Seated Presses

[Briks42]

Does anyone else here do seated presses without a back support instead of standing presses?

I know it isn't ideal, but I am limited due to ceiling restraints.

My question for anyone who has done seated or both:

How much more or less weight should you be able to do seated vs. standing?

And a related question, how much should you be able to do seated vs. your bench press?

For regular presses, I know the "normal" range is somewhere between 60-70% of the bench. I was wondering if seated would be any different.

[beastmaster103]

I do seated presses with back support, as I am lucky enough to have an adjustable utility bench.

You can check my log, but my BP workset is currently 200, while my military press is at 155 (yesterday's workout) - 160 in two workouts.

I don't know if that helps or not.

[hamster]

I do when I work out at home due to low ceiling height, but do standing press whenever I can get to the gym. I actually find the carryover is pretty good.

This thread addressed the same issue:

http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=15474

[Briks42]

@beastmaster

Thanks. I actually have an adjustable bench too, but am doing them unsupported by choice so I get some of the same abdominal and lower back work that you get from the standing press. I don't know that I can use your numbers as a comparison because I'm pretty sure you can use A LOT more weight with the back support.

@hamster
Thanks. I had already looked through that thread but didn't find too many examples of how much more or less weight I should be able to use seated as compared to standing.

[hamster]

@beastmaster

Thanks. I actually have an adjustable bench too, but am doing them unsupported by choice so I get some of the same abdominal and lower back work that you get from the standing press. I don't know that I can use your numbers as a comparison because I'm pretty sure you can use A LOT more weight with the back support.

@hamster
Thanks. I had already looked through that thread but didn't find too many examples of how much more or less weight I should be able to use seated as compared to standing.

I tried both, and liked unsupported better. Just do whatever you like best, since either way it's a less than ideal replacement.

[Briks42]

Hamster,

You said you do seated (unsupported) at home and standing at the gym, right? Can you do more weight one way or the other?

[hamster]

Hamster,

You said you do seated (unsupported) at home and standing at the gym, right? Can you do more weight one way or the other?

Seated is harder, so I usually move less weight. But the strength carries over to standing. So a few weeks of doing seated, and maybe getting up to 120 will transate to a standing of 125-130. Either way, you will get strong, so I wouldn't sweat the numbers.

[Briks42]

Seated is harder, so I usually move less weight. But the strength carries over to standing. So a few weeks of doing seated, and maybe getting up to 120 will transate to a standing of 125-130. Either way, you will get strong, so I wouldn't sweat the numbers.

Ok, good, thank you.

[hatmanii]

To be honest, why even worry about ratios? Are you going to stop training your bench because it is larger in ratio to your press? Of course not. As long as your are progressing in weight (be it daily, weekly, monthly) you shouldn't worry about the ratio.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

[Briks42]

To be honest, why even worry about ratios? Are you going to stop training your bench because it is larger in ratio to your press? Of course not. As long as your are progressing in weight (be it daily, weekly, monthly) you shouldn't worry about the ratio.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

You are right. I am doing basic SS programming either way. It was more of a curiosity because I have benched my whole life but just started doing the press for the first time when I started SS (I had always done seated dumbell presses with a back support).