La strict press is called in several ways: military press, shoulder press or simply "the press"; whatever name is used does not affect the difficulty of this exercise.
This skill is an exercise that demonstrates true force of an athlete, however, unfortunately, it is not performed enough in gyms; this is because it probably represents one of the most difficult movements to perform with the barbell.
Let's find out everything there is to know about the strict press!
What is the strict press?
The strict press is one shoulder press, performed standing and with a barbell; the distinctive feature of this movement is that it is performed with a very strict form: there is no movement with the legs and no eccentric movement of the body.
For example, many people, after lifting the bar, do a small lift to drop the bar and take advantage of the stretch-shorten cycle. (this phenomenon occurs when the muscle and tendon stretch and store energy); this movement does not have to be done for the strict press.
This exercise is a lot useful for increasing strength in the upper body, so it is good to insert it in the upper training cards.
Muscles involved
The strict press is a compound movement aimed at the pushing muscles of the upper body, but actually works the whole body.
While the deltoids and triceps are used to push the weight up, the upper back stabilizes the shoulders and shoulder blades, the core it flexes to keep the body straight and the legs must be able to provide a solid foundation.
The muscles involved are:
- Deltoids: are responsible for flexing the shoulder that brings the arm up
- Triceps: are the main pushing muscle about mid-movement, when the upper arm becomes parallel to the ground
- Upper back: add stability to the shoulder joint and scapula
- Core: Helps stabilize the body and spine, providing a solid foundation from which to apply pressure without breaking your back.
Strict press execution
La Strict press with the barbell is more than just lifting a weight over your head; to perform the movement correctly it is necessary to face some mechanical technical aspects and a preparation phase is necessary:
- Setting: place the barbell at the correct height; it must be at chest height to be able to quickly release the bar with minimal flexion and extension of the knees
- Remove the rocker arm: hands should be slightly wider than shoulder width; then perform one pinch (made with three fingers) Complete overhand, wrapping the thumb. Now you need to approach the bar and place your body under it, the bar must rest on three points, the two hands and the upper part of the chest/collarbone; at this point you stand up with the barbell, take a step back and stop
- Press preparation: place your feet hip-width apart, squeeze your buttocks and keep your back stiff.
- Strict press execution: push the bar over your head, keeping your head slightly back to avoid getting your chin in the way; arms should be fully extended and until well locked.
How many strict presses do you perform per week? Let us know in the comments and remember to follow us on our telegram channel