What To Know
- The overhead position shifts the emphasis away from the chest and onto the deltoids and triceps, making it more akin to a shoulder exercise than a chest exercise.
- In contrast, overhead pressers can adjust their grip width, back angle, and even use a push press or jerk technique to lift the weight overhead.
- The overhead press is not as popular as the squat, bench press, and deadlift due to its technical difficulty, safety concerns, and the lack of inclusion in powerlifting competitions.
The world of weightlifting is vast, encompassing a myriad of exercises and disciplines. Among them, the powerlifts—squat, bench press, and deadlift—reign supreme. However, there lies an enigmatic exercise that often sparks debate: the overhead press. Despite its apparent similarity to the bench press, the overhead press remains excluded from the powerlifting realm. This blog post delves into the reasons why, shedding light on the unique characteristics that set it apart from its powerlifting counterparts.
The Powerlifting Trinity
Powerlifting, as a sport, is defined by its focus on three specific exercises:
1. Squat: A compound movement that targets the lower body, primarily the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.
2. Bench Press: A horizontal pressing movement that isolates the chest, triceps, and shoulders.
3. Deadlift: A compound pulling movement that engages the entire posterior chain, including the back, glutes, and hamstrings.
These three exercises share several key attributes:
- Heavy Weight: Powerlifters strive to lift as much weight as possible in each exercise.
- Strict Form: Adherence to strict form is paramount, ensuring safety and maximizing efficiency.
- Competition: Powerlifting competitions revolve around these three exercises, with athletes competing to lift the heaviest weights in each.
The Overhead Press: An Outsider Looking In
While the overhead press shares some similarities with the bench press, it possesses distinct characteristics that disqualify it from powerlifting status:
1. Different Muscle Groups Involved
Unlike the bench press, which primarily targets the chest, the overhead press heavily involves the shoulders and triceps. The overhead position shifts the emphasis away from the chest and onto the deltoids and triceps, making it more akin to a shoulder exercise than a chest exercise.
2. Technique Variations
The overhead press allows for greater variation in technique compared to the bench press. Powerlifters typically use a narrow grip and a relatively flat back angle for the bench press to maximize chest engagement. In contrast, overhead pressers can adjust their grip width, back angle, and even use a push press or jerk technique to lift the weight overhead.
3. Safety Concerns
The overhead position poses unique safety concerns. Lifting heavy weights overhead requires exceptional shoulder mobility and stability. Poor form or excessive weight can lead to shoulder injuries, making it a riskier exercise than the bench press for some individuals.
4. Competition Format
Powerlifting competitions do not include the overhead press as one of their three official exercises. This is partly due to the safety concerns mentioned above, as well as the fact that it is not considered a fundamental movement pattern for powerlifting.
The Overhead Press in Other Disciplines
Despite its absence from powerlifting, the overhead press remains a valuable exercise in other weightlifting disciplines, including:
- Bodybuilding: The overhead press is a staple exercise for building shoulder and tricep mass.
- CrossFit: The overhead press is often incorporated into CrossFit workouts as a strength and power exercise.
- Olympic Weightlifting: The overhead press is a variation of the snatch and clean and jerk movements, which are essential for Olympic lifters.
Final Thoughts: A Matter of Definition
In conclusion, the overhead press is not considered a powerlift due to its unique muscle group involvement, technical variations, safety concerns, and competition format. While it shares some similarities with the bench press, it is more closely aligned with shoulder exercises and has distinct characteristics that set it apart from the powerlifting trinity. Nonetheless, the overhead press remains a valuable and versatile exercise for a wide range of weightlifting disciplines.
Questions We Hear a Lot
Q: Why isn’t the overhead press as popular as the other powerlifts?
A: The overhead press is not as popular as the squat, bench press, and deadlift due to its technical difficulty, safety concerns, and the lack of inclusion in powerlifting competitions.
Q: Can the overhead press improve my powerlifting performance?
A: While the overhead press is not a direct powerlifting exercise, it can contribute to overall strength and shoulder development, which can indirectly benefit powerlifting.
Q: What are some alternatives to the overhead press for powerlifters?
A: Powerlifters can consider exercises such as the incline bench press, dumbbell shoulder press, and lateral raises as alternatives to the overhead press.
