Press -> Push press, Split Jerk

[Toadthewetsprocket]

Hi all!

Do you think training the press transfers to a stronger Push press, and split jerk? I know push press and jerk are mostly leg drive based. Nevertheless I believe the shoulder component is important as well but I don't know how much and if it is transferable at all. I don't think this is clearly stated in SS/PPL. What's your experience on this?

At the moment I'm training with some colleagues who started training about the same time as I did. They don't train the press at all and their jerk numbers keep going up.

I only train the press right now and I wonder if at some point my investment will pay off and I will be able to have an advantage over them (assumming we both train as hard) when I'll be training the jerk as well, say at advanced level when its recommended as per my intepretation of SS and PPL.

Thanks,

Toad

[Jason B]

I don't believe they transfer to each other. Maybe in a brand new lifter, more pressing strength may help a jerk, but probably just because they don't know how to jerk properly. I've gone long stretches of just doing jerks and adding a lot of weight to them, and when I go back to pressing, my numbers have barely improved. Same thing vice versa, pressing for long periods does not help my jerk. It's hard to "prove" either way though, with most lifters in the beginner and intermediate stage, improving the squat, clean, and snatch may improve the jerk, and credit may erroneously be given to pressing.

There are other things at play here though, pressing and upper back exercises can add size to your upper torso and shoulders, which may assist in holding/stabilizing a larger load, better enabling you to jerk it (hehe), but credit should not be given purely to pressing strength.

If you're interested in beating your friends at the jerk I'd suggest you keep improving your squat, oly lifts if you do them, and add size to your shoulders/back. Then, you are correct, you will have the potential to jerk more weight when the time comes.

[Dastardly]

A highly relevant article:

http://www.sportivnypress.com/documents/35.html

[gzt]

The press and push press help each other because the push in the push press helps the beginning, but you still have to lock it out. You're essentially overloading the top of the press.

[Baker]

for my organism, i feel the push press helps the press more than the press helps the push press. i don't do jerks.

[Alex Bond]

I don't believe they transfer to each other. Maybe in a brand new lifter, more pressing strength may help a jerk, but probably just because they don't know how to jerk properly. I've gone long stretches of just doing jerks and adding a lot of weight to them, and when I go back to pressing, my numbers have barely improved. Same thing vice versa, pressing for long periods does not help my jerk.

This is my experience as well. You will not beat your friends at jerking if they jerk and you don't, no matter how much pressing you do. I think the front squat is the exercise that carries over most to the push press, it teaches you to dip for the "push" with a vertical back, which is of the utmost importance. If you are currently doing SS, a way to start working in some push presses/jerks would be to do push presses or jerks Monday, presses Wednesday, and bench Friday, progressing week-to-week, keeping the squatting and pulling part of the program the same.

[Toadthewetsprocket]

Thank you all. To be sincere I'm a bit disappointed but that's ok. I know better what can I expect.

I'm doing novice SS and had planned to switch Press/Push press/Bench press and Back Squat/Front squat as soon as I exhaust the linear progression on Press/Back squat.

I would like to get into Olifting. For now I've been trying to follow Rip's advice, namely, keep out of it until I'm done with the novice/intermediate stages.

It's just psychologically hard to wait, when the rest of the people you work out with are on Olifitng full time and it makes you wonder wether your training is really leading you where you want.

[PVC]

It's just psychologically hard to wait, when the rest of the people you work out with are on Olifitng full time and it makes you wonder wether your training is really leading you where you want.

The novice phase only lasts a number of months. In the long run you'll be Just Fine.

[gzt]

Presses don't really translate directly to the jerk (ie, direct carryover), but O lifters, especially novice ones, do presses and push presses to strengthen the shoulders. It won't kill you to do cleans 2x/week and deadlifts 1/week and throw in occasional light snatch practice at the end of the workout, but keep in mind that it's strictly extracurricular and don't tell anyone.

[Baker]

I would like to get into Olifting.

are there any weightlifting coaches/gyms near by? this would be your best bet imo. if you are under the guidance of a proper weightlifting coach, this will give you the best results for your goals. are your colleagues being coached by someone?