High Incline Military Press 265 x 1, 270 x 1 PR, 225 x 6 PR

[daveobhoy]

technically its nt a miltary incline press

[BIGDADDYJOHNSON27]

one last thing i found out what my max was its 220lbs

[HHH396]

220 lbs is good,you haven't done the seated that often have you? I think I can get 275 lbs next time maybe 280 if I feel strong.This wasn't a very strong feeling day for me,so I think I got more!

[BIGDADDYJOHNSON27]

i just started doing seated 3 weeks ago so i think 220lbs is really good i have always done this stanging :)

[BIGDADDYJOHNSON27]

i had to wear a belt when i was doing these because my lower back was in pain for two days when i first starting attempting these on my bench :)

[HHH396]

Yeah it's really hard not to arch your back when doing these....a belt isn't a bad idea.

[BIGDADDYJOHNSON27]

what is strange is the weight belt prevents me from getting lower back pain when doing them you should try it sometime and see if it works for you

[PowerlifterTy16]

good job Mark! this is very difficult!

[HHH396]

Thanks Ty!

[WeightLifterNerd]

High inclines I think are almost just as effective as 90 degree presses, I find them much easier on the back too, 90 degree benchs are kind of stiff and I find it harder to keep my back straight especially on dumbbells, although I can get away with barbell usually, thats just me though.

[HHH396]

Yeah I don't much see the point of 90 degrees.The incline I had it on was the last notch before 90 degrees.If I had it at 90 degrees I would've had to lift with the bar out in front on me so I could clear my head.I'm sure at 90 degrees it would've taken 15-20 lbs of my max,although if I had a low bench where I could bend my head back I only think it would take 10 lbs off my max.

I'm pretty positive I'll be hitting 300 lbs on this in a matter of months.This was my first time doing these in yrs.

[HHH396]

Thanks Alex! Yeah my shoulders have been pretty decent lately.I'm just on hold at the moment on bench press because I have a slightly strained pec muscle.

[BRETZERR]

Awesome Mark! Very strong shoulders...this will really help your inclines and regular bench (not to mention your push presses). I think I have only hit 280 lbs on the high incline (260 lbs at 90 degrees), so you are only 10 lbs away. Pretty crazy for not doing them....

You and I are very close on this as well! I'll have to try them again later this week to see if I can get 285 lbs.

Keep it going Mark. Adding this variety to your routine will really strengthen you up for 415 lbs.

[HHH396]

Thanks Randy! I was just curious what I could do.This and the incline bench press were lifts that I avoided because of my shoulder problems.I'm quite surprised that I was able to do either of these lifts.I'm very surprised I was able to do this much weight,for 2 reasons....1: because I haven't been training shoulders at all and 2: I haven't done this lift in years.I think 300 lbs is possible if my shoulders stay in one piece ; )

[cyberkai99]

Don't worry about bringing it down lower then the chin. Any movement below the chin is just to stretch the delts to help make them thicker and broader. It serves you no purpose for strength at all in my opinion. When I did them down to the chin, my lower end strength exploded despite not going to the lower end. So it will help a lot.

[BRETZERR]

It's funny that everyone says not to go beyond your chin, etc, but I actually find it easier on my shoulders to do the full range of motion to my shoulders. Kind of like doing a full squat tends to be easier on your knees because once you go beyond parallel your hips/butt come into play to support your knees. I find doing the full range of motion has really added a nice bump on the lower part of my bench. Either way, doing this movement compared to nothing at all is really going to help!

[HHH396]

I simply don't have the shoulder flexibility to go all the way down.I don't even go down to the collar bone with much heavier push presses.Chin or slightly below is fine.

[lundell1]

The last 6 where gold! Strong like a beast.

[HHH396]

Thanks dude! I appreciate it!

[HHH396]

But no pain? That's a good thing!

[HHH396]

Oh yeah,how is your chest injury making out?

[HHH396]

Thanks bro! My rotators are just beat from 15 steady yrs of lifting.I just take time off when they are really bothering me.Lately though I've felt pretty good.

[rctriplefresh5]

youre on a winning streak.

[HHH396]

Haha It's funny because on these and incline bench anything would be a PR because I haven't done these lifts in so long.I don't really have any records on these lifts because even when I use to do them I very rarely ever maxed out on them.

I just maxed out on them to see what my starting point would be.

[j0540212]

Great job on the PR's Mark! I'd be careful w/your rotators though...

[HHH396]

Thanks Josh! I appreciate it! Oh believe me I will,That's why I only did them to chin level.

[bigfattrolllord]

you don't have to call that a high incline. anything over 75 degrees is automatically a press. excellent work.

[HHH396]

Yeah you're right but for the sticklers on here(if you don't have the title exact) I figured I'd label it that way.I don't know exactly what the incline was but it was very close to 90 degrees......thanks Timmy!

