Sitting Vs. Standing for upper body RT

[ukcharlatans]

Hi Cathe,

I hope you are feeling well and are recovering!

I have a question for you that I've been meaning to ask. For certain exercises (like military presses or over head tricep extensions) sometimes you stand when doing them and sometimes you sit. Is there an advantage to doing it one way over another? I tend to do them standing, even when you are sitting but was wondering if there is a reason I should sit at times.

Thanks!


Susan

 

[Lynn M.]

Hi Susan-

While you are waiting for Cathe, I thought I'd chime in w/ my .02...

I find that I can really isolate those upperbody parts quite a bit more when sitting, ie in military presses or overhead presses.

Sometimes (esp if lifting heavier) its easier to keep your form when sitting then when standing.. you can't really use other parts of your body to help assist lifting the weight.

Normally I find that if I am sitting when doing these exercises, I have a harder time lifting the same weight that I would when standing. Especially those evil military presses!!!

Take care, Lynn M.

 

[kathryn]

Sitting helps you stabilize the body more (unless you are sitting on a stability ball, with one foot off the ground!), so you can lift/push more weight, but standiing makes YOU stabilize and recruits the core and stabilization muscles more. So it's a good idea to mix up both types of moves. Also, I think some of whether Cathe chooses a standing or a seated version of a move depends on whether she is using the high step or 'step-as-bench' in a workout, or how the exercises fit together.