HELP WITH PUSH PRESSES!

[thewickedtruth]

 hey guys...is this just all technique or what? I'm having hell getting very good at anything over 225. Seated I can tear it up but standing?! That doesn't make any sense why I'm not doing well at it. Just keep doing  more and more til it gets easier? Or are there certain ways to train it? I can pick it up off the floor, load it, and get a double with about 5-6 presses BARELY MISSING lockouts but it's a no go on them. Is it just because I'm not adding enough leg drive to really blow it up faster? OR what? it's pretty much a ltitle hitch and all shoulder and tri's. It's actually pretty sad to watch. 

[haider]

Standing Presses ARE harder than seated ones because the body isn't supported. Push Presses use a lot of leg drive, so your technique probably needs some fixing.

[The Squadfather]

i'm the same way i handle more seated than i do standing.

[haider]

i'm the same way i handle more seated than i do standing.

He's talking about push presses though, he's probably doing mroe of a standing press..

[tommywishbone]

You're talkin' to an all-time great push-presser my friend. .  Well maybe not All-time and maybe not great, but I liked them and was OK. My tips:

* Use a foot spacing, similar to your squat foot spacing.
* Drive your heels through the floor, when starting the press. (figuratively not literally)
* Drive your heels through the floor, when starting the press. (figuratively not literally)... so important, i listed it twice.
* Chin stays down, you can look in the mirror if you want, but don't raise your chin.
* Always start standing, use a rack, use collars.

Stop reading now and go to the gym.

Tom

[Overload]

If you have never done them before you need to work on technique as tommy suggested. it takes a while to get the proper leg drive and coordination with the follow through. once you get the leg drive down you will be blasting up much more weight.

225 is pretty respectable for a beginner to the push press. try not to wear yourself out doing high reps. do 4 sets of 3 reps and each week try to add 10 pounds. no need to do high reps for push presses IMO.

Good luck.

[thewickedtruth]

isn't that some shit? I figured standing would be alot easier! And I' mpushing it straight up! Not getting my body under it which I think will help.l I think i'm going to try different grip positions as well. I'm using what I'd consider a close grip for them. My foot stance is tight...I'll get it wider like you suggested. I'm sure that'll help my balancing out a TON!

[Overload]

isn't that some shit? I figured standing would be alot easier! And I' mpushing it straight up! Not getting my body under it which I think will help.l I think i'm going to try different grip positions as well. I'm using what I'd consider a close grip for them. My foot stance is tight...I'll get it wider like you suggested. I'm sure that'll help my balancing out a TON!

Standing is MUCH more difficult. stabilization is key, that's why a wide stance helps alot.

i do push presses with my ring finger on the rings. i get more push this way at the top. play around with hand positions and you will find a happy medium. going too wide can kill your strength.

[tommywishbone]

A few more things:

* Practice with light weight, almost keeping your toes off the floor when you press. The idea is to get used to the feeling of driving hard "through your heels." It does take time to learn, but when you hit a rep properly, you will know it.
* I always used a close hand spacing. Index fingers @ 2" off the smooth.

All the best...
 

[Stubborn]

Do the rack presses we talked about and also take a look at how an Oly lifter does it.


1. Take your most powerful stance, as if you were going to do plyos with 225, arch your back slightly and stick your ass out.
2. Drop into a small knee bend, stick your ass out farther, blow up with the quads and pull through with the hips at the same time.
3. As the bar get near lockout be ready to step under the bar. This is probably the hardest thing (mentally) for people to do.

Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyzw91j9D6M There are a few OHP's in here but the best example is about halfway through. Its Jesse Marunde and pay attention to how he pushes his body through the movement.

[thewickedtruth]

I'll give this a try! Thanks guys! At least I know I'm not as big of a pussy as I thought. A guy I know that seated military presses 325 for a double can't even get 235 up for more than 4 reps. I'm going to rotate this exercise out with 100lb dumbbell overhead presses (attempt now..I've yet to actually try it but it seems to be a test of strength in strongman). I'm also thinking of doing incline barbell presses instead of flat benching for awhile to try and see if that'll help some too!

[Stubborn]

If you're going to devote your time to strongman then the only reason you would use a flat bench is for close grip presses. I havent flat benched (other than close) in many months and my overhead keeps getting better. The incline presses are all you need. Switch from DB's to Barbell and use all different angles. Find your weak point and beat the hell out of it!

[The Squadfather]

If you're going to devote your time to strongman then the only reason you would use a flat bench is for close grip presses. I havent flat benched (other than close) in many months and my overhead keeps getting better. The incline presses are all you need. Switch from DB's to Barbell and use all different angles. Find your weak point and beat the hell out of it!

i'm gonna disagree with you here on the flat benches, the way i look at it is that flat benches can be very beneficial because of the overload they give the shoulders, they can be very helpful for shoulder strength, Olympic lifters used to do them heavy as an assistance movement for their presses.

[Stubborn]

I believe that going heavy too often on flat bench limits your ROM. I go heavy on close grip once a week typically and I really feel them in my front delts nowadays. Im just saying that increasing your power in the bench will not go far in strongman. Think about it functionally, what does a strongman do thats a forward press? Tire flip? Does it really take much power? There may indeed be some rotator therapy to flat benching but it should not be a primary movement for any strongman. Incline hits pretty much all the same things it just focuses on the areas a strongman needs to.


Though I must admit, every now and then I just have to get under it and see what I have left. I still do it with a relatively close grip though and only for a set or two.


And what works for one may not work for another so go with what works!