Heavy Singles Press

[Bradley Gish]

I did a lot of Singles today on my press. My second set felt pretty good and fluid, but I suspect that I used just a little to much knee? So for the last 3 sets I cued myself to squeeze Charlie horses into my quads. When I cue this, I don't generate much hip movement, but it's legit. My fifth set was nearly a miss, but I managed to grind through it.

180x1 Set 2 - YouTube

180x1 set 5 - YouTube

[Daverin]

I did a lot of Singles today on my press. My second set felt pretty good and fluid, but I suspect that I used just a little to much knee? So for the last 3 sets I cued myself to squeeze Charlie horses into my quads. When I cue this, I don't generate much hip movement, but it's legit. My fifth set was nearly a miss, but I managed to grind through it.

180x1 Set 2 - YouTube

180x1 set 5 - YouTube

The only thing I would note is that you don't let your hip toss actually "do" anything. You do a pretty good job pushing your hips forward (I think your 2nd set was fine, but I may have watched too many old clips of olympic pressers...) But you don't then re-extend. Remember, it isn't just hips forward; that will help, it is a useful way to get some layback without necessarily risking spinal position, but if you want to actually get some dynamic start, you need to push hips forward, then back. It should feel like a whipping or catapulting effect, if that makes any sense: you attempt to actually throw the bar a bit with your sudden extension back from the hips forward. You can then reassume layback if you prefer to press from that position.

I am, of course, assuming you want that bit of assistance, just because you mention the hip movement at all. Like I said, just some layback and a stretch reflex is quite a bit of boost from the classic idea of bolt upriught press. But you look like you want Press 2.0 or Olympic style, so food for thought.

[Bradley Gish]

The only thing I would note is that you don't let your hip toss actually "do" anything. You do a pretty good job pushing your hips forward (I think your 2nd set was fine, but I may have watched too many old clips of olympic pressers...) But you don't then re-extend. Remember, it isn't just hips forward; that will help, it is a useful way to get some layback without necessarily risking spinal position, but if you want to actually get some dynamic start, you need to push hips forward, then back. It should feel like a whipping or catapulting effect, if that makes any sense: you attempt to actually throw the bar a bit with your sudden extension back from the hips forward. You can then reassume layback if you prefer to press from that position.

I am, of course, assuming you want that bit of assistance, just because you mention the hip movement at all. Like I said, just some layback and a stretch reflex is quite a bit of boost from the classic idea of bolt upriught press. But you look like you want Press 2.0 or Olympic style, so food for thought.

I believe that I follow you Daverin. My press has been in limbo for a while now. The bringing the hips back and re-extending has always been difficult for me to learn. When I ran my first LP I had success with the old cue of pushing my hips forward, kind of slowly, then putting emphasis on snapping them back, but it doesn't seem to work for me at this point. I recall someone cueing the hip movement for the 2.0 press by using a piranha tank for example. Imagine having to stick your dick in there and pull it out really quickly! I may try implementing that one. The one benefit that I reap from pushing my hips forward ( but not back) is that I do generate a decent recoil with the bar, especially when my quads/forearms are held really tight. So I guess you are telling me that if I continue to press this way that I should incorporate some extra layback out of this position? From the looks of it, a little more layback would of probably made that final set a little easier to lock out. I see videos of strong pressers ( 225 plus) using a lot of layback. How do I cue that? As silly as that sounds, I've always attempted to move back towards the bar once pressing it upward.

[Daverin]

I'll admit, I am beginning to suspect the hip toss was not even remotely as important as the layback for the Olympic guys, up until they got good at sneaking knee kick. I believe I have seen Hanley use that... evocative imagery of how to use your hips. I do find that I can't go super fast or else I miss all the stretch that goes into the hips and legs that helps load the bow. Also, this will sound weird, but although Ripp never had luck with the shrug cue, I do find thinking of finishing the recoil with a strong push up with the shoulders to be helpful. It is somewhat hard to describe in words, but I will argue it is alot easier to feel if you can rack the bar on your delts. Not that pressing from a front rack usually works for the best (unless you are the .000001% that has the perfect everything that can keep a narrow grip and yet have elbows down and out with a front rack), but maybe if you can screw around with a bar and see if you can get a feel for that, and then transfer it to a more appropriate rack for yourself.

