17. The overhead press: a timeless measure of strength

The overhead press has always stood as one of the clearest expressions of raw physical strength. Before modern specialization, before segmented training systems and highly refined programming, it was one of the primary ways strength was measured and displayed. The ability to move weight from the shoulders to a fully locked-out position overhead was not just a lift but a demonstration of total control under load.

In the early era of physical culture, the overhead press carried a status that is difficult to replicate in modern training environments. It was central to how strength was understood. Athletes of the time did not separate pressing strength into isolated categories. Instead, pressing overhead represented an extension of full-body power. 

Dumbbells, barbells and even awkward implements were brought overhead in displays that combined brute strength, coordination and athletic ability.

To mention some iconic figures of that era: Hackenschmidt, Cyr, Hepburn, Anderson, Saxon, Klein and Grimek stand as some of the clearest examples of the overhead press as a foundational strength expression. They represented a time when strength and physique were not treated as separate disciplines. 

Their ability to press heavy weights overhead was part of a broader physical identity, one that unified size, strength and too level technique. In that era, the overhead press was not supplementary. It was a defining movement of complete physical development.

As strength culture progressed, the overhead press remained deeply embedded in training systems even as competition rules evolved. 

The reason for this is simple: the overhead press exposes qualities that cannot be fully replicated by horizontal pressing alone. Stability under vertical load, full-body bracing and the ability to transfer force through a stacked structure remain unique to overhead strength.

In the strongman tradition, overhead pressing never diminished in importance. Instead, it evolved into multiple implements/events. Log, axle, natural stone, giant dumbbell pressing and other variations all preserved the same underlying demand: moving significant weight from a compromised position to a fully locked overhead position. 

These variations did not replace the barbell press. They expanded its cultural and physical significance. Strongman athletes became modern representatives of a very old principle. That overhead pressing is a direct measure of whole-body power.

Within powerlifting culture, although the overhead press is not a part of competition, its influence has remained embedded in training philosophy. Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell frequently emphasized the importance of overhead pressing within the development of elite bench press strength. 

In discussions surrounding some of his most successful athletes, Simmons referenced how lifters such as Kenny Patterson and George Halbert - among the most accomplished bench pressers in the history of equipped and raw - incorporated significant overhead pressing into their broader training approach. Both men broke several world records in equipped benching and both benched well over 600lbs raw. 

In one of the Westside Barbell podcasts , Simmons states that a substantial portion of their pressing development was supported by overhead work, specifically about one third. The takeaway remains consistent: overhead pressing was not separate from elite horizontal pressing strength but part of its foundation.

Even outside structured systems, many high-level bench pressers have historically maintained overhead pressing within their training cycles. Elite strength athletes such as Ryan Kennelly, known for some of the most impressive raw and equipped bench press performances ever recorded, have also acknowledged the role of overhead strength in supporting pressing capacity and shoulder integrity. 

Through different training philosophies and eras, the overhead press continues to appear as a consistent supporting element rather than an optional accessory.

The reason for this persistence is rooted in biomechanics and force transfer. The overhead press requires a lifter to stabilize the load directly above the midline of the body. Unlike horizontal pressing, where external support structures such as benches provide stability, overhead pressing demands active stabilization through the entire kinetic chain. 

The shoulders, triceps, upper back, core and even lower body contribute to maintaining alignment and controlling the bar path. This makes it one of the most complete expressions of pressing strength available.

For strength athletes, the overhead press serves multiple roles. In powerlifting contexts, it contributes to overall upper body strength and supports bench press enhancement through improved triceps and shoulder strength. In strongman contexts, it is often a primary competitive movement. In weightlifting, it represents a key endpoint of the clean and jerk, where stability overhead determines successful completion of the lift. 

Across all these disciplines, the overhead press functions as a unifying strength expression rather than an isolated skill.

Another important aspect is its relationship with long-term joint and structural development. When trained appropriately, it improves shoulder stability and thoracic control. This structural reinforcement carries over into other pressing patterns, particularly those involving heavy horizontal loads. It also contributes to maintaining balanced upper body development, especially in athletes who rely heavily on bench pressing.

In many modern strength systems, the overhead press is often reduced in frequency or replaced entirely by incline pressing or machine-based variations. While these substitutions can develop pressing strength, they do not fully replicate the demands of true vertical loading. The overhead press remains unique in its requirement for full-body integration under a direct line of force.

From a programming perspective, the overhead press can be incorporated in multiple ways depending on the athlete’s goals. It may function as a primary strength movement, a secondary pressing exercise or a lighter volume-based movement used to reinforce stability and structural endurance. 

Regardless of placement, its role remains consistent: to maintain and develop vertical pressing strength as part of a complete strength system.

Ultimately, the overhead press persists across eras because it represents something fundamental in strength training. It is not defined by equipment, federation rules or training philosophy. It is defined by its demand - the ability to take weight and move it overhead under full control. This simple requirement is what has kept it relevant from the early days of physical culture through to modern strength sports.

That is why strength athletes should continue to press overhead. Not because it is popular but because it remains one of the most complete expressions of strength available.

Terry Eleftheriou for Conjugate Iron 2026

https://linktr.ee/terryconjugateiron