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Kettlebell Iron Tamer on the "Natural Press"

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Bauer

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I thought this was worth sharing:


Dave Whitley and Bud Jeffries propose a press continuum:

Strict Press (body stays still, weight moves) <----> Bent Press (weight stays still, body moves)

Somewhere inbetween is the side press.

The natural press would then be your strongest press route, like a push press on your personal optimal point on that continuum. Somehow this is freeing, because with stuff like the standing side press from PTTP it's hard to tell if you're doing it "correctly".
 
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Hey thanks for sharing! its an interesting thought and it looks similar to what the better circus dumbbell pressers in strongman do. but I think you would need to be real comfortable with a strict press, a jerk and a bent press to safely do it.
 
I thought this was worth sharing:


Dave Whitley and Jeff Buddfries propose a press continuum:

Strict Press (body stays still, weight moves) <----> Bent Press (weight stays still, body moves)

Somewhere inbetween is the side press.

The natural press would then be your strongest press route, like a push press on your personal optimal point on that continuum. Somehow this is freeing, because with stuff like the standing side press from PTTP it's hard to tell if you're doing it "correctly".


Thanks for posting this.

My first encounter with the natural press came from Bud Jeffries' excellent DVD on the one arm press

Old School Strength Secrets

highly recommended, by dave whitley too

 
I can't deny that both Bud Jeffries and Iron Tamer are strong. Stupid Strong even. but I think you need a certain level of mastery in form before you can figure out how to break it. in music the people who are the best at breaking the rules, or making there own, know what those rules are. I personally am not there yet. sorry if this is highjacking the thread!
 
This kind of is almost my go to point when I've moved up in bells. Currently trying not to as want to be doing the strict press but definitely allows the weight to move easier.

Wonder if it falls like 'cheat curls' -great if you have perfect strict curl form but for those who can't employ it properly it just becomes a bad habit -appropriate use of a tool I suppose
 
Dave was one of the first kettlebell guys i learned from. I'm not into the bent press, but is stuff is pure gold.

That 88 was going up pretty easy.
 
I can't deny that both Bud Jeffries and Iron Tamer are strong. Stupid Strong even. but I think you need a certain level of mastery in form before you can figure out how to break it. in music the people who are the best at breaking the rules, or making there own, know what those rules are. I personally am not there yet. sorry if this is highjacking the thread!
For my bad back, nothing has been as instructive as the strict, one-armed kettlebell military press.

-S-
 
but I think you would need to be real comfortable with a strict press, a jerk and a bent press to safely do it.
but I think you need a certain level of mastery in form before you can figure out how to break it.
I understood it differently. You don't have to use e.g. the hip kick. The natural press is just the strongest press for your body. It doesn't involve certain technique guidelines.
What do you do to get a weight overhead with one arm and without thinking about technique? That's your natural press.
If you never touched a KB and I put a gun to your head and command you to put it overhead with just one arm. You will use what feels natural to you -> Your natural press.
So no learning curve with other presses needed.
Think about it. The bent press and jerk are the exercises which allow you to put the most weight overhead, but they are very technical and require a high level of mobility -> definitely not a natural way for most people.
 
@Kettlebelephant that is a good point but I still think having other stricter forms of pressing being your base would be informative and change on how you get the most weight overhead. for instance Iron Tamers natural press has some side press with a mix of jerk leg drive. he has the timing down from the jerk and the torso positioning from the bent/side press. if he didn't have those techniques under his belt I don't think that his approach would be the same.
 
I understood it differently. You don't have to use e.g. the hip kick. The natural press is just the strongest press for your body. It doesn't involve certain technique guidelines.
What do you do to get a weight overhead with one arm and without thinking about technique? That's your natural press.
If you never touched a KB and I put a gun to your head and command you to put it overhead with just one arm. You will use what feels natural to you -> Your natural press.
So no learning curve with other presses needed.
Think about it. The bent press and jerk are the exercises which allow you to put the most weight overhead, but they are very technical and require a high level of mobility -> definitely not a natural way for most people.
I think jerk and push press can feel very natural when you practise them enough, but I know what you mean. :)
 
Let's not confuse what feels most natural with what's best for us - in a kettlebell press, and perhaps in many other areas of endeavor as well.

-S-

I agree with this up to a point. I've heard first person stories from people who were "over-corrected" and subsequently injured at old kettlebell certs. I think using intuition about form while not compromising safety is an important skill. I'm happy StrongFirst is moving in this direction. This Brett Jones article pretty much sums it up : The Perfect Kettlebell Swing: Is There Such a Thing? | StrongFirst
 
I think using intuition about form while not compromising safety is an important skill.
No one new to lifting should be encouraged to trust their own intuition about form, IMHO. Those people need to seek out and listen to the advice of good teachers. More advanced lifters are a different case, of course, but anyone taking instruction that could cause injury ought to seek out different instruction.

I've heard first person stories from people who were "over-corrected" and subsequently injured at old kettlebell certs.
Let's not, by reporting stories from other people, accuse whoever was teaching at those "old kettlebell certs" of vague things like "over-corrected."

Thank you.

-S-
 
The basic press continuum has always been taught as:
Press till you can't press and it becomes a Push-press and Push-press till you can't and it becomes a Jerk

Bent press is more of a support lift or pressing under the weight - ie...side press progresses to bent press

If you are pressing under standards for a test or competition then you press (or whatever) according to those standards.
for example - if you are aiming for level 2 then you need to press half bodyweight according to the standards.

Are there are other pressing variations - yes

BTW - just because people are posting this does not mean StrongFirst is "moving that direction"
 
I have to say that I think that there is no point to use kinda "natural press". If you cannot press weight with decent form you can jerk it. Jerk will always be the strongest way to get heavy bell overhead if that is a goal.
Allowing all kinds of leaning etc... may lead to injury.

@Iron Tamer is naturally expert and he can use propably all kinds of things to get bell overhead safely, but most of people here are not him. :)
Just my humble opinion...
 
Thanks for sharing. Looks very intertesting to me I think. I really like his approach to training in general.
 
I have to say that I think that there is no point to use kinda "natural press". If you cannot press weight with decent form you can jerk it. Jerk will always be the strongest way to get heavy bell overhead if that is a goal.
Allowing all kinds of leaning etc... may lead to injury.

@Iron Tamer is naturally expert and he can use propably all kinds of things to get bell overhead safely, but most of people here are not him. :)
Just my humble opinion...

Yep. That "natural press" sounds like easy way out. You either press strictly, or not, and it does not matter whether you call it side press, natural press or bent press (not press at all, in my opinion). Just take the time and perfect your technique on a strict press and get stronger along the way.
 
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