Push press

[Brian Harlin]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but a press off of pins seems like it would be a much better choice if your goal is to train the top half of the movement. I would be from the exact same spot each lift. This spot could be adjusted. With a push press the momentum is going to vary based on fatigue and other factors. Just my $.02

[Will Morris]

The ONLY reason to do a push press is when the guy next to you is acting like a dick while doing his 65# thrusters. In that case, you finish your sets of press, then load up 40-50 more pounds and do some push press at 215#. When someone is being a dick in the gym, it is your responsibility to be a bigger dick.

[Daverin]

Yeah, you're moving more weight, but it's probably not helping your main lift as much as you'd think, like, or care to admit.

Believe it or not, this right here kind of speaks to the push press in general.

More weight, more technical in nature (well, maybe not if full blown Olympic style...), and if anything more likely to be supported by getting your press up than vice versa... people want to treat it like an assistance exercise, when the reality is, if you are doing them, it better be because it has some reason or another to be a "main lift". I won't bother starting a discussion on what may warrant that reason, but it just is weird when you stop and think for a second that everyone treats it like an assistance to stricter pressing variants when, quite simply, that just doesn't match the way we treat most other similar lifts. Of course, it may have use assisting the jerk, but that is the only time I see it being "assistance" to any other lift. Otherwise, other lifts feed into it and what it gives is rarely what other forms of pressing actually need. I have read strongmen swear by it improving their strict work, but it isn't like they don't do enough strict work anyways to make that a rather nebulous assessment.

[MWittmer]

A lot of weightlifters use the push press. It puts a premium on the drive, as most are not good pressers, so without that they won't complete the lift. It works the lockout strength. It also helps those that tend to dip and drive forward, as without a split to compensate for an out of position drive, the lift is lost.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I like heavy jerk supports in the rack, heading toward 50k over the jerk, and rack jerks for this ROM. If you can shrug up and stand up with this much weight, the lockout is easy.

[tweakxc03]

Mark -

Any suggestions for improving the bounce/dip-drive part of the Jerk? Just doing more rack jerks?

My best jerk has always been 20-30kgs below my best clean.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's a coaching issue. I'd have to show you.

[MWittmer]

I like heavy jerk supports in the rack, heading toward 50k over the jerk, and rack jerks for this ROM. If you can shrug up and stand up with this much weight, the lockout is easy.

Leistner introduced those to me in 1977, and it was with about 50kg over my jerks. He also made me hold it for a count of ten. Killed my shoulders. However, I jerked anything I racked and could stand all day with it overhead.

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

Why would rip endorse the push press ad it would csnabolize the gimmick ey press 2.0 which seems a push press substitute.

[Mark Rippetoe]

That's a devastating argument, Gator.