Hardartery
Level 5 Valued Member
The form with a Log is radically different than with and Axle or bar. Almost no one can rack a Log and not be touching the top of the pecs/anterior delts or without downward rotation of the scapula and a lean back. This results in more effective force transfer from the hip drive through the shoulders, some guys cannot rack a bar or Axle against the delts because of flexibility issues. Some guys are just too big to permit that rack position as well. The main difference is greater pec and anterior delt involvement in the Log Lift, and also greater stabilisation requirements from the upper back. Conversely, with a bar or Axle, the upper back is more important on the clean portion of the lift and most guys do not get enough back lean to drive significant pec involvement. The form is very, very different than O-lifting or normal gym strict pressing. It's also never a strict press in competition. Even more different is the Viking Press, which prohibits a double knee bend (the re-bend that you use in an O-lift style Jerk). Once you push the legs have to be essentially straight until lockout. That definitely colours training practices if you are going to encounter Viking Press during the comp season.This makes me curious: when people say that bench translates to overhead press, how strict are they being with the overhead press? I'm not trying to imply that one way is "best," just that some folks do perform their OVHP with more pronounced backwards "lean," which would involve more upper chest, correct? I do realize that to keep the center mass of the bar over your base of support, you have to lean at least a little (also to not hit your chin).
I guess I wonder if some people are comparing apples to oranges here? That is, those that see a lot of transfer, do you allow your ribs to flare up to press more with the upper pecs + delts, or do you keep the ribs down tight? Conversely, those that do not see as much transfer, are you being very strict with the posture?
An interesting test may be a bench to Z-press transfer. There's not as much leeway to lean back on those.
Thoughts?