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Old Forum Working Bent press into routine?

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CharlieJay

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It's hard to do Bent Presses and any kind of overhead pressing in the same routine. I'm usually worn out after military pressing. I'm doing High frequency training and I do the same 5 exercises every day, one of them being the bent press. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to program the bent press?
 
Are you doing light bent presses or are you doing a real bent press?

Properly speaking, the Bent Press is not a press, and it is a very technical lift, so it should not be done when fatigued. I would put it first for those reasons.

I would also separate it from the rest. So, if you do the other lifts at one time, do the Bent Press at a later or earlier time.

But, if you are doing Bent Presses with kettlebells, which normally seems to involve a weight one can press to some degree, then the "Bent Press" is more of a windmill + side press. I do not know what it is like to Bent Press like that, as I have only worked on heavy (worked up to a bodyweight bent press) Bent Pressing.
 
GTG in every session with the bent press, something like 2x3 or so each day will suffice. Don't overtrain it and as mentioned, do it when fresh, preferably at the beginning of the session.

 

Great way to get the shoulder ready for MP
 
Doing them at the beginning of the workout makes a lot of sense. I will definitely try it. As far as my goals, I would like to Bent Press my bodyweight (160lbs). I would also like to Deadlift 450lbs. Those are my two favorite lifts, even though I'm not that great at either one.

As far was the bent press goes, anything over 100lbs feels pretty brutal so I'm a ways off from doing 160.

Yep, I do them the "real" way. My arm doesn't elevate at all during the lift and I'm quite flexible so that helps. All lat, no tricep. I think I'm just doing them too close to the end of the workout. Bad choice on my part.
 
Excellent thread Chris, thanks for starting it. It's funny, there are some good resources out there on technique for the bent press, but much less in the way of actual routines using it, at least that I've come across.  I'll be very interested to see what Pavel has to say; hopefully David Whitley might weigh in as well.
 
I am all ears as well - Bent Press is love at first sight.

I just got an old book by Thomas Inch, The Art and Science of Lifting. In a chapter dedicated to Bent Press, the Master writes:

"It is a difficult lift, and one that requires a great deal of practice. It is one where brains are needed as well as muscle. "

That is what i love about the lift - practicing it is almost a ritual. Btw. my wife's ladies just started bent pressing, and they love it.

Looking forward to read what the Chief and Tamer have to say!
 
Since you guys are fellow bent pressers and probably more experienced then I, would you mind sharing your PRs and goals? I've only been able to do 100lbs so far but I'm still getting stronger. Hoping to get that BW PR!
 
First- a bent press is defined by the movement, not the amount of weight used. 24kg kettlebell, 65kg human or 100kg barbell.....it's all "real" if the technique is there.

I have experimented with a bunch of different approaches, ladders, singles, low rep sets, high rep sets....all of it has benefit, depending on what the lifters weak link is.

Few people that i have worked with are past the figuring out the groove part of practicing the lift. In my experience singles with a KB  are great for learning and practicing the movement. Don't worry about weight except to find the weight that helps you have the best possible technique. It may be more than you think.

Getups, SFG arm bars and Bent arm bars have been huge for helping improve the ability to get into the positions needed. So is the swing/hip hinge.

For the dual goal of 160lb BtP and 450lb DL, a minimalist power to the people approach seems smart to me. 3-4 days per week of 6-10 reps of each lift done with the ritualized practice mentality Pavel Macek mentioned earlier. Add weight ONLY when you own the weight you are currently lifting in the BtP.

 
 
I generally follow a Wave cycle style of training so I'm often lifting lighter weight to prepare for the next heavier session. Is this a good approach for someone doing the Bent press everyday?
 
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