OHP and Oly Press

[joshwaaa]

Hi Ripp & Co,

I have always done a strict Over head press with little or no hip movement. After watching the videos of Suggs teaching the Olympic press, it had me thinking about my form a bit more.

I saw some videos on youtube of you (Ripp) coaching the overhead press to some trainees. In this video you were teaching them to use some hip to achieve a bounce to break the static of the bar. It looked as though they went from a normal anatomical position to shove the hips forward to add a bit of stretch reflex to help push the bar up.

In Suggs video of the Oly press he taught to bow at the hips first, back to an anatomical position and then bow back again in a quick snap.

OHP = normal position > hips forward

Oly Press = hips bow > normal > bow

Am I correct in thinking the difference between these two styles is the hip position?

When is it a good time to incorporate hip drive for the press into the program? 1 x bodyweight?

I like the look and feel of the Oly press, when is a good time to incorporate the Oly press?

Is it more beneficial to use the oly press then the strict ohp so that a trainee can handle more weight?

Many Thanks,

Josh

[Mark Rippetoe]

The basic difference between the two styles is the second layback in the Olympic press. You have to incorporate some layback in a press if you are to make a vertical bar path, and the Olympic press uses a second to enable the hips to work twice in the movement, analogous to the double knee extension in a clean or snatch. Use it when you can figure out how to do.