How to get a Big Press | Starting Strength Network Previews

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[@skidaddler6293]

Listen to Rip. Follow his advice. I did. My press is now 231 for 3 reps. I weigh 220. 5’9’’. Still going up. I’m 48.

[@edwardburroughs1489]

You're really strong but you're also 35% body fat -maybe more - which isn't great health or appearance wise. Unless you use PEDs of course? Also if you press that much what about all the other lifts?

[@mustafayldrm3449]

Woah, respectable.

[@calebraumann5757]

Sick dude keep at it

[@skidaddler6293]

@@mustafayldrm3449 I remember when I started about …18 months ago. My bench and squat were the same about 185. My press was about 120ish. My deadlift was non-existent. You have to have consistency and you can’t give up when it gets hard or you get stuck.

[@minecraftlord568]

i think your press is 231 x 3 cos you're 220. when you're 225 it'll be 240 x 3 and so on.

[@stevearttus8164]

A big press is really the most imPRESSive lift to me. Because it is all strength. No back arching, sumo position, whatever. Just hard training and raw strength.

[@jocaingles8464]

How about the double lay back press taught by starting strength?

[@Twm532]

@@jocaingles8464 Its not starting strengths fault that you read the book wrong. Nowhere does it say to lean back

[@sloppyjonuts9162]

I’m going to get a 300 press it’s more impressive than a 300 bench

[@BUFFALO_cougar_slayer]

@@sloppyjonuts9162good luck. I couldn’t get it on gear. Got to 297.5, but after months of failing 300, I let it go. Not worth it. Didn’t get much development out of it. The bench is a much better hypertrophy movement for upper body mass I WOULD, however, recommend getting your behind-the-neck strict press as high as possible. Awesome movement. Blows the OHP away imo

[@Sensei_Gaz]

I was actually removed from the olympics partly because people where arching so much that it turned into a standing bench press, almost.

[@jd0879]

2:42 I’m sorry but Rip is so out of touch with reality and can easily get someone hurt with this line of thinking. Low 300’s is a crazy amount of weight for the press. If someone has a 225-250 press, no matter what context in body weight they have a big press. 275+ is hit by the 0.0000001% of the population and I’ve never seen someone go above 230 (on average 135) in person. Yet he says 300-345 is the norm for a big press? Even the SS standards say a 284 press at 320+ lbs is considered elite. Lol gtfo

[@htowndevil6564]

Very true

[@johnbackos5192]

I compete as a master lifter (62 years old) by best recent press is 195 at 242. My best ever ( a long time ago ) was a seated press of pins without a back support of 245 at a bodyweight of 211. What got me there were HEAVY close grip bench paused doubles, close grip inclines off pins and high rep standing presses. Never pressed more than twice a week.

[@HenchPig]

Low 300’s should be what people aim for. The reason most of the population Press light weights is because people are weak and follow bodybuilding shit. Maybe you’re out of touch with the reality of what can actually be achieved with good training.

[@chrisweidner4768]

Thank you sir for this. I’m 65 and just beginning the strict standing press. Just got to 135 x 2. Been pressing once a week. Now going to follow your advice and work 3 times a week and ensuring I finish with heavy singles. (Been focusing on deadlift/front squats/curls/ rows/chest work forever). No idea why I never got into heavy bar strict presses. Fun to have a new challenge. Straight up and down. I respect the Chase lift, but it is certainly not a strict press. “Body weight is a starting point.” Indeed. 85 below bodyweight. Again/ your reality checks and advice are golden.

[@andrepastor4844]

Nice milestone.

[@livingdeadfitness1528]

A 225 standing press is already impressive. Most natural lifters will never reach a 300 lb press with full ROM. I know guys that bench 450 and can't press 300.

[@72Dexter72Manley72]

Yes it is. I have been working out in commercial gyms for 35 years and I can't remember the last time I saw someone press 200lbs. I haven't even seen someone do that weight seated. It's just not a normal lift that gym bro's do.

[@patale1640]

@@72Dexter72Manley72 been going to big box gyms since the 90s and you do see a lot more people training press now more than ever, but it’s very rare to see anyone pushing anything above 185lbs without leg drive

[@solenya4983]

@@72Dexter72Manley72 It's a humbling lift that most bros don't really understand how to do properly either.

[@edwardburroughs1489]

@@72Dexter72Manley72 Its harder seated.

[@jasonlofgan66]

@@edwardburroughs1489 😂

[@ash6415]

There's me pressing once a month and wondering why it's so hard to improve it. 😄

[@mantexas9033]

Hilarious 😑

[@miketracy9256]

A bodyweight press has always been a lofty goal and Mark's advice is right. Pressing more than 3 days a week is much like what was done in the USSR when the press was still in the Olympic Lifts.

[@jojo89ofcourse52]

Did this clip get cutoff before Rip said “eat more protein?”

