Overhead squats

Steven Stackpole · 12-02-2005, 04:55 PM

Redid Thursdays WOD, today, Friday Dec 2/05

Proved to myself today that I was capable of OHS much more than I had been. Basically my OHS was being held back by my poor snatch.
When I started experimenting with weightlifting I thought my snatch would progress as fast as my OHS. In other words, I would see a steady increase in my snatch, at the same time seeing an increase in my OHS. It hasnt been that way. Ive snatched as much as 205, but knew I was able to OHS much more than that. I thought, if " I cant snatch it over my head, I dont want to do it" I think I was shortchanging myself.

So today I had a brainwave. I grabbed a couple young turks, got them away from their preacher curls. For the singles 205-210 and 220, I had them hoist it up to their shoulders. From there I got underneath it in a snatch stance and grip, and squatted it with little difficulty. Strangely enough I had never thought of doing it that way before.

So my own strength/crossfit challenge for the next year will be Dan John's bodyweight OHS 15 times.

Giggity giggity giggity

Joe Luckett · 12-02-2005, 10:11 PM

What about doing a snatch push press from behind the neck? Then you can leave the Turks to their preacher curls.

Steven Stackpole · 12-03-2005, 04:53 PM

Joe
sorry about the confusion.
The one rack in my gym, isnt wide enough for me to take a snatch grip on the bar inside of it.
So, I have no choice but to get the young turks to help me.

Aaron Markovich · 12-03-2005, 05:48 PM

I was wondering about the same thing. When I did my OHS's I just set up like I would for a BS then I positioned my hands where they needed to be and did a snatch push press. Not easy but it works. I imagine with heavier weight it might be more difficult to get the weight up this way.

Joe Luckett · 12-03-2005, 08:31 PM

Steven,

I do what Aaron describes. Of course, I am dealing with embarrassingly light weights for the OHS so I have no problem sliding my hands out into the snatch grip and then doing a push press.

Lincoln Brigham · 12-04-2005, 11:09 AM

I do what Aaron describes but with up to 80 kilos. I have no problem sliding my hands out. The biggest problem I have with really heavy OHS is that the weight is typically more than I can push press into position, so I end up having to drop-snatch the weight overhead.

John Phipps · 12-04-2005, 01:11 PM

I am having a hard time as well with the OHS. I can do back squat and front squats but the overhead squat is extremely awkward for me. I have tried twice but still not completed the WOD from Friday Dec 2/05.

I will get out my pvc and keep working on the form and the flexibility. It would be so much easier to rejoin the masses with bench pressing and curling and forget all this functional fitness. :wink:

Paul Siatczynski · 12-04-2005, 03:16 PM

Lincoln,

What is the ratio between what you can push press from in front compared to from behind? I have tried the technique you've mentioned, but I'm so weak with a wide grip behind my neck that what I can get overhead is the limiting factor in my overhead squat.

Lincoln Brigham · 12-04-2005, 06:41 PM

I'm not sure. I think I can push press about as much with a behind the neck snatch grip as I can with a jerk grip from in front.

Paul Siatczynski · 12-04-2005, 08:38 PM

Thanks,
I guess I've got another weak point to overcome.

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12-02-2005, 04:55 PM	#1
Steven Stackpole Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: ottawa ontario Posts: 276	Redid Thursdays WOD, today, Friday Dec 2/05 Proved to myself today that I was capable of OHS much more than I had been. Basically my OHS was being held back by my poor snatch. When I started experimenting with weightlifting I thought my snatch would progress as fast as my OHS. In other words, I would see a steady increase in my snatch, at the same time seeing an increase in my OHS. It hasnt been that way. Ive snatched as much as 205, but knew I was able to OHS much more than that. I thought, if " I cant snatch it over my head, I dont want to do it" I think I was shortchanging myself. So today I had a brainwave. I grabbed a couple young turks, got them away from their preacher curls. For the singles 205-210 and 220, I had them hoist it up to their shoulders. From there I got underneath it in a snatch stance and grip, and squatted it with little difficulty. Strangely enough I had never thought of doing it that way before. So my own strength/crossfit challenge for the next year will be Dan John's bodyweight OHS 15 times. Giggity giggity giggity

12-02-2005, 10:11 PM	#2
Joe Luckett Departed Profile: Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 49	What about doing a snatch push press from behind the neck? Then you can leave the Turks to their preacher curls.

12-03-2005, 04:53 PM	#3
Steven Stackpole Member Profile: Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: ottawa ontario Posts: 276	Joe sorry about the confusion. The one rack in my gym, isnt wide enough for me to take a snatch grip on the bar inside of it. So, I have no choice but to get the young turks to help me.

12-03-2005, 05:48 PM	#4
Aaron Markovich Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Washington D.C. Posts: 39	I was wondering about the same thing. When I did my OHS's I just set up like I would for a BS then I positioned my hands where they needed to be and did a snatch push press. Not easy but it works. I imagine with heavier weight it might be more difficult to get the weight up this way.

12-03-2005, 08:31 PM	#5
Joe Luckett Departed Profile: Join Date: Jan 1970 Posts: 49	Steven, I do what Aaron describes. Of course, I am dealing with embarrassingly light weights for the OHS so I have no problem sliding my hands out into the snatch grip and then doing a push press.

12-04-2005, 11:09 AM	#6
Lincoln Brigham Member Profile: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kirkland WA Posts: 3,987	I do what Aaron describes but with up to 80 kilos. I have no problem sliding my hands out. The biggest problem I have with really heavy OHS is that the weight is typically more than I can push press into position, so I end up having to drop-snatch the weight overhead.

12-04-2005, 01:11 PM	#7
John Phipps Member Profile: Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 158	I am having a hard time as well with the OHS. I can do back squat and front squats but the overhead squat is extremely awkward for me. I have tried twice but still not completed the WOD from Friday Dec 2/05. I will get out my pvc and keep working on the form and the flexibility. It would be so much easier to rejoin the masses with bench pressing and curling and forget all this functional fitness. :wink:

12-04-2005, 03:16 PM	#8
Paul Siatczynski Member Profile: Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oakland Twp MI Posts: 22	Lincoln, What is the ratio between what you can push press from in front compared to from behind? I have tried the technique you've mentioned, but I'm so weak with a wide grip behind my neck that what I can get overhead is the limiting factor in my overhead squat.

12-04-2005, 06:41 PM	#9
Lincoln Brigham Member Profile: Join Date: May 2003 Location: Kirkland WA Posts: 3,987	I'm not sure. I think I can push press about as much with a behind the neck snatch grip as I can with a jerk grip from in front.

12-04-2005, 08:38 PM	#10
Paul Siatczynski Member Profile: Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oakland Twp MI Posts: 22	Thanks, I guess I've got another weak point to overcome.