PressFieldGuide

Humans are anteriorly-oriented beings, meaning we like to do things with our hands. Connecting a load in our hands to our feet on the floor and tying together the entire body into one, long kinetic chain—while requiring stability, balance, and coordination—makes the overhead press the most functional upper body lift in our repertoire. A strong press is a demonstration of efficiency and body control. Here are a few pointers to Help You achieve both.

Setup This guide is for the commonly known “Press 2.0,” a version that uses some hip movement to initiate the drive off your shoulders. Take your breath and start every repetition at the bottom of the movement.

Squeeze the bar “Low” in your hands

Position your hands for a narrow grip. Before you grasp the bar, rotate your fingers inward, thumbs pointing down. Then squeeze the bar with the pads of your fingers rather than grasping it like a pull-up bar. This will help put the bar in the correct place in your hand. Take care not to flex or extend your wrists or let the bar roll back over your knuckles.

The correct grip will produce a neutral or mostly straight wrist (about 15 degrees of extension).

Unrack with “UMPH!”

With your grip in place, rotate your elbows under and “squat” the bar out of the rack. (Don’t change your grip!)

Elbows in front of the bar

Squeeze your elbows in front of the bar like you are trying to touch them together.

Turn Your Body into A Column

Take two steps back. Set your feet at about shoulder width. Then squeeze: Chest up, Quads tight, and abs engaged like you are bracing for a punch to the stomach.

Eyes Straight ahead

Lock your eyes on a target straight in front of you.

Don’t forget to breathe

Take a big breath and hold it until the bar is back to the starting position.

Execution “Hips then press.” Execution of the press 2.0 is all about timing and bar path.

Hips first

Punch your hips forward without unsqueezing any part of your body, like you are shoving your body under the bar. This should bring your hips forward & shoulders down. Imagine that there is a wall 1” behind your shoulders—don’t hit the wall.

…Then PRess

If you are aggressive and tight with the hip movement, your hips will rebound from their forward position, and the bar to bounce in your hands. Press at the top of the bounce.

Aim for your nose

Your nose is a proxy for the correct bar path. The closer the better.

Shrug to finish

Finish by pressing to the highest point possible and shrugging your shoulders to your ears.

Aim for your nose, again.

Aim for your nose on the way back down, keeping your elbows in front of the bar and returning to the exact same starting position. Breathe. Hips. Repeat.

Tips and Tricks

A “1—2 Punch!”

The dynamic hip movement should be like a “1—2 punch.” When you throw a punch you don’t leave your fist hanging out in the air. It snaps back! So should your hips, followed immediately by the press. “Hips Then Press” —> “1—2 punch!”

Let the Bar Float

With the correct grip and elbow Position the bar will mostly likely float above your collarbone and below your chin. If the bar is resting on your body, likely your elbows are too low or your wrists are too bent.

Grip Fixes

Grip too wide or too narrow: your forearms should be vertical, looking from directly in front or behind you. Take a narrower or wide grip to make this happen.

Wrists keep bending: Check your grip setup, but then try wrist wraps. They help you feel and adjust your wrists position.

Use your Belt

Belts aren’t just for squats. The increased stability from using your belt can do wonders for your press.

Troubleshooting

A Looping bar path

If you find you are pressing with a looping bar path, There are two most likely reasons:

(1) Check your wrists: If your wrists are over-extended (like you are reving a motorcycle), then the bar will be too far under your chin and you will have to press around your face. Squeeze the bar hard and think “Straight Wrists.”

(2) Check your timing: The hip movement pulls your face out of the way of the bar. When you press late, you will have returned to your original starting position and will have to press out and away to reach the lockout.

Pushing yourself away from the bar

Pressing too early or failing to stay tight can cause you to push your body away from the bar. Check your press timing; be patient! And, Keep your abs tight while shoving your body under the bar.

Heels leaving the floor

Most commonly, the heels come up because you are rocking back before the hip movement. From the bottom position your HIPS ONLY GO FORWARD. Then, rebound back to your mid-foot.

Assistance Lifts Use press and bench press supplemental lifts that have a good carryover to your press. For accessory work, you are going to mainly target your triceps.

Supplemental LIfts

Seated Press Pin Press at Varying Heights Press starts Incline Bench Press Close Grip Bench PRess

Accessory Work

Dips Rolling Dumbbell Extensions