[@Apollonianism]

Good information, thanks Rippetoe. Perhaps 5 days a week presses will be in Chase's future? We can only hope.

[@tom6567]

Learnt so much from rips videos, I only just came across them a week ago. I'm loving squats more than ever!!

[@jrconn0609]

405 press @ 250lb body weight? That's insane!

[@dbjmk8083]

Its a standing bench press though...jokes aside; although Chase is a phenom, this double layback press technique isn't really a better expression of pure strength than the push press. You're trading the momentum and recruitment of the legs in the pushpress for the momentum and recruitment of the hips and upper chest in this double layback press. Chase isn't strict pressing 400lbs probably not even 350lbs without this added hip movement.

[@bushidoman96]

Who is strict pressing 400 lbs?

[@georgetubb9124]

​@@bushidoman96a juiced to the gills Larry wheels

[@cg9887]

Chase lindley

[@markm5772]

Very strict press is at 165lbs for 5 reps at 210 bw at 42 years old recovering from a torn rotator cuff in both shoulders

[@royercrafter]

Good luck brother! You deserve to see yourself shredded and strong. Remember to do plenty of isometric stretches for shoulder health. It's not only about the muscles but also about ligaments and joints.

[@711hangouts6]

If you want Rips sexy shoulders, keep pressing for singles lol!

[@janoycresva276]

If you press 4 times a week, you’re gonna be a weak presser because you’re not going to be recovering between training sessions, not to mention you’ll also likely get hurt from lack of variation & overuse. Training the press 3 times a week is only good for beginners who have no muscular foundation & need to learn the lifts but should only be done for at most 12 weeks if that. Then you want to press once a week hard & do other accessory lifts like incline dumbbell press, lateral raises, tricep pushdowns, etc to build up the muscles involved in the press in the same workout. It’s really simple, go into the gym, find your 1 rep max by adding weight to the exercise until you can only do a single rep with it & then afterwards, whatever weight you did, take 60% of that & do it for 5 x 10, same with your accessory lifts then the next week, add 5 lbs to the 60% weight you did.

[@jerseyjim9092]

Of the two, bench vs ohp, which one has the biggest carryover. In other words, if you just focused on one, which would give the biggest bang for increasing both lifts.

[@Pyro7k]

IMO, if you focus more on the Press and get the weight up on that lift, you'll have a stronger Bench too. The reason being is because the Press has a longer kinetic chain that the lifter has to learn to transfer force through. So, learning how to transfer force over that long chain will come into play better on the shorter chain that comprises the Bench. Plus, if you're strong enough to put 200+ lbs overhead, then odds are good that strength will carry through to AT LEAST a mid 200's Bench (assuming you know how to properly perform the lift).

[@shlok-vp4xr]

I strict press 130 lbs for 11 @160 lbs 17 years old.(not a huge number but considering no layback its quite good for my age and size) What works for me is pressing 2 days a week, one day a heavy single and rep work the other day dynamic effort work and rep work.

[@con-f-use]

Why would you do 11 reps on the press. That's just a waste.

[@Ronnock]

@@con-f-use overall work capacity, maybe to decrease rest time on heavy days.

[@shlok-vp4xr]

@@con-f-use hypertrophy work? I don't see what's wrong with high rep pressing. If I only did heavy work I wouldn't be able to recover

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

@@con-f-use sounds like he just did an AMRAP

[@SMDe36M3]

@@shlok-vp4xr not if you use RPE Or RIR. Find a pressing template.

[@jimcortez3293]

The other thing that is necessary for a heavy press, is some heavy duty gear. That's why most people don't press heavy. They are law abiding citizens.

[@Beeftitan]

I think dynamic effort would be good when 65% is close to your bodyweight. The best weight to train press in general is when the center of mass of the barbel- lifter system is close to the bar. If you cant press bodyweight then the only real way to practice this is with heavy triples, doubles, singles.

[@patriotsheepdog]

I struggle with the press so much. Maybe this is my problem. I bench 385 and weigh 205, but can’t press more than 185.

[@adraticofficial]

I think a lot has to do with form A lot of people don’t do it right and they get stuck Once I got the form down it was cake

[@amazinglats6020]

I struggle with it too. my best bench is 335 and best press is around 170.

[@connorw360]

Just do powerlifting then. Squat. Bench. Deadlift. Just use the press as an assistant exercise

[@JohnRhodes-lv3rg]

The press depends on volume and mechanics. Your body wants a T-Rex instead of Hercules. So practice the overhead press. Always fresh, as frequent as you can, for power and heavy weight.

[@iesiediesie74]

I find it difficult to use the hip movement as i approach my workset weight. Is there something i can do about that?

[@Tubecraft1]

As always THE most important voice on the internet

[@Jamf5]

How would you program this around squats/deadlifts etc? Lighter press days for those?

[@Ian.lifts.]

