Strict Press vs. Push Press

[Michael Long]

Just curious, how much more do you push press versus your strict press?

[Michael Love]

I was strict pressing the same as my push press because before to long I didnt bend my knees... Now I am strict pressing 315 - 320 and push pressing 355 - 365.

Makes a huge difference lol.

[Easton Taylor]

I have strict pressed 245 and push pressed 310. Narrowly missed 320 on an axle with a Continental Clean.

[Bob Toth]

Strict 260.. PP 285...
I can not rack the bar properly.. so the drive off my front delts is almost non-existant...
But I keep on working on my flexibility...

[MikeMastell]

seated strict press for me i hit 295x5 today and my max push press is 335. I dont' use a lot of leg drive so i do more strict than PP bc it carries over to my lifts better.

[Chris Daviez]

Z press while sitting 275lbs


Standing press 300lbs


Push press 400lbs

[Anthony Esquerdo]

Haven't tested either for a m/e for awhile but when I did it was 240 strict press 275 push press

[Brandon Campbell]

well I have done 315 Standing Strict max, and have done 380 overhead jerk/Push at my highest, now doing more like 350-365 since i stopped training it after San Diego. Things drop fast when its all technique and you stop LOL

[Ryan Bakke]

strict press- 315

push press- 405

jerk- 470

I have a terrible strict press!

[rjpe99]

My bar and axle pressing sucks! I have one messed up elbow which makes it hard to get into a good rack position. My best axle strict press was 270 and axle push press was 320 in training. My log is even worse. I have hit 10lbs more in a one motion press than I have in a push press.

[Brandon Campbell]

strict press- 315

push press- 405

jerk- 470

I have a terrible strict press!

actually 315 is pretty good ryan! lol anything over 300 for standing strict is good. not great but good

hey when you jerk 500lbs ryan can I have your underwear you were wearing at the time? with your autograph on it of course! I want to extract the musk from them, i heard it has a great effect on the ladies. Then i will hang them up on my wall for all to see!

[Johnathon Conner]

385 strict and 425 push

[Brandon Campbell]

385 strict and 425 push

your numbers dont count MAN BEAST!!! go back to your cave!!! the women are in shipping and will arrive soon, now begone!! before more children end up eaten!

LOL sorry its late, I imagined a pouty faced John like harry would do from harry and the hendersons HAHA made me laugh hard!

[Matthew White]

230 strict 280 push, I know, I'm a pussbot.

[Tom Hutchison]

Strict 260.. PP 285...
I can not rack the bar properly.. so the drive off my front delts is almost non-existant...
But I keep on working on my flexibility...

Ditto all this for me exactly. :mad:

[JustinLallemand]

Just curious - when you say strict press, are you meaning barbell resting on your shoulders? If I don't move my lower body at all, the first few inches off of my shoulders with a regular barbell are a lot harder than if it is already at my chin (for example).

[JustinLallemand]

Ditto all this for me exactly. :mad:

This might sound stupid, but if you wear wrist raps, loosening them up may give you enough extra ROM. (I'm sure you've already considered/tried that though.) Same for wearing elbow sleeves - they will limit ROM when trying to rack the bar.

[Chad Robison]

Just curious, how much more do you push press versus your strict press?

It can be a pretty substantial difference, I have personally never tried a standing strict press. I have pressed out 365 from a seated position with the pins set just below my chin and hit a 440 lb push press. The push press/jerk is such an explosive movement, watch some of Bakke's vids (especially from the fit expo), they are somewhat of a "how to" in terms of the explosive movement and generating speed.

Chad Robison

[Tom Hutchison]

This might sound stupid, but if you wear wrist raps, loosening them up may give you enough extra ROM. (I'm sure you've already considered/tried that though.) Same for wearing elbow sleeves - they will limit ROM when trying to rack the bar.

I've tried that and it doesn't seem to help. Lately, I've actually gotten closer to being able to rack the bar by using an open grip and resting the bar more in my palms, its only about 1-2 inches away now from my delts.

Because of my inflexibility the first few inches of my press is actually my easiest, likely because the tendons / ligaments wanting the spring back the their more natural position.

[Louis Costa]

well I have done 315 Standing Strict max, and have done 380 overhead jerk/Push at my highest, now doing more like 350-365 since i stopped training it after San Diego. Things drop fast when its all technique and you stop LOL

Brandon...I hear ya. I was hitting up near a 360 log and fell to about 340 after cali. Missed a 350 axle off of a clean today. Was hitting consistently at about 365. WTF!

I do have one question off of the path here. My lower back is screaming in sharp pains now with any type of log over about 280. I was hitting 305 for a consistent 5 or 6 clean and press in a minute and I feel a nerve or twinge every heavy press. ?

obviously rest is going to help but I fear its my form. Just wondered if anyone else had this problem.

