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Old Forum T Nation Article on the Overhead Press

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LoneRider

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In practically every strength training circle (at least in the case of barbells). I keep hearing about how the bench press is the king of upper body exercises. However many barbell strength coaches, Johnny Schaeffer, Jim Wendler, and Mark Rippertoe still include the overhead press in their repertoire, and rightly so.

Whether from the rack or cleaned from the ground I think the overhead press is quite possibly a great upper body exercise in its own right. I've used it in my training for the last three years or so and within the last eighteen months I usually clean the barbell from the floor when doing this movement.

I thought I would share the article with the forum: Mark Rippertoe's Get You Press Up (http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/get_your_press_up).
 
I started my early lifting knowledge off by reading a lot of rippetoe's stuff.  I have worked my overhead press much more in the past few years.  This year I have gotten to where my max is just over bodyweight, and pressing my bodyweight is just a heavy single, no psych up or anything.  That was before I started S&S, and I doubt it has gotten weaker.  I have never one arm pressed half my bodyweight though. Getting closer.  I will test it when I meet my simple S&S goals.

 

I agree. It is a great lift.  Probably more important than the bench press for most of us.
 
LR, the military press is without doubt a great exercise.  Come to the StrongFirst barbell cert or course to learn the technique Soviet weightlifters used when it was a competition lift.
 
^ Discontinued due to difficulties in judging... 1972 I think.

Pavel, the layback press is taught at SFL?!
 
I too learnt the barbell lifts from his book/DVD cos' the "personal trainer" at my health club was clueless.

His Deadlift technique works for me but not the press.

I couldn't press comfortably until I read Powe To The People Professional.

The greatest tips from the book for me are:

Rest the bar on your chest, lean back with upper back only and break down the press to "front raise" and "press yourself away from bar"
 
The clean and press is no longer a competition lift because the Russians kept cheating and the officials were affraid to red light their lifts because it might touch off a nuclear holocaust.  The clean and press was eliminated from competition, leaving just the snatch and the clean and jerk.

 
 
Buried in the comments was this great article by Bill Starr:

http://startingstrength.com/articles/olympic_press_starr.pdf
 
SB, as others have written, it was very tough to judge and easy to cheat on.

Aris, no, we teach the press version from the 1960s, when the technique was more strict.

Read this if you are interested in the press:

http://www.strongfirst.com/build-a-barbell-military-press-on-a-kettlebell-foundation/
 
Please be cautious who you include the strength coach continuum. The overhead press can be learned very quickly by doing in my opinion. Watch 70's big and Rips videos. That's bout it really. Get angry and move your face.
 
I just picked up "Perfecting the Press" and it is awesome! The plateau breakers were very clever and I really liked a bunch of them. A couple I'm not sure if I would implement myself but I see why they work. The book had a couple cues I was reminded of that helped me plug up some leaky tension in my press form.
 
I just picked up “Perfecting the Press” and it is awesome! The plateau breakers were very clever and I really liked a bunch of them. A couple I’m not sure if I would implement myself but I see why they work. The book had a couple cues I was reminded of that helped me plug up some leaky tension in my press form.
Click to expand...
Now does the book discuss pressing with just the kettlebell or does it also go into barbells and dumbbells? I mean I don't know if it matters to be honest or does it?
 
SB, perfecting the press is strictly about the one arm kettlebell press, and while some of it could be adapted to the barbell press, it would take some creativity, and results may vary. It does make a difference, we're talking about a very different technique, and that book is nothing if not technique focused.

Also, he says that it's an advanced program for those who can already press 1/2 bodyweight with one hand, and in my experience, that's pretty much on point. Those at that mark who use it all do at least ok with it, those who are below that never seem to have as good a result.

Program wise, if you were going to adapt a kettlebell program, I think kb strong would be better, but still better yet would be to use a more barbell specific program, imho.
 
@ Jason I was unaware that Perfecting the Press was for a much more experienced crowd. Well I appreciate that and thank you for saving me some money!
 
SB - The book revolves around the 1 arm military press with a kettlebell. It has a whole section devoted to cleaning up the technique and making sure your form is dialed in properly for maximum gains in the lift and a program that goes along with it.

The program is advanced and really if your form isn't there, don't pick up the book yet. I think it's a value to have at some point as you can really learn a lot from the research and experience that Kenneth Jay brings. Anyone who can strict press double 32kg's on one hand is someone I would listen to for pressing.

Definitely not a waste of money but if you are looking for something barbell related there are other sources.
 
My favorite part of Perfecting the Press are the last few pages where KJ teaches how to setup a volume day by varying reps, sets, and density.
 
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