Bar for overhead shoulder press

[rangers97]

Does anyone know if anyone makes a bar to use for an overhead press that would be the equivalent of a trap bar? By that I mean, parallel grips, and a "hole" in the middle to go around your head.

To me, this would be the perfect bar for an overhead press...the weight would be in line with your body, like when you use dbs for this movement, but since it is barbell, you can pile on the weight.

If they don't make one, I say we develop one and patent it, and split the money among the DF members!

[cursor]

I expect that there's one SOMEWHERE. It's hard to imagine otherwise. Lady C has four patents to her name already ... maybe she could spearhead such a project. :

[killerduck]

you could always just ask someone like jaster to use his god like power to bend a normal bar and see if it works.

[Dan C]

The mechanics wouldn't be right - it'd be too stressful on the shoulder joint.

Though if you want parallel grips you could always use a log.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Dan C

The mechanics wouldn't be right - it'd be too stressful on the shoulder joint.

Though if you want parallel grips you could always use a log.

How would this differ from say, an overhead db press in your opinion? In my case, I feel less stress in my shoulder joints from db presses than from using a bar and pressing to the front. Pressing to the front doesn't seem quite right to me when the weight gets heavy--it feels like the brunt of it is going right to my front delts, and I don't need any more imbalance than I already have...

Pressing with a bar to the rear, IMO if done carefully can be beneficial in removing stress from the front delts, but I always usually get sore in the middle-upper part of my back from these, which can be quite uncomfortable, so I don't like these either...

that leaves dbs, to me, the perfect combination of both the front and back barbell press. So what better than to be able to do a movement that simulates dbs, but where you can use a bar to use heavier weights?

[Dan C]

The difference is DB's will move independently from one another. Your arms lift overhead in a rotational pattern, they follow an arc, if you will...

Try fixing your hand position in the manner you are suggesting and do some presses. It just doesn't work that way.

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by rangers97

In my case, I feel less stress in my shoulder joints from db presses than from using a bar and pressing to the front. Pressing to the front doesn't seem quite right to me when the weight gets heavy--it feels like the brunt of it is going right to my front delts, and I don't need any more imbalance than I already have...

Pressing with a bar to the rear, IMO if done carefully can be beneficial in removing stress from the front delts, but I always usually get sore in the middle-upper part of my back from these, which can be quite uncomfortable, so I don't like these either...

how is your shoulder flexibilty? how is your form? are you pushing your head through when the bar is past your forehead?

the uncomfortable feeling could be the erectors (muscle that doesn't get hit much) so you might not be used to it? is it uncomfortable or a bad pain? sometimes comfort doesn't go with new and differant exercises at first.

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by luke.w

how is your shoulder flexibilty? how is your form? are you pushing your head through when the bar is past your forehead?

the uncomfortable feeling could be the erectors (muscle that doesn't get hit much) so you might not be used to it? is it uncomfortable or a bad pain? sometimes comfort doesn't go with new and differant exercises at first.

Uncomfortable to the point that I feel like I have to move my neck forward and back about 3000 times the day after to feel comfortable.

The movement itself feels fine, it's the day after that really kills me,,,I feel it right below the base of my neck and it has become uncomfortable to the point that the only thing that made it somewhat better was just laying down.

wierd thing is my shoulder feel fine, which is what everyone complains about when they press behind the head....

but i have given them up for now after I did them a couple weeks ago and was miserable at work the next day

[rangers97]

Originally Posted by Dan C

The difference is DB's will move independently from one another. Your arms lift overhead in a rotational pattern, they follow an arc, if you will...

Try fixing your hand position in the manner you are suggesting and do some presses. It just doesn't work that way.

I could not find a problem with the movement???? perhaps we are thinking of different things here?

[Dan C]

Try taking any circular object (a belt, hoola-hoop, whatever...) and press it through your head as you are describing. You arms will begin to bend in by the time your hands come down to ear level.

If your hand positioning is fixed, and the bar is traveling in a linear path (strait up and down), your forearms cannot remain perpendicular to the bar.

[Dins_PR]

Here's your answer: have you seen the deadlift bars built for parallel grip? You put on the weight, stand in the middle of the diamond so it goes around you and then you have parallel grip. You could use that, just finding some way to rack it would be the problem.

Well I was trying to find a picture of it, but my internet is being difficult. I'm sure you've seen it though, it's the one in the big bar rack that no one ever uses.

http://images.google.com/images?svnu...ar&btnG=Search

the actual website wont' come up, but if you Google Image search for parallel deadlift bar you get that.

[Dan C]

Right... I thought the trap bar was mentioned somewhere in this thread... I guess it was the other one.

That's a perfect example though. Take a trap bar, lift it overhead and try pressing with it. You won't get it down past your ears until your elbows start to buckle.

[luke.w]

the "viking press" sounds like another way (sly stallone did this one in rocky 4 with the wheel barrow handles.

it allows you to keep your head and upper body through more when the handles are at the shoulders.

[cursor]

trap bar 1
trap bar 2
trap bar 3
trap bar 4
trap bar 5 – farmer's walk

[luke.w]

Originally Posted by cursor

trap bar 1
trap bar 2
trap bar 3
trap bar 4
trap bar 5 – farmer's walk

farmers walk trap bar 5..........I don't like that idea, if you drop it, looks like it might hit your leg.

Hey Dan is that Bob Whealeans' trainees I reconized the shirt, "no toning, no chrome, no bull" thats a crazy picture.