Is the Overhead Press Worth It? Rebuilding the Most Skipped Lift

Is the overhead press worth it for most lifters? In this episode of Beast Over Burden, Niki Sims and Andrew Jackson take a hard look at the most skipped lift in strength training: the overhead press.

They break down why it’s often abandoned, what makes it frustrating, and how to rebuild your pressing with smarter technique, variations, and programming for long-term strength and longevity. Whether you’re dealing with shoulder pain, struggling with progress, or questioning if it’s even worth your time, this episode gives you a clear, no-nonsense answer.

✅ What You’ll Learn

• Why the overhead press gets skipped—and whether that’s a mistake

• How to modify the press to fit your body and goals

• Variations like landmine and dumbbell presses that reduce pain and boost results

• How to think of the press as a movement skill, not just a lift

• Strategies for programming vertical pressing into a long-term training plan

• When to rotate, reduce, or temporarily remove the press
  
  

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Is the overhead press worth it?
02:10 – Why lifters skip the press
05:45 – Making pressing work for your body
08:25 – Smarter variations: landmine, dumbbell, incline
12:40 – The press as a skill-based lift
15:10 – Programming adjustments for recovery and sustainability
18:00 – Giving the press a second chance

🏷 Hashtags

#overheadpress #rethinkingthebiglifts #beastoverburden #barbelllogic #shouldertraining #smartlifting #deadliftalternatives #strengthafter40 #fitnesspodcast #strengthtraining #trainforlife #presswithoutpain #dumbbellpress #landminepress #liftinglongevity #trainingsustainably #liftingafterinjury #functionalstrength #liftingsmarter #barbellpress

PS - IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TAKING ONLINE COACHING FOR A TEST RUN, CHECK IT OUT HERE. 

Connect with the hosts

• Niki on Instagram
• Andrew on Instagram

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• Or email [e-mail]