Shoulder presses...

[LoneRider]

I tried in vain to do some bench presses yesterday, only to have my rotator cuffs scream in pain! I might have been pushing it with 185lbs. because I could barely push one rep, but I did four sets of 1 rep anyways.

I ended up trying some standing presses, and to my surprise I was pretty strong in them! I lifted 155lbs. for 5-6 reps pretty easily and it felt great! I was very strong and surprised I was even able to do any. My entire back is very sore, along with my pecs.

I can't believe how much I have been missing out by not doing the standing press anymore. Clean and press work great for explosiveness, but my back is much more sore by doing military presses. A much different type of soreness than from doing deadlifts.

From now on, I am gonna have a Wednesday workout consisting of the standing press (5x5-6), bench press (3x3-4) and weighted pull/chin ups (5x 5-6).

Sundays will still be reserved for deadslifts as usual (15 sets of varying reps; 5-6,3-4,2-3).

[Little Tim]

Um..... Your back shouldn't be sore from military presses.  That sounds like a bad kind of pain, whereas you should be feeling a good kind of pain in the shoulders, traps, and possibly around your core (if you lack practice bracing your midsection).

Stay safe, and make sure you're practicing good form before chasing big weights.

[ljimd]

Squeezing your glutes b4 initial push should save your back. I've found a little wider than
shoulder width stance helps also. Good luck with the presses. Great movement.

[rangerNY]

I have to be careful when overhead pressing not to create an exaggerated lordosis, which results in a really sore lower back the next day.  Be aware of possibly over-arching your back when pressing.  Its a common side effect of going after the bigger weights.

[FLEX]

I've never been a fan of standing OH presses.  They kill my lower back too.

Love me some seated barbell presses though.

[sakustoms]

I've never been a fan of standing OH presses.  They kill my lower back too.

Love me some seated barbell presses though.

^^^^^ I totally agree. I like the stability and the fact that I can just concentrate on the pressing movement.

[LoneRider]

Um..... Your back shouldn't be sore from military presses.  That sounds like a bad kind of pain, whereas you should be feeling a good kind of pain in the shoulders, traps, and possibly around your core (if you lack practice bracing your midsection).

Stay safe, and make sure you're practicing good form before chasing big weights.

Thanks for the heads up 

I do a TON of Deadlifting and it's overdeveloped my back muscles  in terms of engaging them for other lifts. I flare my lats hard both when holding the weights shoulder level before pressing as well as when I press the weights upwards. I always done them this way, my lower back stays straight and does not arch backwards, I know this because I also keep my abs tight on the pressing and negatives.  It's like having a sore back from doing heavy squats the night before and having to support all that weight. I have a very strong mind/muscle connection when engaging my back muscles, as I purposely developed my body to do so.

I stopped doing the standing press in favor for power cleans because I like the explosiveness I gain from it.. I may end up doing cleans after the presses.