I reached one of my minor goals today. I was finally able to do FULL OHS with an empty Olympic bar. For you young whipper snappers with good flexibility and shoulder mobility, that may not sound like a big deal, but for me it was a real accomplishment. I tried them several months ago and almost tore my body apart, and didn't bother with them again until a couple of weeks ago. I started with a broom stick. Something clicked today and I was able to do 1 set of 3 with an empty bar. Then I tried another set and did 5. I ended up doing 3 sets of 5. Anyway, I'm very happy about this. My next goal is front squats holding the bar in a good olympic style 'rack'. My wrist flexibliity is the stumbling block on that one.
Overhead Squats
- Thread starter EL_VIEJO
- Start date
TunnelRat
Active Member
<div>
(jwbond @ May 05 2008,12:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">...but it is never too late to further condition your body.</div>
But it is never too late to thoroughly screw up your rotator cuffs -- both shoulders at the same time.
Congrats, O&G, that is a significant accomplishment, but be careful with the overhead stuff. We're not kids anymore...
(jwbond @ May 05 2008,12:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">...but it is never too late to further condition your body.</div>
But it is never too late to thoroughly screw up your rotator cuffs -- both shoulders at the same time.
Congrats, O&G, that is a significant accomplishment, but be careful with the overhead stuff. We're not kids anymore...
Congrats EL_VIEJO. It really satisfying to be able to OHS. My mistake was trying to increase the load too quickly. I thought that 50kg was a good place to start but found that my right shoulder didn't agree! You are smart starting with a broom handle and then an empty bar.
I might try them again now you've made me think of them again and see how my shoulder feels.
I've started reading the CrossFit article 'On the Safety and Efficacy of Overhead Lifting.' It makes some good points useful to overhead squatting. Ensuring that you use your traps to maintain a shrug whilst lifting overhead can help reduce impingement problems between the acromion process and the head of the humerus. I'm not sure this will help with my problem but I'll give it a shot.
I might try them again now you've made me think of them again and see how my shoulder feels.
I've started reading the CrossFit article 'On the Safety and Efficacy of Overhead Lifting.' It makes some good points useful to overhead squatting. Ensuring that you use your traps to maintain a shrug whilst lifting overhead can help reduce impingement problems between the acromion process and the head of the humerus. I'm not sure this will help with my problem but I'll give it a shot.
<div>
(TunnelRat @ May 05 2008,1:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(jwbond @ May 05 2008,12:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">...but it is never too late to further condition your body.</div>
But it is never too late to thoroughly screw up your rotator cuffs -- both shoulders at the same time.
Congrats, O&G, that is a significant accomplishment, but be careful with the overhead stuff. We're not kids anymore...</div>
Thanks for bursting my bubble TR.
And BTW, I'm not Old and Gray, I'm Old and Bald.
(TunnelRat @ May 05 2008,1:11)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE"><div>
(jwbond @ May 05 2008,12:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">...but it is never too late to further condition your body.</div>
But it is never too late to thoroughly screw up your rotator cuffs -- both shoulders at the same time.
Congrats, O&G, that is a significant accomplishment, but be careful with the overhead stuff. We're not kids anymore...</div>
Thanks for bursting my bubble TR.
And BTW, I'm not Old and Gray, I'm Old and Bald.
TunnelRat
Active Member
<div>
(EL_VIEJO @ May 06 2008,8:22)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">And BTW, I'm not Old and Gray, I'm Old and Bald.</div>
El Viejo... Old&Gray... Quad... TR...
Heck, you can't tell all us old geezers apart without a program...
(Sorry 'bout that El V)
(EL_VIEJO @ May 06 2008,8:22)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">And BTW, I'm not Old and Gray, I'm Old and Bald.</div>
El Viejo... Old&Gray... Quad... TR...
Heck, you can't tell all us old geezers apart without a program...
(Sorry 'bout that El V)
<div>
(Lol @ May 05 2008,10:30)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Congrats EL_VIEJO. It really satisfying to be able to OHS. My mistake was trying to increase the load too quickly. I thought that 50kg was a good place to start but fond that my right shoulder didn't agree! You are smart starting with a broom handle and then an empty bar.
I might try them again now you've made me think of them again and see how my shoulder feels.
I've started reading the CrossFit article 'On the Safety and Efficacy of Overhead Lifting.' It makes some good points useful to overhead squatting. Ensuring that you use your traps to maintain a shrug whilst lifting overhead can help reduce impingement problems between the acromion process and the head of the humerus. I'm not sure this will help with my problem but I'll give it a shot.</div>
Lol,
You are a brave man. I couldn't imagine trying OHS for the 1st time with 50kg. It's a very unforgiving exercise. Any variation from near perfect form and you loss the bar and your balance.
