Optimize and Adjust Grip Width on the Overhead Press
Grip width is one of the most potent factors you can adjust on the overhead press to change your pain experience radically. Ideally, you want to take a grip width that will create vertical forearms from the back view. This will allow maximal force transfer to occur through your forearms and wrists into the bar.
Adjusting the Load and Dosage
No amount of form modification will help if you’re applying a less-than-optimal dosage!
In general, for the overhead press or any major barbell lift for that matter, you want to make sure you’re not performing too much volume above an RPE 8.5 or 85% 1RM.
If you’re only having shoulder pain with the overhead press at higher intensities, reducing the load a bit and working on building up your tolerance again to the movement can be a simple solution.
Try the Dumbbell Overhead Press Next
If you’re still having shoulder pain with the overhead press even after adjusting the dosage and modifying the grip width, the next thing I would try is a dumbbell overhead press.
Performing a dumbbell overhead press gives you more freedom to select the ideal “arm slot” or degree of shoulder horizontal abduction/adduction that will feel best to you!
Sometimes it feels good to press with the dumbbells directly in front of you (flexion). Other times it may feel better to press with them out to the side (abduction). Most commonly, it feels best to press with them somewhere in the middle, in the plane of scaption.
Don’t Forget About the Accessory Work
While you can modify around pain all you want, you want to also make sure you’re tackling weakness directly too. If you’re dealing with shoulder pain with the overhead press, you want to make sure you’re performing a balanced program that includes some of the following
- Horizontal Row Variation (DB Rows)
- Vertical Pulling Variation (Lat Pulldowns/Chin Ups)
- Scapular Retraction Work (Rear delt flies / band pull apart)
- Rotator Cuff Specific Work (Sidelying ER)
A sample upper body day workout for someone experiencing shoulder pain with the overhead press may look like this:
- Standing DB Press 3 x 8
- Alternating DB Bench Press 3 x 6 / side
- Cable Row 3 x 12
- Lat Pulldown 3 x 12
- Rear Delt Fly 3 x 12
- Sidelying ER 3 x 12
Overall, however, the assistance work should be tailored to your individual needs and limitations.
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