Push press

[djsnit]

I know but not all videos are programmed lifts. Sorry I was just was really interested. Thanks for your time, Mark.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I recommend that you lose interest in the push press. If it was useful, we would use it.

[slhuckstead]

I recommend that you lose interest in the push press. If it was useful, we would use it.

But...but...but Strongman!!!!

[pstein]

I recommend that you lose interest in the push press. If it was useful, we would use it.

I am not strong by any stretch of the imagination, but I've found that, for me, the push press has almost no carry over to the actual press. Strangely enough, if I drive my press up, my push press goes up. The opposite is not true. In fact, my press detrains when I use the push press.

[David Kirkham]

I tried push pressing and I can't even do it. My timing went to hell and I quickly gave up. Why mess up your form and risk a red light from Rip and Matt?

[stejor]

Then you know we don't program the push press.

The third edition of Practical Programming, which is the most recent of your books as far as I can tell, contains the following description of the push press:

"For the more athletically minded, the push press is an excellent medium day exercise. This would be an excellent choice for many sport athletes, strongman competitors, or anyone who wanted to make overhead lockout strength their top priority and still implement as much full body exercise as possible."

Furthermore, the push press appears in two of the intermediate programs and three of the advanced programs (four if you include log push press in the strongman program). In fact, basically all of the advanced programs that aren't explicitly powerlifting or weightlifting programs include the push press.

Is there some other book we should be referencing where you repudiate the push press, or has your opinion changed that dramatically since the publication of the latest Practical Programming edition?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Right. As we type, right now, I am re-editing PPST3 to bring it up to date. My summer project for this year, because our thinking has changed, as it often does. We learn, we adjust, and there will be several changes as a result. This board is the current thinking, because I am here every fucking day. But I applaud your willingness to call Truth to Power. You're a brave man.

[stejor]

Right. As we type, right now, I am re-editing PPST3 to bring it up to date. My summer project for this year, because our thinking has changed, as it often does. We learn, we adjust, and there will be several changes as a result.

Fair enough. Just of curiosity, any particular reason you changed your thinking on the push press? I've never found it particularly useful in my own training, but I thought I was in the minority there.

But I applaud your willingness to call Truth to Power. You're a brave man.

I'm glad at least someone appreciates the level of personal grit it takes to overcome my fear and write a post like that. Those of us who are willing to argue on message boards are the true heroes of our time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Fair enough. Just of curiosity, any particular reason you changed your thinking on the push press? I've never found it particularly useful in my own training, but I thought I was in the minority there.

The new version of the press, essentially an Olympic press, makes it unnecessary. It bothers irritated knees. The pressing-part doesn't start until the bar gets to the forehead. Rack partials work better for this because they start from a dead stop. The timing and knee kick of the push press interferes with learning the Olympic press. Like a kipping pullup, people can learn to do the movement while failing to build any strength off the shoulder start position.

I'm glad at least someone appreciates the level of personal grit it takes to overcome my fear and write a post like that. Those of us who are willing to argue on message boards are the true heroes of our time.

We're very proud of you.

[Goatamon]

Speaking of, I just started my push press experiment. I've replaced all the pressing I've been doing with the push press. I'll keep this going for a few months just for shits and because I'm curious what would happen.

I've also toyed around with the idea of doing a sort of "calves only" push press, i.e. using ankle extension to get the bar moving as opposed to an actual push press.

One weakness of the Push Press that can be immediately recognized is that there is nothing inherent in the exercise itself to regulate the amount of leg drive being used. I've seen people in the gym doing "Push Presses" which in reality were pretty much just shitty power jerks with a slight press out.

Anyways, just thought I'd post, since we were talking about it.