Push Press | Olympic Weightlifting Exercise Library

Exercise Library - www.catalystat...
AKA Power press
The push press is an effective supplementary exercise for the jerk that trains the same dip and drive, timing of the transition from leg drive to push with the arms, upper body mechanics for the push under the jerk, and builds upper body strength.
Stand with the heels approximately hip-width and the toes turned out, with the weight balanced slightly more toward the heels but the full foot in contact with the floor, and the bar in the jerk rack position-between the throat and highest point of the shoulders; shoulders protracted and slightly elevated; hands as deep under the bar as possible; grip relaxed; elbows down but in front of the bar and out to the sides.
Dip by bending at the knees only with the trunk vertical and maintaining your balance to a depth of approximately 10% of your height. Brake as quickly as possible in the bottom and drive straight back up aggressively with the legs to accelerate the barbell upward maximally.
As you finish the extension of the legs, push the bar up and slightly back with the arms to preserve as much bar speed as possible, pulling your head back to clear a path. Drop back to flat feet but keep the legs tight with knees straight as you finish pushing the bar into a locked out position overhead with the head pushed through the arms again to position the bar over the base of the neck. Lock out and hold forcefully for a moment before lowering the bar for subsequent reps-don’t be lazy and bounce right back out of the top.
Notes
The dip and drive of the push press should be identical to your jerk-this is one of the primary reasons it’s such an effective training exercise for the jerk. If the knees rebend at all after the initial dip and drive, the lift is no longer a push press, but a push jerk. If the feet remain totally flat during the drive of the legs, the drive is not hard or long enough-the heels will rise at least slightly even with the heaviest weights if the leg drive is adequate. Each rep of multiple-rep sets should begin from a dead stop and the full jerk rack position.
Purpose
The push press is an effective supplementary exercise for the jerk that trains the same dip and drive, timing of the transition from leg drive to push with the arms, upper body mechanics for the push under the jerk, and builds upper body strength. It’s useful technically for training a harder and longer leg drive ad proper timing of the transition from legs to arms in the jerk.
Programming
Sets of 1-6 reps can be used depending on the timing and the specific need. 4-6 reps will help more with hypertrophy and some strength; 3-5 reps will be generally the most effective for strength work and some hypertrophy; 1-2 reps will usually be used for testing maximum lifts but will also improve strength.
Variations
The push press can be performed from behind the neck and with a pause in the dip.
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[@mattxp3389]

i literally just finished my lifting session tonight with a Push press ladder. seeing this in my recommended videos as i turned on youtube for dinner is a blessing!

[@rugby_jtizzle]

I love your videos coach!! Thank you for the content 🙏🏽 They make me a better lifter and a better coach for my athletes 🙌🏽💯

[@rpack9815]

Great vid. 120 moved easy

[@guillermogarciasanchez9850]

Hi there, I have some questions since I've been trying to learn the jerk rack position this past weeks in order to have efficient push press mechanics. The problem is that I'm limited with the external rotation of the shoulder, so if I try to take the grip one fist from the knurling, I tend to narrow my grip during reps until it's index finger from the knurling in order to compensate this inflexibility. Otherwise, I am very flexible in the other mobility requirements of the rack position, so i can have a full hand in the bar, but with high elbows, like in the clean rack position. This makes my pressing a bit awkward, specially for my wrists, because I need to rotate my hand a lot in order to have a good overhead position and it's really uncomfortable, specially when I lower the bar to the shoulders again. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks!

[@CatalystAthletics]

Make sure you're trying to do position correctly - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHurqaCMpqajg6s Try this stretch in warm-up and between sets - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJzRnImwmrOMnNU And then you just need to do more mobility work for shoulders and upper back.

[@immortalituss]

on the descent it rams into my collarbones. I cannot get back from the ahpulders back overhead position into that strange clean-like position

[@CatalystAthletics]

See this - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJjQm36Cjsubh5Y

[@user-dd7pq2to3o]

Love this whole library! When i push press and it starts to get heavy i find i strart pushing the bar out in front of me, and at the same time my upper body leans back, almost as if in pushing myself away from the bar (if that makes sense) . Is that an issue you come across frequently?

[@CatalystAthletics]

Yes very common. Work on strengthening abs, bracing more forcefully, and improving arm mechanics, ie pushing the bar back immediately and spreading elbows. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJnci5tjqdStrqc

[@kmidst_fn5225]

Is it less efficient if you dip enough and time it so the hip angle fully opens at the same time the elbows lock out?

[@CatalystAthletics]

that wouldn't make sense at all. that would mean you're pressing with the arms while driving with the legs. The point is to accelerate and elevate the bar as much as possible with the legs and only follow-through with the arms, just like a jerk.

[@kmidst_fn5225]

@@CatalystAthletics Ok so I've likely been starting the press too early. Hopefully correcting my technique will increase my max then. Thanks.

[@CatalystAthletics]

See this - www.catalystathletics.com/article/2015/When-Do-You-Push-with-the-Arms-in-the-Jerk/

[@bradallen709]

I hit my chin...

[@cartalkcody]

It helps when you don't do that 😅

[@khmak9387]

Retract your head slightly, like Olympic jerkers. Then push it back through the arms at the top.

[@khmak9387]

Try retracting the head, like they do in the jerk. Then push it back through at the top. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rITCk6yGfN1pp5Ysi=de-NDGEVTyjmloJV

[@monojhqm]

it happens sometimes hahahaha, i almost knocked myself out with 275lbs thank god i put safety bars on