Working with a client right now on a Squat, Bench, and Deadlift program…..
Because this client is Bench Press focused, we have more volume and frequency dedicated to the Bench Press, and the Overhead Press has been relegated to the role of an assistance movement.
Just two sets per week.
One top heavy set of 3-5 reps, and one back off set of 5-8 reps.
That’s it.
My client was both surprised and elated this past week when we set all new 5-rep maxes on his Overhead Press on such limited volume.
A lot of people assume that the Press requires lots of volume and lots of frequency in order to progress.
And sometimes it does.
But sometimes trying to pound a lift into submission with excessive volume or frequency just results in a bunch of fatigue and stagnation.
Sometimes…..less is more.
Now what could be the reasons for a lift all of a sudden having an explosion of progress on such limited volume and frequency?
I’ll take a few guesses…..
#1: It was overtrained prior to….
Seen this happen a number of times in my own training and with others. Trying to force a lift to move with lots of volume and it goes nowhere. You pull back and let some of that fatigue dissipate and it’s like a slingshot effect.
#2: Benching more is helping more than Pressing more…….
While they’re two different exercises there is obviously broad overlap between the two movements in terms of the musculature that is trained.
Benching is heavier. So regularly exposing that same group of muscles to much heavier loads is having a big impact on the lighter overhead pressing
#3: More Effort……
The problem with high volume and high frequency training is that there is an inverse relationship to relative intensity. You can’t push a movement to failure and also train it 3 days per week.
Training a movement once per week and taking both sets to the point of failure may have just been what he needed, as opposed to leaving 2-3 reps in the tank at every session.
#4: More Tricep Work……
This was something I put in his program he hasn’t done much of yet. Dips, skullcrushers, and cable pressdowns are all in the program now.
Overhead Presses require big strong triceps. More Pressing isn’t the best way to get them. More direct triceps work, is.
So while we’re doing less of the actual exercise, we’re doing more things that help contribute to that exercise.
If you have a lift that is stuck, thing outside the box a bit.
You might need more, you might need less, you might need different.
