged.
1. Javier
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  DeFranco has put out good info at times, but he dropped the ball on OHP.
Eric

March 7, 2012

Also does presses…and cardio with 451 lbs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZwYbiZwbkuY

feeling inadequate?
Jesse Richards

March 7, 2012

I just now reread the first part of this series, good stuff. I spent the past 6 weeks pressing 4-6 days a week in a nice easy wave progression, and despite losing ten lbs during that time on a cut, upped my press 1RM from 160 to 175lbs (still crap but getting better). It's almost like this shit works or something!
Jippo

March 7, 2012

Klokov is just a fucking disgusting human being. Quickly becoming my new favourite strength athlete of all time.
1. Hitower77
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  Couldn't agree more. This video should be required viewing on what a perfect, strict BTN OHP should look like. Note how his scapulae are tucked in and tight; it looks like they are on swivel points right next to his spine!
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLPxwuGUZBY&feature=related
  
  After reading this article, I realized that I'm doing myself a disservice with heavy BTN push presses only (I'm up to 215lb). I am going to work in some lower weight, super strict presses, both BTN and military.
2. Hitower77
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  I know I'm replying to my own post, but sweet Jesus titty-fucking Christ!, Klokov is a MONSTER! I just found this video where he snatches 439lb like a boss, and then C&J's 519lb…I'm in awe:
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz_67KS_-Vo&feature=related
vartank

March 8, 2012

Love the rant, I hate all the anti OHP bullshit going around. The staple of my shoulder workout is to Press and then Push Press, and then do Dumbbell Presses, which I all did today.

I try to OHP at least twice a week, and will throw in a 3rd for the fuck of it.
drealacarte

March 8, 2012

Holy shit, that Bob Cicherello looks exactly like real-life Mr. Incredible.

I only overhead press because I suck fat dicks at the bench press.
crash14

March 8, 2012

I agree with what you write, but dimitry klokov is not bulgarian. But yeah, he has a video on youtube push pressing 225 kg. Jamie, how much should someone weighting 110kg, press to be considered strong by you?
crash14

March 8, 2012

Also i think the Russians used assistance exercises like pulls, squats and presses. Broz said that he uses the bulgarian system with his athletes and that they rarely overhead press (strict not jerk)and they do it to stop elbow pain, when it stops, they stop pressing.And they work up to training 2 times a day 6 days a week and 1 time at sunday. They do a ton of squats, clean & jerks and snatches but that's it. http://www.owresource.com/training/images/bulgarian.jpg 1986 bulgarian weekly training program. I don't see any presses. Just squating and doing the olympic lifts all day everyday. This is how koklyaev trains http://fortified-iron.com/board/showthread.php?t=160960&page=1 who is a russian weightlifter and strongman. Full body workouts one day training one day off. Now i have another question for you, as much as i like training for strength, both of these methods seem overwhelming. Even for someone who will never use any kind of supplement, would you advise 3 days a week full body workouts like
1) something explosive like power cleans
2) some type of squat
3) some type of press
4) bent rows or pull ups
and in between something light like some sprints, calves and neck or nothing at all. Or would you still say that more is better and do that every day?
1. Javier
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  Very good post! It would be better to go with weighted pullups (i do various grips) AND bent rows. That's the main problem it seems; lifters focusing a lot of effort on pressing and not pulling enough. If they were to just add weighted pullups, they'd be fine. From my experience, it works fine.
GZCL

March 8, 2012

I think what Defranco fails to realize that the overhead press is unsafe for his clientele specifically, that being American athletes. The movement itself isn't unsafe for everyone, just for people who are trained primarily on the bench press for their pressing movements. The safety of the movement is a problem only within his community, American athletes.

Train athletes as they perform, on their feet.
queenbee

March 8, 2012

If anyone hasn't checked out Klokov's Youtube channel,

http://www.youtube.com/user/44252005

they need to do it NOW.

Shit'll blow your mind.
Gaz @ GetLifting

March 8, 2012

Case in point i remember Jamie saying he sucked at overhead work a while ago, but has improved vastly on it and grown some sick shoulders to boot. How did he do it?

That's right – blogging. Behind the neck blogging, old school strict blogging, thick bar blogging….the list goes on.
1. Rant
  
  March 8, 2012
  
  "Case in point i remember Jamie saying he sucked at overhead work a while ago, but has improved vastly on it and grown some sick shoulders to boot. How did he do it?"
  
  – Steroids.
  
  PS, stop sucking his fucking cock you sycophantic cunt
Eric

March 8, 2012

Before everybody gets a hard on for Klokov, let's not forget he was defeated at worlds by his teammate Khadzhimurat Akkaev. Unfortunately he doesn't use Youtube as much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92meGzR9lh4
Patrick Stroup

March 9, 2012

I know that John Welbourn said he tried to do overhead pressing of some sort 3x a week as well.
jack

