There is this thing for which legs are an extra resource to turn to when you lack something else.
After all the saying Who has no head has legs he always says it to us, right?
Then: you want to train your shoulders, make these delts grow a bit, increase the loads you push over your head, but still can't do it with the military press alone?
Great: use your legs!
Index
Push press: that extra push!
La push press it is the link between shoulder training and leg use. Like one military press – the “slow forward” of bodybuilding - but taking advantage of the extra thrust that we can have from the legs.
By engaging the quadriceps and transferring their energy to the torso, and then to theupper body, we can allow ourselves to increase the thrust loads ... or the reps, given that with the push press we can do more work before the arms and shoulders get tired.
The advantages of the push press
This movement allows us to
- increase the loads in vertical thrust
- increase resistance to pushing movement
- work on explosiveness
- work on muscle conditioning
In addition, the push press uses more muscles than military and slow: not only the shoulders, triceps and trapezes, but also quadriceps, abdominals and spinal erectors (the latter are necessary for the stability of the core).
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How to do it
From the rack position, with a pinch (made with three fingers) a little wider than the shoulders and elbows well below the barbell, you lower yourself slightly on your quadriceps in what is a quarter squats.
Now it's all a matter of coordination: we push upwards to get out of the quarter squat, and at the same time we push the arms and shoulders.
One of the secrets to perform it at its best - and maximizing the contribution of the legs to the thrust - is to hold the core contracted, rigid, to prevent energy from being dispersed through the abdomen.
Once pushed, the arms must be locked in the extended position.
Congratulations, you did a push press!
Ps: I've always talked about barbell, but the push press can obviously be also performed with dumbbells or kettlebells.
When to push
Although not considered a "pure" multi-joint movement, the push press should be included in many types of training.
In powerlifting, can be used to increase the force in thrust and the efficiency of the shoulders.
In bodybuilding it can act as a basis of strength to then be able to load more exercises with which to make hypertrophy.
And in CrossFit®?
The push press can be found in numerous WODs. Hence, being prepared for the movement, and being able to perform it efficiently and without wasting energy, becomes a key skill for the honorable end of many workouts.
And said among us: the push press is a cool movement. Like everyone else where you fly a nice load barbell over your head.
Give it in.