The barbell overhead press is a real check of power as a result of no one yells, “It’s all you, bro.” as they yank the bar out of your chest. With the overhead press, you’ll be able to raise it, or you’ll be able to’t. Though the barbell overhead press will not be the one solution to enhance overhead power, it’s the one which means that you can raise probably the most weight, so it’s the king of the overhead jungle. For these searching for to enhance their overhead press, you’re in skilled arms. Tasha “Iron Wolf” Whelan, a world champion powerlifter and strongwoman athlete with over twenty years of teaching expertise, has the right train for you: the scrape the rack press, which might improve your higher physique power and muscle.
Right here, Whelan explains what it’s and the way it’s an overhead power game-changer.
Why the Barbell Overhead Press Is An Efficient Train
Barbell overhead presses are an important train for a number of causes. It promotes higher physique power by strengthening the shoulders, higher chest, triceps, and higher again whereas constructing a rock-solid core. This train mimics real-world pushing actions and reaching talents, bettering purposeful power and efficiency. It additionally affords postural advantages by strengthening the shoulder and higher again muscle mass, lowering the chance of higher physique accidents.
A barbell offers extra stability as a result of each arms are fastened on it. This better stability makes it simpler to go heavier than dumbbells,” explains Whelan.
What’s the Scrape The Rack Press Train?
This train entails urgent a barbell overhead whereas maintaining the bar in shut contact with the rack’s uprights all through the motion. By “scraping” the bar in opposition to the rack, you keep a managed and secure bar path, which improves stability and muscle engagement within the shoulders, triceps, and higher again.
How To Do The Scrape The Rack Press
Whelan offers you the lowdown on performing this train with good type.
- Place the bar at shoulder peak or barely above in an influence rack. Stand together with your ft shoulder-width aside and grip the bar barely wider than shoulder width. Too extensive, and the shoulders may get cranky. In case your grip is just too slim, and the vary of movement extends, growing triceps demand.
- With the barbell resting on the highest of the “J hook,” elbows barely in entrance of the bar, and wrists straight, brace your core.
- Press whereas maintaining it in full contact with the rack, “scraping” it as you lengthen your arms till lockout. Guarantee your head strikes barely ahead so the bar is instantly overhead. Keep away from flaring your elbows out or shedding contact with the rack. Preserve a impartial backbone; shoulders, elbows, and wrists ought to align when arms are locked out.
- Decrease the bar again to the beginning place on the highest of the “J hook,” maintaining it in touch with the rack to keep up management and good type.
Advantages of the Scrape The Rack Press
Whelan explains why it’s so nice and the way it can enhance your overhead power.
Higher Stability:
By utilizing the rack as a information, lifters can keep a constant and correct bar path, which helps stabilize the load and cut back the chance of shoulder pressure.
Elevated Muscle Emphasis
This variation emphasizes the deltoids and triceps whereas participating the higher again muscle mass because of the managed motion alongside the rack.
Setup Ease
Establishing contained in the rack is safer, particularly when lifting heavier weights. The protection bars will be adjusted to catch the bar if wanted, and the rack acts as a information and spotter whereas urgent.
Improved Approach
The rack offers a tactile cue that helps lifters keep good type, encouraging a vertical bar path and lowering extreme backward lean and decrease again arching.
Exercise and Programming Solutions
The scrape-the-rack overhead press is great for anybody who has shoulder mobility to go overhead. Right here, Whelan offers you units and reps primarily based in your exercise expertise.
Rookies: Three units of 8-12 reps with a lighter weight to concentrate on type and approach and get used to the bar path.
Intermediate: Three units of 6-8 reps, step by step growing the load as you develop into extra comfy with the motion, slowly constructing power and hypertrophy.
Superior: 5 units of 3-6 reps with heavier weights, specializing in maximal power and energy.
Extra Issues
Mobility: To carry out overhead presses safely, guarantee ample shoulder and thoracic mobility. Incorporate mobility workout routines corresponding to shoulder arm bars, thoracic extensions, rotations, and lat stretches into your warm-up.
Development: Step by step improve the load as your power and type enhance, making certain you don’t compromise your approach for heavier hundreds.