I read the Crossfit article a few weeks ago and re-read it today after you mentioned it. It's very interesting and lays to rest some myths about lifting overhead.
If anybody is interested, here's the link http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/67_08_Overhead_Lifting.pdf
(Lol @ May 05 2008,10:30)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Congrats EL_VIEJO. It really satisfying to be able to OHS. My mistake was trying to increase the load too quickly. I thought that 50kg was a good place to start but fond that my right shoulder didn't agree! You are smart starting with a broom handle and then an empty bar.
I might try them again now you've made me think of them again and see how my shoulder feels.
I've started reading the CrossFit article 'On the Safety and Efficacy of Overhead Lifting.' It makes some good points useful to overhead squatting. Ensuring that you use your traps to maintain a shrug whilst lifting overhead can help reduce impingement problems between the acromion process and the head of the humerus. I'm not sure this will help with my problem but I'll give it a shot.</div>
Lol,
You are a brave man. I couldn't imagine trying OHS for the 1st time with 50kg. It's a very unforgiving exercise. Any variation from near perfect form and you loss the bar and your balance.
I read the Crossfit article a few weeks ago and re-read it today after you mentioned it. It's very interesting and lays to rest some myths about lifting overhead.
If anybody is interested, here's the link http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/67_08_Overhead_Lifting.pdf
Hey, at least WE can still read...!
I tried briefly the front squat with just 135 on the bar.
First, I can't bend the wrists enough or anything else to get the bar down on the collarbones. Presses into my neck.
Second, I tried the crossed arms. That worked, except the delts are getting nearly the same pain my traps do in back squats. I don't know what's wrong with me there. I did a rep and felt a huge pressure in the lower back and some pain. I'll try again later, as I've been hauling doors and lumber up stairways, carrying ladders and walkboards and scraping and vacuuming our muddy floors. (too cheap to hire someone)
I may not be able to do them but I'll make every effort outside of great pain.
I tried briefly the front squat with just 135 on the bar.
First, I can't bend the wrists enough or anything else to get the bar down on the collarbones. Presses into my neck.
Second, I tried the crossed arms. That worked, except the delts are getting nearly the same pain my traps do in back squats. I don't know what's wrong with me there. I did a rep and felt a huge pressure in the lower back and some pain. I'll try again later, as I've been hauling doors and lumber up stairways, carrying ladders and walkboards and scraping and vacuuming our muddy floors. (too cheap to hire someone)
I may not be able to do them but I'll make every effort outside of great pain.
Bit OT:
Quad, seeing that you are going to try these again later, here are a couple of quick tips on front squats (not OH squats):
Keep the shoulders high so that the bar can rest on the meaty part of your delts - not your collar bones. That should keep it away from your neck a little bit.
When you get into the hole think about lifting your chest up as you drive, and keep your elbows up.
Quad, seeing that you are going to try these again later, here are a couple of quick tips on front squats (not OH squats):
Keep the shoulders high so that the bar can rest on the meaty part of your delts - not your collar bones. That should keep it away from your neck a little bit.
When you get into the hole think about lifting your chest up as you drive, and keep your elbows up.
<div>
(quadancer @ May 06 2008,5:10)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I tried briefly the front squat with just 135 on the bar.
First, I can't bend the wrists enough or anything else to get the bar down on the collarbones. Presses into my neck.
Second, I tried the crossed arms. That worked, except the delts are getting nearly the same pain my traps do in back squats.</div>
I have the same problem. If I raise my elbows my hands end up next to my ears, which can be very hard on the face if you're holding a bar. I found that if I rotate my shoulders inward. which in turn brings them forward. I can get close to properly racking the bar, but the stretching of the wrists becomes unbearable after 3 reps (this was with 95lbs).
(quadancer @ May 06 2008,5:10)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I tried briefly the front squat with just 135 on the bar.
First, I can't bend the wrists enough or anything else to get the bar down on the collarbones. Presses into my neck.
Second, I tried the crossed arms. That worked, except the delts are getting nearly the same pain my traps do in back squats.</div>
I have the same problem. If I raise my elbows my hands end up next to my ears, which can be very hard on the face if you're holding a bar. I found that if I rotate my shoulders inward. which in turn brings them forward. I can get close to properly racking the bar, but the stretching of the wrists becomes unbearable after 3 reps (this was with 95lbs).
