overhead press

« I thought holding my breath just helped me lift more »: why that reflex on the overhead press is a problem for your eyes

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« I thought holding my breath just helped me lift more »: why that reflex on the overhead press is a problem for your eyes

That instinctive breath-hold during a heavy overhead press triggers a dramatic spike in eye pressure—up to 24 mmHg in some cases. For most lifters it’s harmless, but for those with myopia or existing eye conditions, the risk of retinal damage is real. Here’s what the science shows and how to lift safely.

Stop Arching Your Back on Overhead Press: How Fixing This One Habit Doubled My Shoulder Growth

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Stop Arching Your Back on Overhead Press: How Fixing This One Habit Doubled My Shoulder Growth

That dramatic arch in your lower back during overhead presses feels powerful but is stealing shoulder gains and setting up rotator cuff injury. When one lifter eliminated this compensation pattern, shoulder growth accelerated dramatically—revealing how much of his previous pressing wasn’t actually training the deltoids at all.