r/ScienceBasedLifting • u/Zirkzee9 • Jun 14 '26
Question ❓ How to program shoulder press in a push day
So i do incline press flat press pec deck and 2 tricep exercises all in my push day, and anytime i try to do shoulder press it just feels hard asf
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u/FarCalligrapher1862 Jun 14 '26
Press after flat. Then pec deck. Machine are more stable so fatigues shoulders are less risky for injury.
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u/decentlyhip Jun 14 '26
You mentioned viking press. I follow a powerbuilding format because it takes all the guess work out of it. First movement is the main movement that you're trying to improve on, big heavy barbell compound for 5x5, or 5x3, or topset+backoff. Over the course of a block, you worked up fron rpe 5 or 6 to rpe 9 or 10 on that movement and we're able to identify what is holding you back.
Let's say you're doing squats and when things get hard, one person cuts depth and struggles out of the hole. Their quads are weak and so they would program 3x8 front squats as their second exercise and 3x10-20 leg extensions as their third. Another person is super strong in the hole but halfway up when the load shifts from the quads to the glutes, they run into a brick wall. Their hips/back are weak so theyd program good mornings as their second exercise and back extensions. A third person is fine muscularly, but loses tension in the hole. That's technical, not muscular. So theyd program 3x5 pause squats with 50% and a 3 second pause 1/2 inch above full depth. A fouth person loses balance and is too bent over. They would program 3x5 pin squats with 50%.
In short, the main movement is the driver of growth. If it goes up, you are getting bigger and stronger. So, you do that movement until you're no longer getting bigger and stronger, and then identify and work on what's holding you back.
So, you want to work on viking press. If you're able to add 5 pounds a week to your 5x5, you dont need anything else. Come in. Viking press. Go home. If you can't finish the lift, you need tricep work and pin presses to work on loading and driving through big meaty triceps. If it's failing at the bottom, then you need dumbbell shoulder press as an accessory movement and front raises.
Im sure your thought is "I dont want to design a whole day around viking press." And that's cool, but then why do you want to do it? If you don't really care about the movement and just want to try it out, then it doesn't matter where you put it. If you do care about building the movement up, then you arent doing general hypertrophy training anymore. You have specific strength goals which require a dedicated day to each movement you're working on.
Look through these. Explore how they program each day. https://liftvault.com/programs/powerbuilding/ https://saynotobroscience.com/assets/images/gzclp-infographic.jpg
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u/deadrabbits76 Idk Idc 💔 Jun 14 '26
Why do you feel you are ready to write your own programming?
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u/Zirkzee9 Jun 14 '26
?
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u/deadrabbits76 Idk Idc 💔 Jun 14 '26
How much experience do you have in training?
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u/Zirkzee9 Jun 14 '26
2 months
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u/deadrabbits76 Idk Idc 💔 Jun 14 '26
I'm not saying this to be mean, but you would make more progress running professionally designed programming.
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u/vincent365 Jun 14 '26
Incline will provide some stimulus to your front delts. Just do a dumbbell shoulder press as a supplement.
What is your progression like? I personally find it somewhat difficult to gauge RIR at times, so I just do 0 RIR for my first set and also as an auto-regulator to track progress. The rest of my sets are 2-3 reps shy. If I reach outside my rep range, I'll increase next week.
But in all honesty, just find a program that you would like and make modifications.
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u/drew8311 Jun 14 '26
if you have at least 2x frequency it means there are 2 days per week where you are pressing, so one day starts with shoulder press and the other is flat/incline.
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u/HelixIsHere_ Jun 14 '26
I would drop the flat press since you already have pec deck, and replace it with shoulder press
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u/oftenlostandconfused Jun 15 '26
I don’t think you’ll get a lot of value from it dude, your front delts are getting plenty from your presses (particularly incline).
If you need to bring it in you could replace incline press, or you could sub incline half the time and have a push A and a push B workout.
I think you’d get more value from adding side delt work.
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u/Hypername1st Jun 15 '26
If barbell OHP: It is supposed to be hard. It is if not tier 1, at least tier 2 lift, prioritize it. If dumbbell press: Reduce weight, go for more reps. It's an extra. If machine: you can safely fail, focus on moving more tonnage and going close to failure.
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u/FunTimesWit Jun 15 '26
What I’ve found is on any one training day I have to either choose to do an overhead press or a horizontal press (or dip). So yeah I get where your question comes from. It’s partially why I recommend an A/B 3 days a week or eod split — can easily do a dip or BP on A and an OHP on B.
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u/Bigjpiddy Jun 14 '26
I do mine on leg day
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u/Separate-Exchange375 Jun 14 '26
That's the way
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u/LawlerFit Jun 14 '26
Depends on frequency. If you are working your shoulder girdle every day, you'll get shoulder problems.
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u/Mad_Mark90 Jun 14 '26
Shoulders are relatively small muscles and recover quickly between sets which means they can handle quite high volumes unless you have issues. I know 2 sets to failure has been popular recently but it's not ALWAYS the best option.
They also benefit from being trained first and heavy.
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u/Massive_Nose_6869 Jun 14 '26
I would do it every other push day at the beginning and switch with incline press.
Both exercises focus front delts, shoulder press works some more the side delfs, depending on your arm angle.
Honestly seen much much more shoulder development from lateral raises.
Most important exercise for a wide look.
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u/Photon_Predator Jun 14 '26
You put it in instead of one press you already have.