Carryover between HePSU and press

[Amebix138]

I much prefer pressing to the HePSU, but I also like the idea of being able to maintain or build pressing strength with no equipment anywhere I can kick up into a handstand. So what I'm wondering is, can I train barbell presses when I have access to a gym and then switch over to HePSU when I dont, and still maintain progress?

Thanks,

Kevin

[Neal Winkler]

HeSPU is like doing a press to the top of your head. It would be better to develop the HSPU.

[Amebix138]

It would be better to develop the HSPU.

Why is that?

[Neal Winkler]

Because it has the same range of motion as a press. If you do HeSPU then you will lose strength in the bottom portion of the lift if you go for too long without doing it.

If you enjoy doing barbell presses over HSPU then that is how you feel. But the HSPU has benefits that the press does not. Namely, greater balance, stability, control, ect.

[Amebix138]

Ahh, I thought you meant HePSU. My bad.

[Blairbob]

So what I'm wondering is, can I train barbell presses when I have access to a gym and then switch over to HePSU when I dont, and still maintain progress?

Of course, you can. It's your prerogative. A barbell overhead press uses a bit different mechanics than a HSPU on parallettes. The ROM of a HeSPU to a HSPU (on parallettes) is around 55-65% or so. It does have a different sticking point.

To note, yesterday I went to my friends to do a CrossFitTotal. This is similar to a PowerLiftingTotal but uses the Overhead Press instead of the Bench Press. I managed to hit 145 on the first attempt, missed 155 and went back and got closer but missed 150. I didn't have a problem pushing it off the bottom but the sticking point was getting it around or past head height.

To sum, I wouldn't worry about not being able to push it off your chest in the OHP. I haven't worked a HSPU on parallettes in a long time as I currently work floor HeSPU to HS or HS to HeS to HS. On rings, I do work a bent arm press to HS that lowers to shoulderstand in my ring strength work. So, basically an eccentric negative Ring HSPU. I should probably OHP more often but I don't care to and I haven't really worked out on the weekends in a long time due to being busy on the weekends (Ideally, I would do a BB workout on the weekends).

My friend did note my OHP is a bit low in his opinion, but it's been 3 years since I was close to a BW OHP. Last year when I did a CFT, I couldn't get past 140 I think. I do think I should have had 150 or 155. To note, I was only using rest periods around 3m and I started the CFT with about 10mi of biking in 2 stints in my day besides the CFWU I did that I thought was a waste of time for the most part to do a CFT.