Too late to go back to drawing board. I can strict press nearly as much as push. That's not bragging its actually sad because I know i'm losing out in the end.

I need to find that smooth technique Andy Vincent has. All olympic like :)

[Louis Costa]

It can be a pretty substantial difference, I have personally never tried a standing strict press. I have pressed out 365 from a seated position with the pins set just below my chin and hit a 440 lb push press. The push press/jerk is such an explosive movement, watch some of Bakke's vids (especially from the fit expo), they are somewhat of a "how to" in terms of the explosive movement and generating speed.

Chad Robison



eh....I will be quiet and forward any remaining questions to a one mr. Chad Robinson.

440 barbell press?!?! I loath you chad robinson. you and your hot man shorts.

[Chad Robison]

eh....I will be quiet and forward any remaining questions to a one mr. Chad Robinson.

440 barbell press?!?! I loath you chad robinson. you and your hot man shorts.

I am starting to loath you for not spelling my name correctly, figure it out or we will stop being best friends, haha...Now if I can only get my deadlift to progress like my overhead I would be in good shape.

Chad ROBISON

[Louis Costa]

Good Point. chad RobiNNNNson

[Ryan Bracewell]

To all the guys talking about post Cali workouts, I wouldnt know. I swore off lifting heavy objects after that show :BB:

[Dan Eberhardt]

440lb press is big!

I have a question about form, how far apart should your hands be on the bar? Shoulder width or wider? Or is it bad to go with a wide grip?

[Alex Klotz]

50 pounds. 225 vs 175.

[Brandon Campbell]

440lb press is big!

I have a question about form, how far apart should your hands be on the bar? Shoulder width or wider? Or is it bad to go with a wide grip?

Little bit pass the end of the delts, anything wider and my jerk gets all messed up, not to mention my stubby arms allow my head to be smashed into the bar if i go 1-2inchs wider:LOL:

[JustinLallemand]

It can be a pretty substantial difference, I have personally never tried a standing strict press. I have pressed out 365 from a seated position with the pins set just below my chin and hit a 440 lb push press. The push press/jerk is such an explosive movement, watch some of Bakke's vids (especially from the fit expo), they are somewhat of a "how to" in terms of the explosive movement and generating speed.

Chad Robison

That was sort of related to my question - I do seated BB presses at about chin level and have done 355 a while back and I do lean back a bit. But haven't come close to that push press!!!! That is sweet.

Am I correct to assume you take it from the racked position?

One thing that sucks for me is my basement is too short and I cant take a bar from the rack. I have to clean it first. (I am working on setting up my yoke to do that though, so I will be able to work on push press only, but outside. I'm welding a few attachments that will accomodate the log, axle, or BB.)

Damn good PP man! That pin press is solid too considering it's just dead weight...

[JustinLallemand]

385 strict and 425 push

DAMN! Got some good pressers on here. Just curious, is that strict press with no knee bend and a bit of a lean back?

I'm still a little confused what is technically a strict press - mainly since if the BB is resting on my shoulders, those first few inches I have very little strength, but it starts to kick in some at my chin....

Thanks man!

Kansas guy too!!! Might have missed it, but where at in KS?

(I'm from SE Kansas but live in Fayetteville, AR).

Oh, and no pressure, but I expect to see you on TV pretty soon competing, lol!!!!

A strict log press to me is leaning back and maybe just BARELY using the calves. What the hell do I know?

[JustinLallemand]

Yeah, but what do you guys get out of your OHP shirt? Triple ply that is? :o

[Mike Landrich]

Brandon...I hear ya. I was hitting up near a 360 log and fell to about 340 after cali. Missed a 350 axle off of a clean today. Was hitting consistently at about 365. WTF!

I do have one question off of the path here. My lower back is screaming in sharp pains now with any type of log over about 280. I was hitting 305 for a consistent 5 or 6 clean and press in a minute and I feel a nerve or twinge every heavy press. ?

obviously rest is going to help but I fear its my form. Just wondered if anyone else had this problem.

Too late to go back to drawing board. I can strict press nearly as much as push. That's not bragging its actually sad because I know i'm losing out in the end.

I need to find that smooth technique Andy Vincent has. All olympic like :)

Lou
2 things. Is the back pain at hip level and does it feel like a pinched nerve? I used to get that when I was near my max. Heavy OH lockouts (405+) helped condition my back, by strengthening the stabilizer muscles. The other thing is to get better at OH pressing, hire an Oly lifting coach. Mike trained with one and added 50+ pounds to his OH press literally in a couple of days.

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

No I'm not joking...


Strict 200

PP 340

Jerk 400

[steve-ferreira]

No I'm not joking...