[WeightLifterNerd]

I agree with ya man, but the form police will be all over him, they jump all over you if you don't have the exact exercise name. A lot of people consider 90 degree shoulder presses the right way to do it, and not 75 degree or high incline, they just consider it well a high incline, so Mark is just trying to avoid the haters, and I don't blame him I do the same thing, nobody wants to put up with them usually.

[bigfattrolllord]

well, the people arguing with me are missing the point and maybe you are too. there's no such thing as a 90 degree press. your back is to curved for it to matter that the bench is at 90 degrees. the way you have to lean back to do it automatically turns it into a less than 90 degree press. anyone that claims they are doing 90 degree presses should post video of themselves doing them. set the camera up on the side so we can see them. it will prove my point.

[WeightLifterNerd]

My comment was not really directed towards your whole 90-75 degree angle is a press debate.

My comment was directed towards the picky weightlifting elitists, but since you brought this to my attention I guess your right, there is no such thing as a 90 degree press, when I do press movements I don't think my back is ever 90 degrees but close to it.

I also agree that 75 degree presses count as shoulder presses, they hit the shoudlers just as well as close to 90 degree presses.

[fastandrea]

Fookin aye! Good newbie!

[HHH396]

Now say it in english haha.....Thanks,I haven't done seated military in ages!

[pmip247]

Nice job Mark! I do my military presses like this at 135 x 10 lol...

Ive also tried sitting the bench up at 90 degrees and keeping my back totally straight, it is a lot harder, you should try it some time.

[HHH396]

Thanks Tanner! Yeah doing it at 90 degrees take about 20 lbs or so off my max.

[pmip247]

Yeah, shoulders are a fun muscle group to work though, I enjoy seeing you do them, keep up the awesome work!

[HHH396]

Thanks my friend!

[bigfattrolllord]

harder? it sounds impossible unless you have a short back on your pressing bench so you can tilt your head back and not have the bar hit your chin.

[pmip247]

you just put the bar right in front of your chin when you bring it down. try it at the gym, trust me, its a lot harder because your using strictly shoulders.

[bigfattrolllord]

give me a break about what's hard and what's not. it's pointless to have a bench at 90 degrees because 1. if the back of the bench is tall you can't tilt your head back enough to get the bar past your chin and if you can tilt your head back far enough your butt isn't against the back of the bench anymore making it the same as a 70-80 degree bench. 2. if you are stopping at the chin because you can't get the bar past it even tilting your head back it is not harder because the range is shortened.

[bigfattrolllord]

Finally, before you call me a dick please post a video of you doing these 90 degree presses. Set the camera up on the side so we can see that you still have your back flat against the back of the bench. Once again, they're not harder, they're impossible. The only way you can press at 90 degrees is to do it behind the neck.

[BRETZERR]

I disagree bro...you're right, you need to be able to have your head high enough to clear your bench (I use a few wooden blocks) slightly, but once you have that set up, it's not hard to keep your ass and back on the bench. Even on max efforts...

My vid's are posted, if you want to check it out. Unfortunatly for Mark, I think his rack's that go with this bench are too short to use blocks, but he could set this up in his cage.

[StrengthWarrior]

Great job Mark. To come from not doing them for years and to hit 270 out of the gate is awesome! The 225 look good and pretty easy!

Great power buddy!

[HHH396]

Thanks Andrew! Yeah I'm trying some new exercises,getting bored with what I've been doing.How is everything going? Any new vids soon ; )

[StrengthWarrior]

Your welcome Buddy. I decided to enter a powerlifting meet with Jared in Feburary so I'm starting a whole new program. I'm gonna be posting the Barbell pause reps as I progress. Any advise would be appreciated. I'll keep you posted.

[HHH396]

Oh yeah I remember Jared saying something about that.That's cool man.I would say just control the decent of the bar and use your lats as a break.Also the lats when you spread them out gives you something push against coming out of the bottom.

I hope u guys get that on video!

[StrengthWarrior]

Thanks Mark. Whats do you mean use my lats as breaks?

[HHH396]

I just mean when you flex your lats on the way down it has a way of slowing the bar down....kind of like breaks on a car.When I do pause reps I do this.

[StrengthWarrior]

Thanks Buddy

[WeightLifterNerd]

I will def bring my camera if we do compete together, we keep trying to drag dave with us as well, and anymore else nearby just for fun.

[tlast2012dude]

good job, trying something new! and very good weights also!

i'm gonna start doing close bench presses tomorrow... i hope i can make at least 220... my triceps are kinda weak.

keep it strong!

[HHH396]

Thanks Pablo! Dude you'll kill 220 lbs on close grip easy! You'll be doing a lot more than that in a few workouts!

[powabuilda]

Nice Mark! I do my seated millitary presses the same way. Cuz for some reason going lower then that in the seated position really strains your shoulders..

[HHH396]

Thanks Nate! I just don't have the flexibility to much lower,Just below my chin is about it.Anymore and I'm over stretching a already stiff rotator cuff.