As for layback, you honestly already had it mostly down, considering you kept legs locked and likely are trying not to involve your spine too much. If you don't feel so purist as to not frown on this, just unlocking your knees can allow a surprisingly extra large amount of hips forward to work with (seriously, look at some of the reaallllyy stupid laybacks from old photos, and notice how damn forward the knees are and how rather soft they are.) Otherwise, I think you could crank your upper back a little harder to get more stretch in the pecs and shoulders, similar to a bench, although unlike the bench your shoulder joint moving in space is just part of the movement. But outside of that, to layback more you would need to use your spine, and I don't think that is worth it unless you think you want to set the next great Press record in strengthlifting.

[Bradley Gish]

I'll admit, I am beginning to suspect the hip toss was not even remotely as important as the layback for the Olympic guys, up until they got good at sneaking knee kick. I believe I have seen Hanley use that... evocative imagery of how to use your hips. I do find that I can't go super fast or else I miss all the stretch that goes into the hips and legs that helps load the bow. Also, this will sound weird, but although Ripp never had luck with the shrug cue, I do find thinking of finishing the recoil with a strong push up with the shoulders to be helpful. It is somewhat hard to describe in words, but I will argue it is alot easier to feel if you can rack the bar on your delts. Not that pressing from a front rack usually works for the best (unless you are the .000001% that has the perfect everything that can keep a narrow grip and yet have elbows down and out with a front rack), but maybe if you can screw around with a bar and see if you can get a feel for that, and then transfer it to a more appropriate rack for yourself.

As for layback, you honestly already had it mostly down, considering you kept legs locked and likely are trying not to involve your spine too much. If you don't feel so purist as to not frown on this, just unlocking your knees can allow a surprisingly extra large amount of hips forward to work with (seriously, look at some of the reaallllyy stupid laybacks from old photos, and notice how damn forward the knees are and how rather soft they are.) Otherwise, I think you could crank your upper back a little harder to get more stretch in the pecs and shoulders, similar to a bench, although unlike the bench your shoulder joint moving in space is just part of the movement. But outside of that, to layback more you would need to use your spine, and I don't think that is worth it unless you think you want to set the next great Press record in strengthlifting.

Thanks for your feedback Daverin. I'm going to continue to sip Heineken and Ponder on this.

[Daverin]

Thanks for your feedback Daverin. I'm going to continue to sip Heineken and Ponder on this.

At the end of the day, remember Schemansky's legendary advice: To press more, press! I don't think most people realize just how well and truly he had, and has, the right to give press advice. Not only was he great at pressing... but it is only because it was his worst lift naturally and he hauled ass to work it. And thus kept up with phenoms like Yury Vlasov.

No matter how well you trick it out (and I can tell you just about every trick that the pressers of old seemed to devise at this point), you have to do it plenty and often. The press is a jealous, fickle bitch, which is probably why it is so damn satisfying to become better at it (that, and the strangely mythic feeling one gets holding weight overhead. Atlas wasn't benching the firmament, now was he?)

[Greg Ruhl]

When I ran my first LP I had success with the old cue of pushing my hips forward, kind of slowly, then putting emphasis on snapping them back, but it doesn't seem to work for me at this point. I recall someone cueing the hip movement for the 2.0 press by using a piranha tank for example. Imagine having to stick your dick in there and pull it out really quickly! I may try implementing that one.

You need to move your hips forward quickly enough such that you get a good rebound effect (hips bounce back, shoulders get loaded to spring the bar up, etc.). At heavier weights I'm not convinced that super-fast hips somehow improve the rebound. Try the slow hips during your initial warm ups and then speed things up as you work towards the work sets (it's been helping me). Also, keep things tight as you go forward but go to charley horse levels of tightness right as the hips reach all the way forward to really launch the bar.

[Daverin]

Also, keep things tight as you go forward but go to charley horse levels of tightness right as the hips reach all the way forward to really launch the bar.

This is also a good point. It is like any other dynamic moment where the stretch reflex is really utilized: you want a sudden moment of great tautness, followed by a sudden reversal. So if you are too tight before even going, then it is going to screw up the movement.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Hello,

if I am allowed to be very annoying and picky, your lockout could be improved further. You are in hurry to finish your lift, and you end up still slightly 'bowed'; also, I think you have room to shrug your shoulders further up and back, which would also help you getting straight and achieve that mythological Atlas pose Daverin mentioned above.


IPB