Overhead pressing question/weak back

[leila]

Hi, I need some suggestions/input. I am having a hard time doing overhead presses.. I have a weak back (and scapular wing) and when I do many back exercises I simply do not feel it where I should, usually I just feel everything in my neck with any sort of overhead pressing. This happens even when I use 5 pounds. What should I focus on when I work upper body? It's as though my back muscles do not "fire" properly and exercises for my back/shoulders are felt in all the wrong places. Thanks.

[Chiron]

How long have you been working out?

[leila]

I have been working out about 5 years.. but I have never tried ohp until recently. The strength coach I worked with never had me do them either, but now that I am on my own and making my own routines, I tried it and am having problems.

[Chiron]

Your neck doesn't do that on other pressing exercises?
Do you feel it in your neck regardless of whether you do it standing or seated? You say you feel it in your neck when you even press 5 lbs. If you do the movement with no weight do you still feel this? Are you leaning back to press the weight?

To a certain degree it's normal to feel your neck contracting during overhead pressing but that shouldn't be the only place you're feeling it. I always do but it's not all I feel. When I first started doing overhead pressing my lower back felt awkward but I just lowered the weight and kept doing it and eventually everything was fine. What you might want to try is standing against a wall when you're doing your pressing movements.

As far as your back, have you done any scapular retractions? I'm not sure if you have an actual problem or if no one ever showed you decent form.

[Lisa~]

If you know you have scapular winging, then overhead pressing might be contraindicated for you until you fix your scapular positioning. Bill Hartman, Eric Cressey, and Mike Robertson have written some excellent articles on this topic. Here are a few to start reading:

Push-ups, Face Pulls, and Shrugs by Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson
Heal That Hunchback by Mike Robertson
Here's the link to Eric Cressey's Articles List. Take a look at his Neanderthal No More and Shoulder Savers series of articles in addition to any others that catch your interest.
Here's a blog from Eric about overhead pressing. And another blog about scapular stabilizers.
There are also a ton of threads in the injury forum where Bill Hartman helps people with scapular winging issues.

Also, consider purchasing Bill Hartman and Mike Robertson's Inside-Out: The Ultimate Upper Body Warm-up DVD.

I know that's a whole lot of reading, but hopefully it will help you identify what it is you need to focus on to build upper back and overhead strength.

[leila]

Lisa, thank you so much for those links! I am still taking in all the information, but it has been very helpful so far