March 9, 2012

Ok, after reading this post, ive came to a conclusion that you have the wrong idea. Joe defranco deals with mostly american football guys, not fuckin olympic weightlifters. How many stories do we here of weightlifter getting injured? These athletes need to be performing maximally on the field not in the gym. From reading the quote you cited at the top of the post it states that he spots risks when athletes perform and overheadhead press. If there is a risk then why the fuck would you let the athlete carry out the lift. They want to be in the NFL not A&E! At the end of the day it doent matter if the athlete overhead presses or not, its irrelevant. Oh and guess what! they fuckin bench because they have to perfom the 225lb bench test in the combine, not overhead press.
1. Javier
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  Ladies. Gents. Take it easy on him.
2. Iamhere
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  Overheadhead press? Like so?
  http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/8186/overheadheadpress.jpg
3. jack
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  The embaressing thing is, all of the references used in the post are from powerlifters or olympic lifters!!! Does this say it all! Its very unfair to create a post slagging someone off (whos probably more successfull than you), stick a load of swear words in it and get a load of people to like it who are probably on juice lifting weights every day of the week and never played sport in their life.
4. jack
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  Still waiting for a valid comment Javier, or are you too scared to reply! Help meeeeeeeee!
5. Jamie Lewis
  
  March 13, 2012
  
  Jack- you missed the fucking point entirely. His post is predicated upon a completely invalid statistic. he uses that statistic to build an argument with no valid basis, because the predicate is completely false. Moreover, if you think that recreational lifters and athletes in other sports aren't "on the juice", you're even dumber than DeFranco. "The survey of approximately 50,000 eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders showed 4 percent of male high school seniors said they used steroids in 2010 — up from 3.4 percent in 2009 and the highest number since 2004." http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-07-13/health/ct-x-0713-teens-steroids-20110713_1_number-of-positive-tests-steroid-stats-steroid-problem If 4% of high school seniors are using gear, what percentage of professional athletes are doing so? Use your fucking head.
  
  Additionally, at what is Defranco more successful? He's never competed, to my knowledge, and I'm not a personal trainer. What metric are you using as the basis of your ill-conceived comparison?
Jippo

March 10, 2012

Haha wow! I sincerely concur with every sentiment of the above post. Why Jamie, why? Why have you exposed us to this information when in your heart you know it will confuse us even more!
So should i overhead press or will my rotator cuffs fall off? Please help me! I'm not sure if my body can handle supporting a barbell overhead without becoming a mighty morphin power bumrar.
1. jack
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  Jippo, dont know if thats a funny comment or not about the rotator cuffs? Please inform me. The NFL is a high collision sport. Unfortunatley the reality is most of the guys feel pain holding their arms in the air. The obvious thing to do, would be perscribe them pre hab routines to improve the health of the joint and the muscles surrounding. Am i wrong? Nice abs by the way!
2. Carjack
  
  March 10, 2012
  
  Footbal players just need to keep hammering the three most health-beneficial exercises ever (bench, lateral raise and box squat) over and over. They'll be fine, just like every bench press specialist.
  
  It's those old Eugen Sandow types who are as fucked as a CrossFitter in the shoulder department and have bad posture.
jack

March 10, 2012

Another funny thing that has just been brought to my attention. You have used a picture of tripple H in the artical about dieting for fat fucks. Oh shit, Joe Defranco is his strength coach right!!!!! hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
1. Jamie Lewis
  
  March 13, 2012
  
  That article wasn't about the overhead press, and Triple H was huge long before he linked up with Defranco. From what I've seen, DeFranco's been in business since 2003. Triple H was at his biggest (from the pics I've seen) in 2002, and had been pretty fucking big since he started wrestling in 2004. He's only been training with DeFranco since 2010 or 2011, and it's been for rehab purposes. You're not much for thinking prior to vomiting words onto your computer, eh?
P.San.

March 10, 2012

Fair enough mate. That's all the convincing I need to go throw some weight over my head.
jack

March 10, 2012

you in the NFL?
toto

March 10, 2012

Really great post on overhead pressing. I had pain issues on my left shoulder for a long time now when trying to do any kind of overhead press.
I always followed the advise to shrug at the top and never heard of 'packing' your shoulders before. I tried that yesterday and for the first time in a year I was able to press overhead pain free!

Here is a great video teaching the difference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suzab0rOwuw
Glen MacCharles

March 11, 2012

Holy shit, somebody on the Internet is offended by something. Will wonders never cease?!

Sometimes people are going to have different opinions than you, Jack. By all means keep bitching about it though. You wouldn't want to go through life never having expressed disgust at an Internet blog post.

Your spelling and grammar are shitty, by the way. Are you old enough to be lifting weights?
jack

March 12, 2012

Finally, thanks for a reply Glen. Obviously people are going to have different opinions, and a world with one opinion or one believe would be boring as fuck. Having read comments regarding the artical on overhead pressing, it was brought to my attention that people were getting confused with lifting weights in conjunction with playing sports. Whats your opinion on the matter? All you have done is highlight my bad grammer! People seem to be lacking common sense today, when it comes to strength training for athletes. By the way, nice spelling.
1. Rant
  
  March 12, 2012
  
  Suck my balls Jack, like your mother did 🙂
2. jack
  
  March 22, 2012
  
  haha, rather get your mom too, shes better 🙂
Justin_PS

March 13, 2012

Do we need to explain to you that putting your arms overhead is a pretty fundamental human movement? Pressing overhead shouldn't be a genetic gift from the gods. If athletes can't do it, then they've got some serious FUCKING issues that won't be corrected by avoiding overhead pressing all together.
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