Push press

Finally, we get to use our hips to drive the weight overhead! Your push press is about 30% stronger than your shoulder press due to the use of your hips. The push press has the same starting and ending positions as the shoulder press, but the dynamic hip explosion allows for more efficiency. Remember everything used for the press technique as we are simply building on what we already know. All of the breathing, arching and re-racking rules follow suit for the push press.

The technique outlined below assumes you are set in the correct starting position.

The Dip

Heals are firmly planted on the ground
Hips are rotated back to give you a lumbar curve
- Stick your butt out
- Do not allow your hips to rotate forward – this will cause you to come up on your toes
Keep your torso upright – Do not allow your torso to angle forward
Descend only as deep as the correct posture will allow

The Drive

Violently open your hips to drive the weight vertically
- Your hips do the majority of the work
- The arms simply follow through to lockout
Drive through your heals
Pull your chin back to allow the weight to travel in a straight line
Do not allow your back to arch
Keep your abs tight
Finish in the correct ending position

Having the bar racked across your shoulders is even more important in the push press than in the shoulder press. If the weight is sitting on your shoulders, the power from your hip extension is maximally translated through your tight core to your shoulders driving the weight vertically. The power will only be partially translated to a bar that is supported mostly or fully in the hands. You are actually introducing a cushion or shock absorber that robs much of the power created by your hip drive. Compared to your hips, your arms are weak and cannot full translate power from your hips to the bar.

Once you master the push press your body will remember the efficiency of the movement and potentially have a hard time returning to heavy shoulder presses. With a little bit of mindfulness you will easily overcome your body’s natural tendency to dip and drive during the strict shoulder press. A slight contraction in your quads during the start of your press will help prevent the urge. Your push press will begin to feel more and more natural as a safe and efficient means to press weight overhead.

When pushing to your max you may fail at your lift. This is to be expected and encouraged when pushing your limits. Be ready to dump the weight in front of you. For the successful lifts reaching full lockout you may also dump the weight when the lift is complete. Another option is the lower and cushion technique outlined in last week’s post.

The lower and cushion technique is ideal for performing reps of the push press, and allows you to get into a rhythm as you transition from one rep to the next. When cushioning the weight your body is starting the dip of the next rep. Once you get into a rhythm you will be able to perform many reps in a row at high speed significantly reducing your WOD time.

Life just got a little more dynamic with the push press: Dip, drive, GO!