Olympic Lifts

[glennpendlay]

How should the push press be performed? I am thinking of only two ways, one in which the legs are used, to get the bar off the bottom, but then strict press from the forehead up, and the other in which you use a shit ton of leg drive to get past a sticking point, and almost don't strict press anything but the last couple of inches.

The shit ton of leg drive requires lots of knee bending and ankle flexibility since you kind of have to remain upright, which led me to question it, but the other way with less leg drive didn't do shit to help me, and I was push pressing numbers than were barely higher than my strict press.

The strongest dip and drives usually involve about 4-5 inches of lowering the weight, then driving it overhead. I dont see how dipping down a few inches requires much ankle flexibility. the speed with which you switch direction is the most important thing, dont dip down, pause, then push up. A good successful push press will usually have the weight driven above the head before it starts to sklow down, but how far you slow press it depends on the person. A guy with a very strong press, but with legs that arent that strong or explosive will probably be able to press out a weight that isnt driven that high with the legs. A guy with very explosive and strong legs but with not so great pressing strength will probably be limited to a weight that can be driven with the legs almost to lockout. You can really pick out the good athletes vs guys who are just strong by looking at the push press vs military press numbers.

For myself, I had a best strict military press of 392lbs, and my best push press was 440lbs. Just over 10% more. Not that impressive. I was fairly strong, but obviously not all that explosive.

But look at Rob McAdam. He push pressed 375lbs, and that at only about 200lbs of bodyweight. His best military was only about 220lbs. So his push press was 70% more. Rob was a great athlete, very explosive!

 

[Searcher]

Thanks. One more thing, should you start the strict press and push press with the bars on your shoulders in the clean position, or from a pressing position with the forearms almost vertical?

 

[glennpendlay]

push press HAS to start on the shoulders in the clean position, or you cant drive with the legs effectively. military press should start in that position also, if you are flexible enough. If your not, its going to have to come off the shoulders a bit before you start.

 

[glennpendlay]

It says Glenn William Pendlay III right on my drivers license and passport, do I guess that makes me the real deal.

 

[PowerHungry]

 

[squatsquatsquat]

push press HAS to start on the shoulders in the clean position, or you cant drive with the legs effectively. military press should start in that position also, if you are flexible enough. If your not, its going to have to come off the shoulders a bit before you start.

Glen, thanks for all the quality posting you've been doing on this forum. It's really informative.

When you say the push press must start in the clean position, do you mean that the upper arm should be parallel to the floor in the rack position? I had started doing it that way but noticed that when I moved my elbows down a little bit but kept the bar on my shoulders It was less distance to move my elbow to get it under the bar. I feel more powerful this way. What are your thoughts on this? Does it really matter? or am I overthinking it?

 

[glennpendlay]

what I meant was that the bar is resting on the shoulders, not being held up via the hands. but yes. turning the elbows a little down and out from where you catch a clean is ok, and probably preferrable.

 

[BrassBalls]

Glenn thanks for the info. Now you have me thinking about switching from the press to the push press.

I was wondering if you knew the benefit if any to doing pronated curls to increase your press. I came accross an olympic lifters press workout from back when they still did the clean and press, and it was primarily press, military press, guillitine press, and pronated curls. I unfortunately cannot seem to find the website that listed it again, but I was curios as to why or why not pronated curls would be benificial.

 

[glennpendlay]

Glenn thanks for the info. Now you have me thinking about switching from the press to the push press.

I was wondering if you knew the benefit if any to doing pronated curls to increase your press. I came accross an olympic lifters press workout from back when they still did the clean and press, and it was primarily press, military press, guillitine press, and pronated curls. I unfortunately cannot seem to find the website that listed it again, but I was curios as to why or why not pronated curls would be benificial.

I think some people felt that increased bicep/forearm mass helped the start because of the physical pressure between the biceps and forearms.

 

[spiral]

I think some people felt that increased bicep/forearm mass helped the start because of the physical pressure between the biceps and forearms.

At least! A good excuse to work teh gunzors with teh curlz!
Joke aside, if it's noticeable enough to the point of helping it, wouldn't it hinder for a clean?

 

[glennpendlay]

At least! A good excuse to work teh gunzors with teh curlz!
Joke aside, if it's noticeable enough to the point of helping it, wouldn't it hinder for a clean?

Seems that way, doesn't it?

A lot of lifters back in the press era did put a lot of work into looking good at the beach though. Even to the point of entering bodybuilding contests.

 

[squatsquatsquat]

what I meant was that the bar is resting on the shoulders, not being held up via the hands. but yes. turning the elbows a little down and out from where you catch a clean is ok, and probably preferrable.

Okay that makes sense. Thanks again.

 

[chia]

At least! A good excuse to work teh gunzors with teh curlz!
Joke aside, if it's noticeable enough to the point of helping it, wouldn't it hinder for a clean?

I think it varies from person to person. I don't even have big arms but due to leverages or joint sizes (or whatever reason), too much arm work makes a noticeable difference on my ability to rack cleans and makes front squats less comfortable. I have a friend who is larger overall, with bigger arms than me, but has amazing elbow and wrist flexibility and could probably curl all day long and have no problems racking. If I did not do olympic lifts, I would probably do a lot more direct arm work though.

I think some people felt that increased bicep/forearm mass helped the start because of the physical pressure between the biceps and forearms.

I have a friend who has huge arms for a 181, partially due to genetics but also from a lot of dedicated arm/beach work. But he swears that he gets carryover to the bottom of the bench due to the pressure of the forearms and biceps. There may be some merit to this, although I doubt he has the flexibility to rack a bar.

 

[AXelator]

How do you guys learn to do them, I'e always wanted to incorporate oly lifts but I'm afraid I will get the technique wrogn and hurt myself.

 

[younggunz]

How do you guys learn to do them, I'e always wanted to incorporate oly lifts but I'm afraid I will get the technique wrogn and hurt myself.

College strength trainer.

Though I have no doubt that many people on these forums have learned a multitude of oly lifts by simply using light weight, video form correction, stretching, and practice.

The issue is really keeping your flexibility, working different stages of the pull over and over and over, and just getting a bit of biofeedback. If you have a solid squat and dead lift foundation, your body will tell you when you aren't pulling and catching correctly.

 

[bubs]

How do you guys learn to do them, I'e always wanted to incorporate oly lifts but I'm afraid I will get the technique wrogn and hurt myself.

1) Get a coach
2) Get a coach
3) Get a coach