Strict 200

PP 340

Jerk 400

wow :eek:

imPRESSive!

[Michelle Ludena]

I was strict pressing the same as my push press because before to long I didnt bend my knees... Now I am strict pressing 315 - 320 and push pressing 355 - 365.

Makes a huge difference lol.

ugh I have to use my leg drive... for sure!

I even do some fancy foot work and I get nice compliments too, but man I need to pack on some weight my push press is never gonna move...

[Louis Costa]

Lou
2 things. Is the back pain at hip level and does it feel like a pinched nerve? I used to get that when I was near my max. Heavy OH lockouts (405+) helped condition my back, by strengthening the stabilizer muscles. The other thing is to get better at OH pressing, hire an Oly lifting coach. Mike trained with one and added 50+ pounds to his OH press literally in a couple of days.

I wish I had the resources to hire an Oly coach. It is definetely a nerve i'm guessing because when it twitches (about 4 inches on the right above spine) it juts me enough where I have to set log down. I think its just way too much curve in my lower back leaning back to press..but I think you are right mike. I used to do Heavy overhead lockouts and stopped. Because it helped but I would stay sore for days in a very weird and nondesirable way. I'll just suck it up..take a few weeks off and hit seated/floor presses. the whole thing sucks because my shoulders and tri's have never been stronger. I can't get my damned back to settle down.!!

I will take your advice and start doing the oh lockouts again.

lou

[Chris Henry]

Strict - 265

Push Press- 335 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyr2yX9t2Tw

I have stopped jerking, since it seems quite a few contests do not allow it.



Justin- As far as leaning back on a strict press.. I have never seen them not get counted as a strict press. I think the thing with leaning back is, some can do it and some have a hard time with it. I personally tend to lean back a bit.

[rob meulenberg]

I have stopped jerking, since it seems quite a few contests do not allow it.



What contest(s) does(do) not allow jerking? I have only heard of jerking being disallowed on viking presses...never on anything else.

[MarkSikora]

[QUOTE=Chris Henry;278901]Strict - 265

Push Press- 335 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyr2yX9t2Tw

I have stopped jerking, since it seems quite a few contests do not allow it.



Yeah, I'm with Doc Rob.

The only reason to stop jerking is if you're losing your vision.;)

[Easton Taylor]

[QUOTE=Chris Henry;278901]Strict - 265

Push Press- 335 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyr2yX9t2Tw

I have stopped jerking, since it seems quite a few contests do not allow it.



Yeah, I'm with Doc Rob.

The only reason to stop jerking is if you're losing your vision.;)

So that is why I am losing my vision. Thanks Mark.

[Todd Malone]

Hey guys, is this a reason to stop jerking? Sometimes the bar slips.

[JustinLallemand]

Strict - 265

Push Press- 335 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hyr2yX9t2Tw

I have stopped jerking, since it seems quite a few contests do not allow it.



Justin- As far as leaning back on a strict press.. I have never seen them not get counted as a strict press. I think the thing with leaning back is, some can do it and some have a hard time with it. I personally tend to lean back a bit.

Thanks man. I picture those russian dudes in the olympics leaning WAY back and they'd push the limits of the rules bending knees just a little - all of that. Still very impressive to watch. As far as the resting on the shoulders part, some guys can't (one of my buddies cant) and I take almost 300 before I do.

I'll just keep it simple and it is very safe to say I need to get stronger in every area. I definitely don't think my seated numbers would carry over even closely to a very strict standing press...

Like I've heard Glenn Pendlay say: "strength is strength is strength." (In response to a thread arguing if oly lifters, PLers, SM, or whoever was strongest.)

[JustinLallemand]

No I'm not joking...


Strict 200

PP 340

Jerk 400



I keep saying the same thing, but this makes since because I am weak for the first 4 to 6 inches off the shoulders. And I know Jono has enough flexibility to rack the bar correctly. The biomechanics when your forearm is completely against your upper arms make it very weak at that point. (At least for me.)

[Jonathan Macfarlane]

I keep saying the same thing, but this makes since because I am weak for the first 4 to 6 inches off the shoulders. And I know Jono has enough flexibility to rack the bar correctly. The biomechanics when your forearm is completely against your upper arms make it very weak at that point. (At least for me.)


Yeah, it's not a strong position for a number of reasons. Flexibilty being one of them.

[Craig Pfisterer]

Hey guys, is this a reason to stop jerking? Sometimes the bar slips.Just use more chalk:B:

Back when I was doing all three (strict, push press and jerk) they were:
Strict 215
PP 265
Jerk 285

Now I don't do push presses except sometimes during warm-ups for jerks and only do strict presses with log, axle or dumbbells for reps. My jerk is now 315 but I don't know what the other two are but there is certainly more disparity than 20lbs between my push press and jerk now.