Programming push presses

[zepled37]

I may end up changing my exercise selection around a little bit soon. I am mainly training for general strength improvement. Not specifically training for weightlifting or powerlifting competition. Slightly more interested in the "slow lifts," but might try a rotation of more olympic lifts for the fun of it.

Within the context of texas method or the starr model, where would you program the push press? Intensity and Heavy days?

I thought PP had some examples of this, but first edition is out on loan and I can't find it in second edition.

Thanks.

[Jason B]

I'd put them in on Fridays after the squat. Keep with strict presses the other days, sub pushes or jerks on the heavy day.

[LeonidasfromSparta]

I may end up changing my exercise selection around a little bit soon. I am mainly training for general strength improvement. Not specifically training for weightlifting or powerlifting competition. Slightly more interested in the "slow lifts," but might try a rotation of more olympic lifts for the fun of it.

Within the context of texas method or the starr model, where would you program the push press? Intensity and Heavy days?

I thought PP had some examples of this, but first edition is out on loan and I can't find it in second edition.

Thanks.

Push presses should be added on medium day, while the press should be left for the heavy day (and that's based on the Starr Model in PP 2nd Edition).

[Baker]

for starr's way: it's simple really, if you are for example benching day 1, pressing day 2 & then push pressing day 3, then there you go, heavy/light/medium. go heavy on all exercises, but because of the different weights used in each movement, to your shoulder girdle it is heavy/light/medium.

[MazdaMatt]

I've never understood the point of push presses. You can press up to x pounds, then you add a little push to go past it, then more push till you are eventually just jerking... so why not just use the press and then the jerk? It just strikes me as a "cheated press" or a "bad jerk" rather than a legitimate exercise.

[PVC]

I've never understood the point of push presses. You can press up to x pounds, then you add a little push to go past it, then more push till you are eventually just jerking... so why not just use the press and then the jerk? It just strikes me as a "cheated press" or a "bad jerk" rather than a legitimate exercise.

Jerking and push pressing are quite different.

When you jerk, the goal is to get under the weight as much as possible. Ideally, the weight stays in the same spot and your body jumps under it, which allows you to lock out your arms over your head without pushing the bar up there with your upper body. Then you stand up with the weight, relying on your lower body to actually move the weight. Jerking requires your shoulders and triceps to be strong pretty much only at the lockout position.

When you push press, the goal is to actually press the weight over your head. Yes, you do get assistance from the push with your legs, but the momentum of this push runs out by the time you get to the top of the press. Push presses allow you to overload the top part of the movement while still requiring your pressing muscles to work throughout the whole range of motion.

[Alex Bond]

Push presses are great, for a while I just did 3x5 once a week and progressed 5# per week, they definitely get tough real fast, especially if you never front squat. Most people lean too far forward as you dip down, you need strong quads to dip with a vertical back so you are driving straight up.

[MazdaMatt]

I understand the difference between a press, push-press and jerk... but hear me out... as your weight goes up, you're going to add more and more "push" till the point that you are "pushing" it up to lockout rather than any pressing being involved... effectively a poor jerk (because you're not dropping).

I see your point about it working the near-lockout portion of the press, but (at least for me) I can't imagine being able to start the press without locking it out... the bottom is the hard part (around the forhead for me).

To me, at least in this point in my training, it just strikes me as an ego-stroking exercise like half-squats or hump-curls (this is actually a really good analogy)

[Alex Bond]

I understand the difference between a press, push-press and jerk... but hear me out... as your weight goes up, you're going to add more and more "push" till the point that you are "pushing" it up to lockout rather than any pressing being involved... effectively a poor jerk (because you're not dropping).

I see your point about it working the near-lockout portion of the press, but (at least for me) I can't imagine being able to start the press without locking it out... the bottom is the hard part (around the forhead for me).

To me, at least in this point in my training, it just strikes me as an ego-stroking exercise like half-squats or hump-curls (this is actually a really good analogy)

Give them a try sometime, and you will see that the push press is no bullshit. It is a serious test of total body strength. I don't think many feats of strength are more impressive than a really big push press.

[MazdaMatt]

I'm sure they're tough and satisfying, because you're moving big weight, more than you could strict press... less than you could jerk...

What's the actual benefit? (Again, don't get me wrong, i'm not saying they suck, i'm just confused). You said they are good for training OHP lockout, but so is OHP. Have you ever been able to get a weight to almost-lockout and got stuck? I've never been stuck above my head before. I ALWAYS fail below the top of my head.

[PVC]

Have you ever been able to get a weight to almost-lockout and got stuck?

Yes.

[MazdaMatt]

Well that solves that mystery for me. Thanks.

[banthafodder]

On days where the final rep of my 3x5 presses is really hard, the hardest part is almost always the last three inches or so before lockout. For me, at least. I could see heavy push presses helping with that.

[Baker]

Give them a try sometime, and you will see that the push press is no bullshit. It is a serious test of total body strength. I don't think many feats of strength are more impressive than a really big push press.

i agree.

most of us have seen this before but why not again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXXszjlqxhI