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Anyone have any thoughts about doing overhead presses with a Football bar?

I recently started training the Olympic lifts. That; in conjunction with too many viewings of the log press event of the Arnold Strongman Classic gave me the itch to shift towards the overhead press. Since both events basically require you to get a weight overhead, the OHP makes more sense, and the BP significantly less so.

Also; as it has been highlighted - a press looks more badass than a bench press.

As part of building my own home gym, I’m thinking of getting an angled grip Football bar to do overhead presses (http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-mg-2-multi-grip-bars). It’s significantly more compact than an actual log bar!

I’d like your thoughts on the idea.

1. I see lots of mention of using a Swiss Bar or Football Bar to simulate log presses, but I can’t seem to get much noise on Interwebs about this idea. Quite a few sites talk about the idea of the lift, but there’s actually very little discussion / review about how well it works as a strength builder and as a long term lift. To me, it makes perfect sense as to alternate it with barbell OHP to take stress off the shoulders and to add variety - but does it really? I know that experimental ideas don't always translate well to reality.
2. Angled or completely neutral grips? Obviously the Neutral grips have lots more carry over to the log lift, but as I have 2 objectives to work towards, I’m thinking that angled grips make more sense. My Oly lifts are more important to me than Log Lifts – so Neutral grip presses will have less carry over.
3. Another part of the above point is because I’ve read that neutral grip make a lot of sense for bench press, but in the overhead press department, an angled grip actually puts less stress on the shoulder joint.

Anyone have any personal experience / thoughts?

I did a lot of football/swiss bar pressing with my recovery post-injury training. It is much more shoulder friendly and it was only reason I did that. I like that a lot and I can see myself switching to parallel grip pressing completely in the future. My shoulder will be my problem forever.

Anyway, it is a great press variation once you get comfortable wit "log" feeling. It wasn't easy with benching in particular as the bar isn't "fixed" in your hands and it can kill your wrists. But you will be fine once you master that.

Benching with angled grip is almost similar to DB press and gives you ability to get to the reasonable load.

Another cool thing I found is that football bar is excellent for front squat. It sits lovely on your shoulders and you don't need extra mobility to keep your elbows in proper position.

And man oh man.. seal rows are fantastic with angled/parallel grip.

I have used those babies:

What are your thoughts / feelings and experience with pressing with this Football bar?

1. Does it hit the press differently?
2. Any carry overs to a straight bar lift, or is it very different?
3. Do you feel the angled or straight grip to be better for shoulder health?

I know the Football bar has been called the poor-man's log lift, but given that I'm not looking for a perfect recreation of the log lift, do you think it's a viable alternative?

I think that you would get a lot more carryover to weightlifting if you press from the rack position with a standard olympic bar. As for neutral grip, I haven't tried it, but unless you have a shoulder injury I don't think it's necessary.

Blackmetalbunny wrote:Does it hit the press differently?

I didn't feel the difference. Just a shoulder friendly option.

Blackmetalbunny wrote:Any carry overs to a straight bar lift, or is it very different?

Press is press. I don't think you need to switch to FB bar if you need to master OHP with the straight bar. You won't see any extra carry-overs.

Blackmetalbunny wrote:Do you feel the angled or straight grip to be better for shoulder health?

Parallel grip is the best option for shoulder health. The angled grip is my favorite, though. Just love the feel of it..

Blackmetalbunny wrote:I know the Football bar has been called the poor-man's log lift, but given that I'm not looking for a perfect recreation of the log lift, do you think it's a viable alternative?

It is the version of log press IMHO. You can even try and press with trap bar for more fun. But again, press is press. It depends on your goal. I have never been interested in log pressing. Not at all. It just I was forced to used FB/SB for my recovery. I have switched to the straight bar as soon as I was able to do so. But again.. My shoulder might give me middle finger once I get back to reasonable load. So..

I am very interested what would be your experience with different types pressing. Keep us posted, mate.
Good luck!

I tried using it before to train log presses, but got a log shortly after so I really never touched​ it again. It was not as awkward nor as comfortable as using a log so I wasn't much of a fan.

Just in case you are handy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrVhhiV ... yvns1bgbb0