Seated DB Press Plateau

Training
21

[quote]hungry4more wrote:

[quote]want2getlean wrote:

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I usually use some pretty heavy DBs for seated presses, and although I don’t particularly care to obsess about continually lifting more and more weight, I do understand how uncomfortable it is getting the weights set.

What I’ve learned to do, is after getting the 'bells positioned on my knees, I actually partially stand up a bit (maybe just a few inches off of the seat), while leaning forward, then as I come back down, use one fluid motion, coupled with the sitting momentum to roll/lift the DBs up into starting position.

Hope I managed to explain that vividly enough.

S[/quote]

This is what I do on inclines and flat pressing, since cleaning directly would be dangerous as fuck and probably end up with me either falling off the bench or eating dumbbell

but try it on the 90Ã??Ã?º seated press… really saves alot of energy to get it up in one swift motion from the ground

[/quote]

Granted, I don’t know what kind of weights OP is throwing around on DB OH Press, but anytime you get above 90’s or so it’s gonna get pretty rough getting them up by yourself.

If you insist on sticking with DB pressing for your primary movement, get some power hooks, so you can just hang the DB’s off a bar, unrack them in the overhead position and get to work. [/quote]

Good advice, and DAMN, H4M… your legs look awesome!

22

about the whole standing barbell press, i do those another day, i feel like its a good idea to have a a unilateral movement too.

im throwing up 30kgs atm for around 8-10, i feel pretty weak after hungry4more mentioned pressing 90lb dumbbells haha!

23

btw, how do i get notified if people have posted in my threads? you guys posted all this and i had no idea haha

24

[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:

[quote]hungry4more wrote:

[quote]want2getlean wrote:

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:
I usually use some pretty heavy DBs for seated presses, and although I don’t particularly care to obsess about continually lifting more and more weight, I do understand how uncomfortable it is getting the weights set.

What I’ve learned to do, is after getting the 'bells positioned on my knees, I actually partially stand up a bit (maybe just a few inches off of the seat), while leaning forward, then as I come back down, use one fluid motion, coupled with the sitting momentum to roll/lift the DBs up into starting position.

Hope I managed to explain that vividly enough.

S[/quote]

This is what I do on inclines and flat pressing, since cleaning directly would be dangerous as fuck and probably end up with me either falling off the bench or eating dumbbell

but try it on the 90Ã???Ã??Ã?º seated press… really saves alot of energy to get it up in one swift motion from the ground

[/quote]

Granted, I don’t know what kind of weights OP is throwing around on DB OH Press, but anytime you get above 90’s or so it’s gonna get pretty rough getting them up by yourself.

If you insist on sticking with DB pressing for your primary movement, get some power hooks, so you can just hang the DB’s off a bar, unrack them in the overhead position and get to work. [/quote]

Good advice, and DAMN, H4M… your legs look awesome!
[/quote]

Thanks ID, I’ve had to rely on mainly isolation work for them lately due to a strained lower back, but I’m still doing what I can. Almost back to 100% anyways!

25

Put them just below the crease of your hips on your thighs and then quickly glute bridge/flick them into position on your shoulders.

Edit - Make sure you put a 45lb plate (flat) or a heavy dumbbell behind the bench so it doesn’t slide backwards when you push into it.

Also make sure the bench has a good frame and has a low centre of gravity or it might tip over, I’ve only had 1 bench almost do this and it was a cheap piece of shit.

26

On a different note, if you aren’t already taking your dumbbell presses pretty deep, start to. Most guys I see who have trouble getting bells out of the hole limit their ROM too much. Taking the weights down deeper will hit the delts harder through a larger ROM, allow you to use a little less weight where you can begin building up from there, and also build up that lower ROM strength to get the dumbbells out of the hole in the future.

27

[quote]The Mighty Stu wrote:

[quote]bobbyPGA wrote:
Stu, you said something that intrigued me. sorry to get off topic here, but you’re advice and feedback is appreciated considering your level of experience and success…you said that you didn’t obsess about continually lifting more and more weight.

is this because you’re not trying to gain muscle mass/weight, or simply because increasing weight lifted is not crucial to making gains, only a byproduct of making gains? i am trying to gain muscle mass and try to lift more weight or increase reps each training session(to a point where it may be considered obsessive). thanks in advance for your feedback. again, sorry to get off topic.[/quote]

You can’t keep getting stronger and stronger indefinitely because the human body will adapt by becoming more efficient at the repeated task (even with additional weight), and you will not reap the size gains you want. I imagine that this is why bodybuilders first started trying to ‘shock’, or ‘confuse’ their muscles.

Personally, as my joints have been pounded upon for year and years, I’ve started using methods where I intentionally try to weaken the muscles without stressing my joints. It’s been years since I started any delt work with a pressing movement. Laterals, Bent Laterals, and either front raises or reverse military presses always precede either seated DB presses, or standing push presses.

All my muscles know, isn’t what #s are printed on the sides of the weights I’m holding, but how f-ing hard they have to work to withstand the beating I’m laying on them. For the record, I can still press to 110’s fairly easily AFTER all the other isolation exercises preceding them. If I did my presses first, I’m sure my joints would be even worse off than they are now -lol.

S[/quote]

thank you stu, for your feedback.

28

[quote]Anus Bleach wrote:
anyone else’s legs cramp up after you kick the dbs into place?

I think I need to foam roll more often[/quote]
ouch…that doesn’t sound fun…