If your hands are ending up near your ears have you tried taking a wider grip on the bar? That should help a bit but your wrists will probably still take a beating. Mine have taken three cycles to get to the point where they don't bother me anymore and I can now keep all my fingers wrapped around the bar in the racked position - not that that's necessary, it's just that my flexibility allows it now whereas I found it hard to keep just one finger of each hand under the bar when I first started front squatting.
<div>
(Lol @ May 06 2008,9:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">If your hands are ending up near your ears have you tried taking a wider grip on the bar? That should help a bit but your wrists will probably still take a beating. Mine have taken three cycles to get to the point where they don't bother me anymore and I can now keep all my fingers wrapped around the bar in the racked position - not that that's necessary, it's just that my flexibility allows it now whereas I found it hard to keep just one finger of each hand under the bar when I first started front squatting.</div>
LOL,
I guess it's a matter of persevering and not quitting because it's difficult at first. I can barely keep the tips of 3 fingers in contact with the bar. If you can keep your fingers wrapped around the bar, then you've developed some significant flexibility. Do you have your hands wider than your elbows when you have the bar racked? I find that to be a bit easier for me. I noticed that some Olympic lifters do that while others have their hands and elbows at the same width. But that's probably a question of forearm and upper arm bone length.
(Lol @ May 06 2008,9:55)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">If your hands are ending up near your ears have you tried taking a wider grip on the bar? That should help a bit but your wrists will probably still take a beating. Mine have taken three cycles to get to the point where they don't bother me anymore and I can now keep all my fingers wrapped around the bar in the racked position - not that that's necessary, it's just that my flexibility allows it now whereas I found it hard to keep just one finger of each hand under the bar when I first started front squatting.</div>
LOL,
I guess it's a matter of persevering and not quitting because it's difficult at first. I can barely keep the tips of 3 fingers in contact with the bar. If you can keep your fingers wrapped around the bar, then you've developed some significant flexibility. Do you have your hands wider than your elbows when you have the bar racked? I find that to be a bit easier for me. I noticed that some Olympic lifters do that while others have their hands and elbows at the same width. But that's probably a question of forearm and upper arm bone length.
<div>
(EL_VIEJO @ May 07 2008,10:36)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">LOL,
I guess it's a matter of persevering and not quitting because it's difficult at first. I can barely keep the tips of 3 fingers in contact with the bar. If you can keep your fingers wrapped around the bar, then you've developed some significant flexibility. Do you have your hands wider than your elbows when you have the bar racked? I find that to be a bit easier for me. I noticed that some Olympic lifters do that while others have their hands and elbows at the same width. But that's probably a question of forearm and upper arm bone length.</div>
Yup, I think perseverance is key. Ripp alludes to it taking several weeks to gain the flexibility but I guess he is referring to young folk. At 43 my body just doesn't want to change that quickly.
I space my hands a fair bit wider than my shoulders which allows me to keep my elbows up as much as possible - the longer your forearm relative to your upper arm, the wider you will have to space your hands.
I think one of the reasons that cleans have been so hard on my forearms is that I have taken a grip on the bar the same as I would for deadlifting. Then, when I get to racking the bar, my forearms are forced into a pronated position by the weight which is well beyond their comfort zone. I will have to try taking a wider starting grip for cleans to see if this helps.
(EL_VIEJO @ May 07 2008,10:36)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">LOL,
I guess it's a matter of persevering and not quitting because it's difficult at first. I can barely keep the tips of 3 fingers in contact with the bar. If you can keep your fingers wrapped around the bar, then you've developed some significant flexibility. Do you have your hands wider than your elbows when you have the bar racked? I find that to be a bit easier for me. I noticed that some Olympic lifters do that while others have their hands and elbows at the same width. But that's probably a question of forearm and upper arm bone length.</div>
Yup, I think perseverance is key. Ripp alludes to it taking several weeks to gain the flexibility but I guess he is referring to young folk. At 43 my body just doesn't want to change that quickly.
I space my hands a fair bit wider than my shoulders which allows me to keep my elbows up as much as possible - the longer your forearm relative to your upper arm, the wider you will have to space your hands.
I think one of the reasons that cleans have been so hard on my forearms is that I have taken a grip on the bar the same as I would for deadlifting. Then, when I get to racking the bar, my forearms are forced into a pronated position by the weight which is well beyond their comfort zone. I will have to try taking a wider starting grip for cleans to see if this helps.
Tried some OHSs tonight and found that by snatching the bar to overhead and then holding a shrug during the squat my shoulders suffered less discomfort. I managed a 60kg OHS and there's more to come if my right shoulder will play along. Also need to get my wrists used to the angle they are placed in when under load. They are both a bit sore now. I know it will take a fair bit of time before they toughen up.