Press 2.0

[Keith]

I'm wondering what the party line is on press 2.0.

Is everyone encouraged to learn Press 2.0 or is it lifters choice?

There was a form check video, for example, where the young man was doing a more or less strict press. Should he have been encouraged to learn Press 2.0 or should he have been encouraged to carry on with the strict press.

I see the argument for 2.0 but I have also read some coaches say that they prefer the strict press.

thanks!

[Michael Wolf]

The 2.0 is better, and at this point probably everyone who is still an SSC prefers to teach that to their in-person clients as Plan A. However it does have some technical aspects to it that make it more difficult to teach someone online, or to some people who are just not very physically aware. And the press without the initial hip movement is a perfectly good exercise. My guess is the 2.0, trained consistently over time, provides 3-5% better strength gains than the old style press (Keep in mind that's a guess, just a spitball estimate based on what I've seen over the last 4-5 years, not scientifically collected data). So the combination of those things means that for some people, either without access to coaching or without much athletic ability, are just fine doing the regular press. But the Press 2.0 is our preference, and the vast majority of people being coached in person can learn to do it correctly enough to be passable in 1-2 sessions.

[Christopher Anderson]

I'm wondering what the party line is on press 2.0.

Is everyone encouraged to learn Press 2.0 or is it lifters choice?

There was a form check video, for example, where the young man was doing a more or less strict press. Should he have been encouraged to learn Press 2.0 or should he have been encouraged to carry on with the strict press.

I see the argument for 2.0 but I have also read some coaches say that they prefer the strict press.

thanks!

Just curious, was that my video?

[Keith]

The 2.0 is better, and at this point probably everyone who is still an SSC prefers to teach that to their in-person clients as Plan A. However it does have some technical aspects to it that make it more difficult to teach someone online, or to some people who are just not very physically aware. And the press without the initial hip movement is a perfectly good exercise. My guess is the 2.0, trained consistently over time, provides 3-5% better strength gains than the old style press (Keep in mind that's a guess, just a spitball estimate based on what I've seen over the last 4-5 years, not scientifically collected data). So the combination of those things means that for some people, either without access to coaching or without much athletic ability, are just fine doing the regular press. But the Press 2.0 is our preference, and the vast majority of people being coached in person can learn to do it correctly enough to be passable in 1-2 sessions.

thanks!

Just curious, was that my video?

No, I commented on the video in question. I pointed out that the lifter wasnt doing press 2.0. But I didnt really feel comfortable telling him to stop what he was doing and learn it a different way.

I assume that you got useful advice, Lex.

[Christopher Anderson]

Oh ok cool, I posted a video of me doing strict presses and everyone was like "why aren't you using your hips?" and then I was like "I'm tots doing strict presses" and then I went back to watching Vampire Diaries.

[Michael Wolf]

A fascinating story, Lex.

[Trevor45]

Keith: Since I'm assuming (I may be wrong) that it's my video you are referring to, I decided to chime in.

I will say that Press 2.0 definitely is harder to learn (or maybe strict is harder to unlearn). Two press workouts since that thread, and I still can't figure it out - I keep reverting back to strict press for my work sets. To me, strict press just seems much more natural, although this may be because I've been doing it since day one.

Thanks!

[Michael Wolf]

Speaking from personal experience and coaching experience, it's easier to teach someone to Press 2.0 who hasn't trained the strict or Press 1.0'd at all. Someone who has been doing 1.0 has a similar but not same movement pattern deeply embedded and it takes longer to get out.

[Bradley Gish]

I've seen some pretty strong strict presses. Wasn't it Bill March who was known back in the 60's for pressing in the high 300's " with virtually no technique " as Starr put it?

[sciomako]

How about "double layback" once used in Olympic press? Should novice actively try to incorporate it? I saw an SSC mentioned it in the Facebook group. I tried it and found the movement quite nature to incorporate. And it seemed to make the press easier.