Wednesday 4.20.16
Building Strength Overhead
by Grace Lin
A solid overhead foundation is very important in our sport. In order to build this foundation, you need a few key components: Mobility and strength (core, shoulders and triceps)
Mobility: Why do we emphasize mobility so much? Well, because it’s important! In order to perform overhead lifts (or any movement) correctly, full range of motion is necessary. Our bodies are extremely adaptable, so if we are given a task, like taking a bar from shoulder to overhead, it will recruit all the muscles needed to complete the task. Now, if we have proper range of motion (i.e., proper mobility), then the correct muscles will be recruited. But, if we do not have the required mobility, the body will find ways to recruit other surrounding muscles to pick up the slack. This over compensation, done repetitively over time, will create imbalances and increase the risk for injury.
A proper overhead position requires proper lumbar and thoracic curves, while stabilizing an object overhead (or being upside down in a handstand). This means your arms and shoulders need to be fully extended, the rib cage tucked down, the butt squeezed tight, and the neck in a neutral position. If you have trouble keeping this good position with arms extended overhead, then know that shoulder and thoracic spine mobility should be a priority.
Core Strength: Core strength seems to be often forgotten when going overhead. Building the core is one of, if not the most, important foundations to strength overhead. This falls in line with the concept of core to extremity. Think about a house: every house starts with a strong foundation, and the rest of it is built from there. The same goes for our bodies. We need a strong foundation (e.g., our core), and then we can build from there.
Now apply this to putting weight overhead. Can someone stabilize 300# overhead if they have a weak core? No! You would buckle under the weight. The core needs to be strong to keep the spine protected while supporting weight overhead. Therefore keep these things in mind when lifting overhead: keep your chest up, shoulders back, squeeze your glutes, squeeze your quads, and flex your abs (keep the rib cage down). Having this position and a strong core will protect your spine from injury when stabilizing weight overhead.
What can you do to build core strength? Here are a few exercises that you can try:
Plank variations (hands, elbows, Chinese variations, weighted)
Turkish get-ups
L-sits (hanging from bar, supported on rings/bars)
Hollow and arch rocks/holds
Shoot throughs on parallettes
Shoulder and Triceps Strength: Shoulders and triceps are very important in overhead strength. The shoulder muscles are needed to press and stabilize weight overhead. The triceps also come into play when pressing, and they are very important in keeping the arms locked out. The last thing you want is to have 200# fall on your head because your arms couldn’t stay locked out during an overhead squat.
So, what are some ways to build that strength? Try some of these exercises for building strength in the triceps:
Pushups (narrow, normal, wide)
Close-grip bench
Skull crushers
Tricep roll-back extensions
Dips (stationary, ring)
Support holds on rings (arms locked out)
And these exercises to build shoulder strength:
One arm OH waiter walks (dumbbell or kettlebell). Use a dumbbell first, and when you become proficient in that, try using a kettlebell upside-down. The upside-down kettlebell will add more micro-movement, so you will need to work harder at stabilizing it overhead.
Handstand holds (back to wall or nose to wall)
OH barbell walks (vary the grip from clean to snatch grip)
OH hold with bamboo bar (or a thick PVC pipe with KB’s attached to bands) – this adds instability to the bar. Only perform if you are proficient at OH barbell walks
OH bamboo bar walks – only perform if you are proficient at OH bamboo bar holds
Slow HSPU negatives
All of the things mentioned above are built over time. So be patient and persistent in your training, and it will all pay off in the end!
FOUNDATIONS
50-40-30-20-10
wall balls
10-8-6-4-2
Rope K2E OR
5-4-3-2-1
rope pulls
GPP
A. 15 minute rope climb review and practice
B. For time:
50-40-30-20-10
wall balls (20/14#)
5-4-3-2-1
rope climbs
COMPETITION EXTRA
A. Every 2 minutes for 20 minutes: power clean + hang squat clean + push jerk
B. 5 sets of:
200 ft 2xoverhead KB carry (heavy)
rest 2 minutes