I’m not Rip but I’ll address this, being that squats and deadlifts seem to be important to you, back in my strongman days I’d program light to moderate 3-5 sets of 5 press before deadlifts and 3-5 sets of light dynamic presses or push press of 5 before squats. Both actually served as damn good primers for the squats or deads. A proper strict press with tight glutes, rigid torso, grounded through the earth is very similar to deadlifts and the more dynamic press variations were decent primers for squatting. Also, I’m not super into the dogma surrounding 5 reps, however, it seems to be the most effective personally when it comes to all overhead variations. So back to you Moderate press day Light press before deads Heavy press Light to moderate push press before squats Just a suggestion.

[@whatsyourmax223]

Hit that like button 💪👍✨️🌟

[@diegocastillo5400]

Do you think 5 days a week is too much to train the Press?

[@astang1072]

Is that a life size statue of Paul Perkerson??

[@connorw360]

QUESTION If you want a big bench press would you recommend the same approach or different?

[@fulviozanolla5027]

Of course, 3 to 4 days frequency, maybe 1 day volume/close grip, 2 moderate 5×5/ 6×6 and 1 heavy whith singles

[@connorw360]

@@fulviozanolla5027 I think that's to much for Bench? I mean your using more muscles on Bench than the press, all ur chest muscles , shoulders and Triceps. I may try it though further down the line. But I personally think a heavy day and volume day twice a week may be fine ?

[@fulviozanolla5027]

@@connorw360 not at all, because you wouldn't do other isolation exercices for chest, maybe add triceps accessories but it's completely fine to do 3 to 4 days bench

[@fulviozanolla5027]

@@connorw360 just make sure to fluctuate rep ranges during the week to not stall

[@themetsfan861]

I would strongly recommend benching at least 3 days a week, if not 4.

[@brrakesh]

How much can Chase bench?

[@jamesshaffer4547]

I meant to say probably not optimum . Either too much rest or too little rest .

[@erickelley5420]

How to get a big press. Test E and halotestin there's ur answer

[@jamesshaffer4547]

How would you structure a 4 day press program ? Monday , Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and then start again on Tuesday or Wednesday? I don't understand how best to structure it . Maybe pin presses and dynamic effort work can be done on back to back days ? Does anyone know how you would go about this because if done wrong it can not be optimum

[@jamesshaffer4547]

I meant to say probably not optimum . Too much rest or too little

[@jocaingles8464]

Every other day.

[@jesseferrissalloum9700]

I'm running mine on a 4 day split right now. Mon (5x5), Tue (Pin press), Thu (singles) and Fri (dynamic effort). I played around with different arrangements and found this one to be best for me. I get a rest day before the more important pressing days (Mon volume and Thu intensity), and I'm not doing two heavy press days (singles and pin press) back to back. YMMV

[@-b-sharp]

M, W, F then add a Sat is what they usually say. I would assume Friday and Saturday would be scheduled with something easier to recover from with higher volume or intensity work on Monday and Wednesday. M - 5x5 W - singles F - DE doubles Sa - pin press But I don't really know anything, I just got my ohp up to a plate on LP.

[@objectivistathlete]

It has to be done back-to-back. Dynamic effort is relatively light, it won't tax your recovery too much.

[@dude861]

Practice the Push Press.

[@captainloaf4767]

Do you even lift bro

[@jk_0047]

Did Rip just use CM?

[@rd-ch1on]

What does dynamic mean in this context?

[@comando293]

It means maximum bar speed. I think.

[@Gamingwithgleez]

Gadget is correct. It is maximum bar speed with lighter weight. Typically 50-65% of your one rep max.

[@AcceleratingUniverse]

dynamic effort, not dynamic

[@runningbaum9430]

Gentleman, questions, What's a dynamic effort workout ?

[@xxaztecwarriorxx1168]

Basically speed work

[@mcluhansalem7547]

Do I have to bench less and press more on my linear program , in case to press more heavy and progress on press ???????

[@joelportwood5902]

Is the bench that much less technically important? You mentioned benching once every couple weeks vs pressing 4x week, or 8x frequency of the bench. Is this because he's trying to specifically improve the press? I do agree about the importance of bar path in that the muscles that have to overcome the moment caused by deviation from the centerline (glutes abs traps) have to work very hard and quick to stabilize.

[@filipkurtyka5634]

Yes, he said that benching only once every few weeks will be good becouse this guy wants to specialize in press. Bench Press is much more fatiguing. Doing it every few weeks can push you forward on press becouse bench press will overload your triceps. But too much benching will burn you if you will press overhead 4x/week and ad bench press to it every week. And yes, bench press is easier in terms of technique. You can do occasionaly and it would still be effective.

[@sloppyjonuts9162]

I agree same with bench press

[@CarsonX1]

If you applied this to the bench press, What should the set rep scheme be for the pin press day and also do you try to keep adding 5lbs a week on each workout?