It really depends upon what end your goal is.
As Jerk Progression:
Olympic weightlifting (my sport), the end goal is the BB jerk because that's the competition lift.
In weightlifting sport context, the push press serves a few purposes:
- Skill the first step of a jerk, namely "dip-drive". This then eventually progresses to the "dip-drive-dip" of the jerk.
- Building vertical explosive power out of the rack position
I don't practice kettlebell sport, but I would assume that given the KB jerk is a competition lift for them, as well, I would assume the programming is similar.
Transition Lift for Pressing Stronger:
However, for general fitness, strength, and hypertrophy, I don't think most people are looking to get good at jerks because they don't really apply in real life, aren't optimal for developing strength.
In the context of developing strength and improving a strict press, I think the push press has a few purposes:
- When programmed with intent, and not as a cheat move, allows you to start working with heavier KBs than you can strictly press by push pressing and then working on the negative
- Prepares your body (muscles, tendons) to learn how to support the weight overhead and in lockout, as well as absorbing the whole body impact on the eccentric, as preparation for pressing the heavier weight
However, in this case, it's still a transition lift for pressing heavier.
Quick and Dirty to Be Sexy:
[or condition you for explosive moves]
If I'm really short on time, so much that I don't even have time to press, it can be combined with the clean.
The push press is more tolerant of fatigue induced form slop than either the strict press or the jerk.
Thus as a conditioning move, you can get in a hot mess of a quickie by doing:
- Dead clean using bell 1 size heavier than you strict press
- Push press with slow negative
- Squat
That's one rep. Alternate hands each rep. Repeat as needed to get your pump on or your fatigue makes you stop.
This is different from a thruster because you're doing the push press before the squat and you're resetting to the floor each time, requiring you to do 2 explosive reps (clean, push press) per set.