What thoughts do you have regarding Push Press using DB's rather than the conventional Barbell?

Initial thoughts are:

Weight will be placed through the body centrally with less risk of compression in the back and could relate to better drive.

Arms working independantly to help stop one side working more than the other.

Difficult to get weight into position initially once strength increases.

similar idea to the dumbell upright rows that Ive been doing - find them x2 better then the bar as I can have the spacing of the bells just infront of the thighs and the delts get hammered without traditionally taxing the traps

Was thinking of maybe alternating weeks between BB and DB.

Sounds like a good idea. I always do my barbell presses heavy with a bit of a 'push', but use lower loads, higher reps and stricter form with dumbells. Weirdly have never even considered going heavy and doing push presses with the DB's... but i think they could provide benfits, certainly easier on the spine & better for imbalance between shoulders as you say.

I'd say the biggest advantage would be the ability to angle the DBs in a way that's kinder to the shoulder capsule...

I've stopped doing traditional BB presses altogether now as I just don't think they're a good idea, you're internally rotating the humerus and then pressing a heavy weight overhead with all the compensatory action that can occur with a BB (as you imply Alex, your left shoulder might be up to lifting a weight that your right one isn't). Anything that lets the shoulder work in its preferred plane of motion is a good thing in my book.

I think investing in some DB Hooks would be worth while if you were to persue this variation.

The thing I don't like about DB's is the lack of control when approaching failure. One shoulder will nearly always tire more than the other and the weight can go up at funny angles.... could potentially be more dangerous than the BB flavour?

Also if one goes up and the other doesn't and you need to control a heavy DB when fatigued and at a horrible disadvantage with your stance...

Bison wrote:The thing I don't like about DB's is the lack of control when approaching failure. One shoulder will nearly always tire more than the other and the weight can go up at funny angles.... could potentially be more dangerous than the BB flavour?

Also if one goes up and the other doesn't and you need to control a heavy DB when fatigued and at a horrible disadvantage with your stance...

thast where a training partner is worth there gold...so i hear ya.

will give Db pushpresses ago for sure. Nice idea.

Bison wrote:The thing I don't like about DB's is the lack of control when approaching failure. One shoulder will nearly always tire more than the other and the weight can go up at funny angles.... could potentially be more dangerous than the BB flavour?

Also if one goes up and the other doesn't and you need to control a heavy DB when fatigued and at a horrible disadvantage with your stance...

You'd keep to 5 reps max so going more for power over hypertrophy and should be able to stop short of failure.

It's a nice idea and could work well if you're confident enough with the form... personally I think I'd feel safer with the BB. Also as you said it could be a pain getting DB's heavy enough for that rep range up into position.

Will be interesting to see how you guys get on

Bison wrote:It's a nice idea and could work well if you're confident enough with the form... personally I think I'd feel safer with the BB. Also as you said it could be a pain getting DB's heavy enough for that rep range up into position.

Will be interesting to see how you guys get on

Im going to give the DBELL Shoulder presses a go next - I find doing the Chest DB Press easier as you can flick them up and get momentum as you sit back - but the dumbell shoulder presses - I dont know how you get to put them up once you go heavier

I find it easier to clean them straight from the floor and then up rather than try to swing them up.

kp1512 wrote:Im going to give the DBELL Shoulder presses a go next - I find doing the Chest DB Press easier as you can flick them up and get momentum as you sit back - but the dumbell shoulder presses - I dont know how you get to put them up once you go heavier

Yeah I've got no problem's with the chest press, once you get that technique they're fine. It's a problem when training alone with the shoulders for sure.... one big hefty flick with the knee and a sort of cheat curl and clean type thing going on lol

Alex wrote:I find it easier to clean them straight from the floor and then up rather than try to swing them up.

An exercise all on it's own mate. How about DB Power Cleans to Push Press?

Heh, I don't find cleaning DB's that much of an issue to be honest but doing it to PP and down each rep may be dodgy after a couple. Don't think I'll be doing this with DB's either as there's a jump from 40kg to 47.5kg and I don't think I can clean 47.5kg up.

I think Push Presses are best done with a BB. Heavy overhead DBs massively increase the risk of an injury.

There's a reason why the strongest dudes in the world do push presses with a BB.

I even think standing heavy DBs pressed together are dodgy. One at a time or both together seated.

That's my opinion anyway.

Also, the best way to do push presses is using a squat rack where you unrack it at shoulder height.

If going heavy then definately BB FTW. If taking it easy then DB's are OK for variation. I quite like ligther DB's and incorporating trunk rotation in the move.

^^ I agree. I should say that I do think DB presses are great (all variations). BUT not heavy... which is what Push Presses are all about. Otherwise there's no need to "push".

health4ni wrote:^^ I agree. I should say that I do think DB presses are great (all variations). BUT not heavy... which is what Push Presses are all about. Otherwise there's no need to "push".

By pushing you are training your CNS to fire a multitude of muscles with synchronicity irrespective of the weight.

pah. It's about lifting a shit load of weight

Fair comments on wobbly form when going really heavy...like with DB supine benches, I don't like going heavy with those, especially as I'm training on my own atm.

Yeah fair comments, but it's not like heavy OH presses are particularly risk free! At least DBs would irradicate the need to hyper extend the back. And with careful progression i'm sure there would be some adaptation to counter the instability of the DBs -which would be a good thing!