Another Essential Movement Pattern

When our girls were little, a favorite thing we'd do together was swimming at our neighborhood pool. Now, when I say "swimming," it was really more like tossing, spinning, and splashing.

My primary function was to be a launch pad from which to toss them 10 feet in the air in a helicopter spin, squealing, laughing, twirling, and crashing back to the water with limbs akimbo.

It wouldn't be long before a swarm of neighborhood kids splashed over, all begging, "Mr. Reilly, Mr. Reilly, throw me too, please!!!"

I want to be able to do that with my great-grandchildren when I’m in my 90s, should I be blessed to live that long.

Which is what makes the Overhead Press movement pattern essential to my healthspan.

Your reasons may be more practical, like being able to lift your carry-on into the overhead compartment unassisted when traveling. I want to retain that one too.

Whether it's luggage, groceries, or great-grandkids, our ability to lift objects safely above our head is a functional movement pattern that we'll want to retain throughout our lifespan.

So, this week we're highlighting the Overhead Press and diving deep into the many benefits that training that movement confers.

Aside from their obvious utility, developing strength and muscle mass in the muscle groups that are engaged with the Overhead Press has other benefits, like shoulder stability. Shoulders are notoriously wonky. Another is the core strength and spinal stability we develop from doing them. Like most movements that we use in our MidStrong training, each one bears multiple dividends.

Our purpose is to help busy moms and dads to do all the awesome stuff they love to do with those they love, like launching their kids into helicopter spins at the pool, and then be around to do it again for their kids' kids and then their kids.

Work it. Live it. Keep it.

MidStrong is for life.