I’ve noticed in general that if my bodyweight drops off or if I for one reason or another cannot train for a little while that the lift which loses the most progress the fastest is the overhead press. Bench, squat, and deadlift and even weighted or bodyweight pull ups don’t suffer as much from breaks or weight loss. My theory: standing presses are unique in that the kinetic chain goes from the foot to the top of the hand when the weight is locked out, which means a lot of coordination from the nervous system and muscular system, so the movement pattern requires more repetition and frequency to excel at or maintain than others and is particularly susceptible to any loss of strength anywhere in the body. Like a tall building or jenga tower being less stable from any loss in structural integrity regardless of where the loss is across the whole thing. I don’t know if that makes sense but it’s just an idea
“…but if you write “mass moves mass,” you’re going straight to jail.”
Crap. I got nothing then.
Actually I think it’s what Prometheus says, about the compounding nature of the loss of strength and ability over the entire kinetic chain. Couple that with the extremely narrow margin for error that any heavy press already has, and there you are, fighting for that 5th rep at a weight 15-20% below your best PR.
My wild hypothesis: the majority of your weight loss was from your trunk and legs, so now there’s less for gravity to pull down on, less anchoring you to the ground in a solid way while you press overhead?
And maybe with seated press your center of gravity is more condensed or something? Ie you don’t have to be stable along such a long “line” as when you’re standing?!?
I found for me, and since then for clients, that the Press is the canary in the coalmine. Are your recovery and life factors similar now to as they were then?
Ya all that is fine. We know from vast experience that lifts tend to go down when you lose a lot of weight, even if that weight is almost all fat. The interesting Q I'm getting at is why the press is so much more effected because of this than the seated DB press.
I’ve noticed in general that if my bodyweight drops off or if I for one reason or another cannot train for a little while that the lift which loses the most progress the fastest is the overhead press. Bench, squat, and deadlift and even weighted or bodyweight pull ups don’t suffer as much from breaks or weight loss. My theory: standing presses are unique in that the kinetic chain goes from the foot to the top of the hand when the weight is locked out, which means a lot of coordination from the nervous system and muscular system, so the movement pattern requires more repetition and frequency to excel at or maintain than others and is particularly susceptible to any loss of strength anywhere in the body. Like a tall building or jenga tower being less stable from any loss in structural integrity regardless of where the loss is across the whole thing. I don’t know if that makes sense but it’s just an idea
“…but if you write “mass moves mass,” you’re going straight to jail.”
Crap. I got nothing then.
Actually I think it’s what Prometheus says, about the compounding nature of the loss of strength and ability over the entire kinetic chain. Couple that with the extremely narrow margin for error that any heavy press already has, and there you are, fighting for that 5th rep at a weight 15-20% below your best PR.
My wild hypothesis: the majority of your weight loss was from your trunk and legs, so now there’s less for gravity to pull down on, less anchoring you to the ground in a solid way while you press overhead?
And maybe with seated press your center of gravity is more condensed or something? Ie you don’t have to be stable along such a long “line” as when you’re standing?!?
Anterior and posterior chain strength, which isn't tested as much in a seated press?
I found for me, and since then for clients, that the Press is the canary in the coalmine. Are your recovery and life factors similar now to as they were then?
Ya all that is fine. We know from vast experience that lifts tend to go down when you lose a lot of weight, even if that weight is almost all fat. The interesting Q I'm getting at is why the press is so much more effected because of this than the seated DB press.