I can't press?

For some reason, there is a nasty rumour going around that I cannot press weight over my head anymore. This, friends and neighbors is just not true.Now, it is true that I chose to stop doing military presses for the last year or so as it made my previously injured right rotator worse and I didnt want to exacerbate the strength imbalance by continuing to press with my left.

I taught the press at the Sept cert and had no problem pushing the 24 kg overhead slow motion for the entire hour, bottoms up pressing it as well.I did use my left but it was no problem, even though I hadnn't pressed anything for months.

For the record, I can press the two pood for sets and reps with either arm,anytime, although it would not be a smart thing to do with my right and would probably overwork my 'healing nicely' right shoulder.I just did 80 push presses( 40 each arm) with the 24 kg Wednesday, the second push press workout back with no problem and it's more press than push.

I can easily say with confidence that I have pressed more weight, more often , than ANY of my detractors have done in their lives.If there is one thing I know, and have confidence in, it is my pressing ability.I never concentrated on the bench because it was such an easy lift for me. One works their weakness to bring up a total,not their strengths.

5-6 hours a day of gymnastics training involved pressing virtually every part of every workout, most of the time just to get in position to do a trick. Floor exercise, rings, parallel bars and conditioning all involved numerous presses of various kinds.

My record for handstand pushups was 22 reps on the still rings with no feet on the straps. Yes I know that was a long time ago but hey, I did it, can my detractors say the same? Could they do one? Do a free standing handstand on the rings? Hell, on the floor?

I did incline db presses with two 140 lb dbs for 4-5 reps regularly in my bodybuilding workouts and flat db benched the 150's for 5's as well.Lets not even talk about dips.Dips are like getting out of bed in the morning for gymnasts.

I have an official 435 bench at 181 pounds and 45 years old in a three lift meet as well as a few Calif. state bench records.I also did 490 in the gym, which doesnt count except to make a point:I know how to press. my gym pr is a 345 close grip incline, a 405 close grip decline and too many others to mention. You get the point.

Another thing to say though, my right shoulder injury is not the result of faulty exercise training but a gymnastics training ACCIDENT 30 years ago. The fact that I can do anything with it is a plus, but of course that will be missed by the nattering nabobs of negativity that are only looking for ways to pull others down.

It always amazes me to see those who have never risked anything and gotten knocked down in the pursuit of their goals slander those who are unafraid of failure in the pursuit of their dreams. Let 'em talk.