Need help with my overhead press

[jeremy7519]

Hey, I'm a small dude who has started lifting heavy to gain weight recently. I started with bar with strong lifts 5x5. I'm over 135 on squats and have been going for a bit over a month and a half. I just hit 90 on my overhead press and it's becoming so difficult. Starting to hit failure on this lift and none of the others. Bench is still really easy. Any things I can do to help keep progressing with the lift?

My current progress

Deadlift is at 185 and pull ups are up to 7.5 + bodyweight

 

[mrorvelle]

@jeremy7519 OHP is always the first lift to stall, don't stress over it. Follow the program and reset when you need to. Be patient, stay consistent and you will get the results.

If you need to get your form in check, this is worth a watch:

 

[jeremy7519]

@mrorvelle Okay, so at least it's not abnormal. Was a bit worried how quickly I hit failure on it. Was a bit demoralizing. I had a trainer help me keep my form in check, but I'll take a look. Thanks!

 

[person21]

@jeremy7519 Naturally, your OHP will progress slower than all the other lifts; this is due to the fact that the OHP uses much smaller muscles than the other lifts.

One trick you could try is to go 3x3 on one session, 3x4 the next, 3x5 the one after that. Repeat, but increment the weight.

 

[jeremy7519]

@person21 Thank you! Sounds like I'm just gonna have to work harder at this than all the others. Won't let it break me.

 

[dawn16]

@jeremy7519 Don't do low rep OHP if your want progress. Do sets of 7-10

 

[dawn16]

@jeremy7519 Dude! 90lbs is nothing to be upset about for a new lifter. Overhead press takes a Long time to get stronger at.. Think about that movement, you're lifting a ton of weight over your head as high as possible, while purposely limiting recruitment of your strongest muscles. Stalling is normal.. I stalled around 75-80lbs for a good two months, then with consistent effort broke 100lbs over the next two months and it just kept going up... VERY slowly.

Think of it like this.. just being able to add 1 more rep, that is solid progress on OHP. Adding 5lbs to a lift like that, that you are struggling with, that's a BIG accomplishment.. don't sweat it, just keep up the volume and you'll see progress. For a lot of people (basically everyone) it is their slowest progressing movement, and the one they feel the weakest on. In my first year I only put on around 30lbs to my OHP, which is super low compared to my other lifts. Stronglifts is an awesome starting program, but because it is so linear, it can feel discouraging very quickly on difficult movements like this... just keep it up, get in your nutrition and rest, and you'll see progress dude!