opinion on split press

[renzhenghe]

Hi Rip
last night while showering I was thinking if this excise ever existed. the press has the longest kinetic chain which will leak energy from going up, the split stance will strengthen the strcture of the kinetic chain without shortening it, i.e. not doing seated press and not working glute, quad and other stabilizers isometrically; avoid knee push, if you lock your back knee out (the demostrator didn't), although you can flex your front knee but it's not as intuitive as standing. upper body can lean back but not press 2.0 level lean back, because hip is in a fixed place, thus force more shoulder input rather than "decline benchy" as you pointed out in 2ND edition. So what do you think of the excise? would you incorprate it into a novice/intermidiate/advance progame or swap the press with it? Please give the reason behind YES and NO.
thanks for the time, patience, knowledge and thought you put though to read this post.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I see no reason to depart from our bilateral symmetry model for any of the primary lifts, since an asymmetric stance would not satisfy the 4 criteria as well.

[renzhenghe]

yea now I see your point since I get to know the split position better, it stresses one quad and the other posterior chain more than the other, right? but what do you think of it's importance compared to other press variation/assistance though? To my understanding it retains the longest ROM, trains the upper body pretty much the same way the press does, hence beats the other decreased ROM variations; it has a dynamtic kinetic chain all the way down so won't smash one's tailbone into the bench as a seated press. do you think it's odd that split press doesn't get much attention compared to pin, seated, behind the neck, etc? can you give a reason why that is? Thanks for your precious time.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think it's odd that you think the Split Press could be more useful than the bilaterally symmetrical exercises we normally use. Can you give a reason why asymmetry should be preferred?

[AndrewLewis]

I think it's odd that you think the Split Press could be more useful than the bilaterally symmetrical exercises we normally use. Can you give a reason why asymmetry should be preferred?

In your opinion, is the squat jerk preferable to the split jerk?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Depends on the guy.