Texas Strength Systems/The Press/Platform Surfaces

[Comancheria]

Coach Rip:

I am 74 years old, 5-10/217 pounds, and currently in the fourth week of the strict novice/geezer program, hopefully with acceptable form, but as you can imagine, with some flexibility issues. I am lifting twice a week and deadlifting every session--and so far progress has been slow and steady--only adding 5 pounds per session to the Squat and DL and 2.5 pounds to the press and bench.

I have three matters to discuss and rather than split them out, I have decided to address all three in one post:

First, I want to say what a big help Eric, in San Antonio, at Texas Strength Systems has been and what excellent customer service they are providing. After I had ordered the SS line of equipment for my garage gym, I discovered that you really need a platform (duh). But the 8 x 6 rubber-topped platform on their website is too big for the space I have available. (And I will not ever be incorporating the power clean or the power snatch in my training anyway, so, I really only need the platform for deadlifting.) Eric said they could fabricate one, cut down to 4 x 6, and at a total thickness to fit up flush with the base of the SS Power Rack. Then, I decided I had picked the wrong bar and he quickly modified the order to change that out. So I should be OK, when my deadlift reaches 1,200 pounds. As you say in your video, they bring the whole shmear right to your house—damned convenient.

Second, I have a curiosity question concerning some confusion I am having with regard to my reading of the SS books and watching your videos with regard to the press: I am of course using the hip movements you coach, and that seems consistent with the principle of using as much muscle mass as possible for each movement. But why, then, wouldn’t you use some non-explosive version of the jerk instead, even if it only involved a strong push moving from slightly bent knees into a locked-knee position? If the point is to make the shoulders and triceps do the work, I would think you would eliminate the hip movements—but if the point is more to work as many muscles as possible, I would think that a mild version of the overhead jerk—or, if you will, the “push press” would enable more weight to be lifted—thus increasing the strength needed to lift it. So, I guess it boils down to: What is the rationale behind the hip movements? As I say, just a curiosity question.

Third, given my really shitty feet, I am eagerly awaiting release of the SS/White’s lifting boot. After watching the in-depth video, I spoke with James (in Spokane, I believe) and am looking forward to being able to pre-order a pair. I get the principle that you need solid, non-“squishy” material between feet and floor. (In one of your videos, you make the point that, in the most extreme example, you wouldn’t want to be lifting while standing on a mattress.) That having been said, and returning to the lifting platform, would there be an issue with the 3/4 inch rubber that is used on top? I am assuming, without being certain, that it is solid and hard enough that there won’t be any “squish.” Is that correct?

Thanks for your continuing help,

Russ

[Mark Rippetoe]

First, Good. TSS is a great company, and we are happy to be associated with them.

Second, the push press has been dealt with many times on this board. Our version has the actual pressing starting as the bar leaves the delts, as opposed to a push press, which might get to the forehead before any pressing actually starts. Ours involves all the same muscle mass while increasing the work done by the pressing muscles.

Third, horse trailer mat is essentially uncompressible.

[Comancheria]

Thanks, Coach. I thought I had looked pretty thoroughly for info on the push press—sorry about the poor homework. Your explanation makes sense.

Russ

[Comancheria]

Coach: Did my homework—admittedly belatedly—and found this in a piece by Brent Carter—summing up pretty much exactly your explanation:

“What then about the push press? At first glance it seems like this lift would satisfy our criteria better than our version of the press. The push press uses a large amount of muscle mass. In fact, the push press uses more muscle mass than the press since it incorporates both knee extension as well as hip extension, an a small degree of ankle plantar flexion. However, the range of motion of the lower body joint actions is quite a bit limited when compared to the squat or deadlift, and the Press is one of our two upper-body exercises. The range of motion for the upper body in a push press seems quite long. However, in the push press the upper body does not bear the brunt of the work until the bar has already been driven up by the lower body. This essentially turns the lift into a very short quarter squat combined with a pin press – the range of motion of the upper body is not as complete as the press.”