Weak Overhead Press

I do 5/3/1 been doing it for a while now here’s my OHP routine I do 5/3/1 my last cycle was 190x5 then I’ll do heavy singles 205 210 and if I feel strong 215 next is 3sets of seated dumbell Press with 80 pound dumbells 3 sets of 10 then 2 sets of 60pound dumbbell press to fail usually between 16-20 then 5sets dumbell shrugs 100pound dumbbells 12-15 ,last 3sets side lat raises 20 pound dumbbells I do these slow ,then arms last I’ll do some pull ups my press doesn’t seem to go up I’ve hit a heavy single of 220 after all my sets but when I tried for my max couple of months later I couldn’t even hit 225 .am I doing something

Overtraining possibly? 5/3/1 accessory lifts are supposed to be approx. 50% of training weight. Seated 80lb dumbbells is 80% - and going to failure with 60’s may be causing too much fatigue. May need to cut back the workload on your OHP day. Do you do any light overhead work on bench day? Or any other day? If not, maybe decreasing accessory lifts on OHP day, and adding some light assistance work on other days may help. Just my .02 cents. I had same problem with DL (overwork) and this helped me.

Is your training laid out 4-times a week? If that’s the case switch to a 3/week rotating over 4 different lifts.

Also training to failure is a sure fire way to stall real fast.

Training infrequently you can go to failure if you say do Bench/OHP/pushdowns and some of those sets are taken to failure if you hava week to recover like the traditional Legs/bench/pull routines.

Now if training 2/week failure training might happen during one of the lifts and the other day is speed work or NTF work.

Thanks for your advice Grove and Fischer I think I’ll cut out the 2 sets of 60 to fail I have a bad habit of always going to hard I jus turned 40 in May my girl keeps telling me I need to quit but my goals r 405 bench 500 dlift 500squat 250 strict press my bench was 380 arched 365 flat I’m sticking to flat 460 dl 400 parallel squat until I pulled something in my leg forced myself to not dlift or squat for 5months jus started back my dlift is at 400 max 300 squat now I’m taking it slow I’ll get there when I get there,i do work out 4 times a week I might try that 3week rotating thanks so much for the replies

If you don’t mind, Joe, would you explain why you feel a 220 press is weak? Why anyone would agree that it is weak? I’ve been working in the gym for decades and can’t even get my bench to 220, so I just don’t see the mechanism that can possibly get anyone to that level. My initial guess would be extremely rare genetics, so you would be really gifted.

If you’re asking for advice, here’s mine: enter contests and enjoy your fantastic strength.

How about a video? Whats your grip like? Are you keeping tight? Flaring your lats as if to use them as a shelf and support for your arms? Incorporating your biceps? How much do you weigh?

Thank you for the compliment cavalier im sure with discipline dedication and determination you’ll get your bench up I love lifting I couldn’t stop if I wanted its probably the same for you 220 ain’t my goal 250 is I will reach this goal but if not it won’t take away my love of lifting there’s few things better than a solid deadlift

im not genetically blessed by no means I don’t drink I’ve been sober going on 6 years lifting helped me stay sober gave me something to occupy my time it’s all I do I’d wake up at 2 am lift be at work at 5am get out at 3:30 go to night school get out at 10:30 I even took a curl bar to work and super set arm curls back arms and forearms during my lunch break I have a different job now I work grave yard I get no sleep 12 hour shifts some times but still lift my garage is a mini gym it’s all discipline that and I have no life how much fun can u have with out alcohol HA HA

thanks for your comments brother keep smashing …my thanks to you for your reply mattyXL my grip was a little to wide I made adjustments i now try to keep my elbows under my wrists core tight Create that shelf I’ll try and make a video and post it as for me I’m 5.8 weigh 220-225 thanks again for your replies

Matty, I have a trainer who watches every move and corrects me if something’s out of whack. I weight 208. I stay tight, elbows up, jump with legs. Details on my blog.

As you know, I’ve lifted for a long while - coming up on 40 yrs - and my overhead has been pretty much at this level forever. It’s not a technique issue, it’s just lack of strength.