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Old Forum Who is still doing barbell side press here?

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Toby

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I tried to do it few years ago when i first read Pavel's classic Power To The People. I didn't follow through due to the old program-hopping me.

Would be nice to revisit this lift when I start doing Easy Strength style again (in a month time).

What is your 1RM or 5RM compare to your 1 arm KB press?

I am going to cycle it (same but different) with two hand barbell overhead press and bench press.

 
 
It would be good  improvement to  PTP to do BB press instead of BB side press. If I ever go to BB lifting, Dead lift, Press, and Squat would be only BB exercises that I will ever do. I rather do pull-ups then BB rows.

If Pavel want to revisit his PTP program, he should add BB press and drop the BB side press.
 
I agree with Craig. For one arm lifting I prefer KBs. Otherwise, I prefer the BB press or push press.
 
Didn't Pavel say someplace that if he wrote PTTP again he would've used the bench or floor press?
 
He was talking about the floor press. Bench press is the most dangerous BB drill  that you can do if you dot have a spotter or  decent rack when you do a bench press. At least in a Dead Lift, Press or a Squat you are free to drop your weight if something goes wrong. When you bench press and something goes wrong, you will ask yourself a question, how come that i did not pick my spotter in the first place.

 
 
I've never benched much but unless you're benching over your neck (which you shouldn't) the weight can always be dumped to one side, or rolled down over your stomach, unless you're unusually fat. So, perhaps uncomfortable to fail but I wouldn't say dangerous.
 
Journeyman,  in the old forums Pavel did say that he'd probably use the Bench Press with PTTP if he did a second edition.  Last time I did PTTP, I did it with Floor Presses, and it worked great.

 
 
Thank you for the input.

I like KB 1arm Clean & Press a lot too.

I was reminded about the side press when I was watching David Whitley's KB workshop (purchased from DaveDraper.com ). He demonstrated the KB Bent Press. It looks like fun.
It is way beyond my strength and skill level and Side press is a good alternative
 
Ill be honest: I kind of want to train it so I can side or bent press my girlfriend.

 

I think that would be the greatest answer to any question in a social setting related to "how strong are you" or "what do you lift."

 

Deadlifting has many benefits but it's rarely a fun party trick...
 
Didn’t Pavel say someplace that if he wrote PTTP again he would’ve used the bench or floor press?
There was a thread about this on the DD forum. IIRC he said he would use BP because more people know that lift. He also mentioned something about switching from 2x5 to sets of 5/3/2 with the same weight.
 
Would doing a dumbbell bench press be a safer alternative than a barbell bench press or would it not have the same effects?
 
Don't overthink it. The main thing here is just to pull and press. You have to keep in mind the context of PTTP - someone just bought a 300 lb barbell set and that's it! So obviously you can't bench without a bench. You can't squat either for that matter, unless you learn the clean first and then the front squat, but PTTP is all about simplicity
 
I really enjoy the barbell side press.

I've seen lots of definitions of what constitutes a side press, from almost a military press to almost a bent press. I use the form shown in PTTP: Starting position with the elbow back and the upper arm supported by the tensed lat, push yourself away from the weight at the start, but press the weight out with the arm. It ends up being closer to a military press with some body lean than a bent press with dramatic folding under the weight.

Some form points I've found helpful:

--Find the best balance point for your grip. I center the bar over the base of my pinky. If I try center my hand on the bar, the balance will be off and the bar will want to sway all over the place. If I center the base of my pinky on the bar, the balance is very stable; the bar just sits there and doesn't sway at all. I actually find the barbell to be more stable and forgiving than a KB or DB.

--Tightness in the bottom position is a big key. The easiest way to learn this is to LOWER the bar into position for the first rep from overhead. Snatch or jerk the bar overhead and then lower it into position to start the first rep, focusing on pulling the bar down and keeping the lat tight.

--If not starting from the top, it is easier to take the bar out of a rack at shoulder height than to wrestle it into position from the floor. You can load up tension in your starting position, then dip your knees to get under the bar, set your grip, and take the bar out of the rack with your body already tight.

--These methods of getting into the starting position also have the advantage of not putting any stress on your collars; since the bar is never tipped on end, you don't have to worry about collars and plates slipping.

--Compared to a 1-arm military press, the lat is more involved, and there is a more dramatic wedging effect. My 1RM KB MP is 36kg (about 80lbs). But I can do this style of barbell side press with 95lbs for 5 reps and have maxed out at 110lbs for a single.
 
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I still enjoy them from time to time. My main press is the standing military, but these are nice for a break. The feeling they give me is similar to the TGU.
 
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