Your Classic Press Article

[crookedfinger]

Jordan,
Really enjoyed this article Press Like A Pro: The Classic Press | Barbell Medicine

I've been toying with the idea of increasing the frequency of my pressing so this was timely.

I am wondering if you'd be willing to share the RPE and percentages recommended for the pressing part of the sample program you laid out?

Thank you for your time and energies here and elsewhere.

Mark

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Jordan,
Really enjoyed this article Press Like A Pro: The Classic Press | Barbell Medicine

I've been toying with the idea of increasing the frequency of my pressing so this was timely.

I am wondering if you'd be willing to share the RPE and percentages recommended for the pressing part of the sample program you laid out?

Thank you for your time and energies here and elsewhere.

Mark

Eh, I don't think that's something I want to share just yet.

[crookedfinger]

Eh, I don't think that's something I want to share just yet.

LOL. I get it. I'll give it my own spin and see what happens. Thanks Jordan!

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

LOL. I get it. I'll give it my own spin and see what happens. Thanks Jordan!

I just need to tweak it a bit and package it appropriately. Hope that's done soon!

[Daverin]

Jordan, I wanted to say I was very intrigued by your point of racking on the chest. I knew it was a thing, and can name a few big name lifters known for doing it (including, of course, the strongest presser in the history of the Olympics, for a given value of what press means), but after reading your article, I went back through a bunch of videos of old pressers, and I became cognizant of more racking on the chest instead of the clavicle than I first noticed. Even Serge Reding, who at first I thought racked on the clavicle, began looking like he might have dropped the bar to high on his chest.

I do have to say, after getting used to really bunching up and building a strong shelf on the chest, it seems to make for a cleaner pressing line.

[Christopher Anderson]

Jordan, I wanted to say I was very intrigued by your point of racking on the chest. I knew it was a thing, and can name a few big name lifters known for doing it (including, of course, the strongest presser in the history of the Olympics, for a given value of what press means), but after reading your article, I went back through a bunch of videos of old pressers, and I became cognizant of more racking on the chest instead of the clavicle than I first noticed. Even Serge Reding, who at first I thought racked on the clavicle, began looking like he might have dropped the bar to high on his chest.

You're correct about it being more prevalent than you originally thought. If you go back and read The Tragic History of the Military Press by John D Fair here The Tragic History of the Military Press then you will see that loading the bar on the chest was widely encouraged by coaches and lifters alike in the 1930's. In the article itself the author quotes a coach who instructed his lifters "erect with the barbell at the chest, the feet either together or no more than sixteen inches apart, flatten the chest and draw the arms back; then, in one movement you are to shoot the arms forward and thrust out the chest as you extend the arms overhead; as the bell ascends, arch the back and tilt the head back"

It even mentions the division between state and national level judging on the acceptance of 'back bending" (layback) in competition, whereas at the international level it was widely accepted it appears. As long as the backbending took place at the start of the lift then it would be acceptable to use. These changes from the strict military press on the international scene lead the Soviets to complete domination of the Press (enter the Russian Press) on the International stage during the Cold War. Of course politics played out and the Press was ultimately removed from competition, hence only two lifts now. It's a rather good article, should check it out!