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Kettlebell Moving from KB Bent Press to dumbbell to barbell?

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El Cid

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I've been Bent Pressing as a kind of "side project" to my main goals about twice a week with low volume. I feel like it's enjoyable accessory work to my Get Ups, Deadlifts and Squats. I'm at the happy dilemma of having surpassed my heaviest KB so I moved on to fixed dumbbells at my local gym. I look to be a few weeks from outgrowing those as well.

When this happens I'm either moving to the Barbell or getting an Olympic Dumbbell handle to load with plates.

Question:
What are the pros and cons of each implement? Wisdom from anyone that's been down this road already would be great. Thanks!
 
There's a big balance component to any one-handed barbell move. I know several folks who have bought slightly shorter bars (5', 6') for this kind of thing. I think you'll probably end up moving more weight on a dumbbell handle, but everyone's different and I'd try both if I were you, maybe even train both for a while.

One-handed barbell work also requires a very good grip, of course, and the advantage of it is that there's a plate-loadable barbell just about everywhere you might train - plus it looks way cool, IMHO, to put a barbell overhead in any manner with just one hand.

-S-
 
Hello,

Is not it more dangerous for wrists ?

Does a barbell BP require a smoother progression than with a KB ?

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
@El Cid
I don't have much experience with the bent press, but I've done some extended periods of PTTP side pressing with an olympic barbell.

IMO, the toughest implement to press is the DB. The KB hangs below the hand and is therefore more stable in the groove. All the weight of the DB is out at the end of the arm, which makes it harder to keep the groove.

The barbell seems like it would be more cumbersome than the DB, but in my experience it is actually more stable. I think of the effect as being like a tightrope walker's pole. The length of the pole adds to the stability of the system.

A key factor in pressing the barbell with one hand is finding the right balance point. Don't center your hand on the bar. Instead, center a point nearer to the base of your pinky finger. In other words, move the thumb side of your hand a little out toward the collar. Once you learn to find the right balance point, the bar will be very stable, and you don't need to grip it tightly to keep it in balance. You can actually press it with an open hand, although a tight grip helps with generating overall tension.

My side press style is right out of PTTP -- not close to a full bent press. It is more like a military press with more lean and more rotation to get the elbow more on the lat, but not nearly as dramatically as a bent press. It's a little like a behind the neck press groove, but with some rotation as well. With this style, I can side press a lot more weight with an olympic bar than I can with a KB. My best KB military press or side press is 36kg (maybe I could press a little more, but I can't press 40kg in either style). My best olympic bar side press by comparison is 110lbs x 1 and 95lbs x 5.

BTW, with the olympic bar, I either take it off a rack at shoulder height or cheat snatch it with two hands to overhead and then lower it to the starting position. I also find that I can get a better, tighter starting position by getting the bar to overhead first (any way possible, by jerking it, snatching it, and/or using the other hand to assist) and lowering it into position.

Hope this helps.
 
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I don't have much experience with the bent press, but I've done some extended periods of PTTP side pressing with an olympic barbell.

IMO, the toughest implement to press is the DB. The KB hangs below the hand and is therefore more stable in the groove. All the weight of the DB is out at the end of the arm, which makes it harder to keep the groove.

The barbell seems like it would be more cumbersome than the DB, but in my experience it is actually more stable. I think of the effect as being like a tightrope walker's pole. The length of the pole adds to the stability of the system.

A key factor in pressing the barbell with one hand is finding the right balance point. Don't center you hand on the bar. Instead, center a point nearer to the base of your pinky finger. In other words, move the thumb side of your hand a little out toward the collar. Once you learn to find the right balance point, the bar will be very stable, and you don't need to grip it tightly to keep it in balance. You can actually press it with an open hand, although a tight grip helps with generating overall tension.

My side press style is not close to a full bent press. It is more like a military press with more lean and more rotation to get the elbow more on the lat, but not nearly as dramatically as a bent press. It's a little like a behind the neck press groove, but with some rotation as well. With this style, I can side press a lot more weight with an olympic bar than I can with a KB. My best KB military press or side press is 36kg (maybe I could press a little more, but I can't press 40kg in either style). My best olympic bar side press by comparison is 110lbs x 1 and 95lbs x 5.

Hope this helps.
Sound interesting - would you consider posting a video clip?
 
@El Cid
I don't have much experience with the bent press, but I've done some extended periods of PTTP side pressing with an olympic barbell.

IMO, the toughest implement to press is the DB. The KB hangs below the hand and is therefore more stable in the groove. All the weight of the DB is out at the end of the arm, which makes it harder to keep the groove.

The barbell seems like it would be more cumbersome than the DB, but in my experience it is actually more stable. I think of the effect as being like a tightrope walker's pole. The length of the pole adds to the stability of the system.

A key factor in pressing the barbell with one hand is finding the right balance point. Don't center you hand on the bar. Instead, center a point nearer to the base of your pinky finger. In other words, move the thumb side of your hand a little out toward the collar. Once you learn to find the right balance point, the bar will be very stable, and you don't need to grip it tightly to keep it in balance. You can actually press it with an open hand, although a tight grip helps with generating overall tension.

My side press style is right out of PTTP -- not close to a full bent press. It is more like a military press with more lean and more rotation to get the elbow more on the lat, but not nearly as dramatically as a bent press. It's a little like a behind the neck press groove, but with some rotation as well. With this style, I can side press a lot more weight with an olympic bar than I can with a KB. My best KB military press or side press is 36kg (maybe I could press a little more, but I can't press 40kg in either style). My best olympic bar side press by comparison is 110lbs x 1 and 95lbs x 5.

BTW, with the olympic bar, I either take it off a rack at shoulder height or cheat snatch it with two hands to overhead and then lower it to the starting position. I also find that I can get a better, tighter starting position by getting the bar to overhead first (any way possible, by jerking it, snatching it, and/or using the other hand to assist) and lowering it into position.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for the useful form and setup tips!

I'm at a point where I feel most of my progress is stemming from technique and mobility improvements. I think that'll probably continue right up to or shortly before I make the 120# DBs at the gym.

From there it's either a Barbell (already available) or I buy an Olympic DB handle. I'm just trying to imagine the logistics of the setup on the Lat if I have, for example, 3 x 25# plates on each side or larger diameter plates. At some point wouldn't the plates get in the way of a vertical forearm with the elbow set on the Lat?
 
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