A push press is a strength training exercise that targets upper body muscles to build shoulder strength. The movements are similar to military press exercises but the push has to begin from the legs. It is essential to include some kind of press workout in your routine. If you want bigger shoulders then this is an absolute workout for you. If you want to work with heavyweights by not being strict with your regime, then push press is the key. It helps to press heavyweights and generates momentum in the lower part of the body.
Push Press provides an array of benefits for athletes and weight lifters. It not only strengthens your upper body but also stabilizes your rotator cuff. If you are looking to build overall core strength and lower body stability then your must start doing this workout. It also helps you to do heavy physical tasks in your daily routine like lifting heavy objects or moving heavy things around, because push press is the reason that helped you to develop power and strong muscles. Let us see some important tips on how to do push press.
How to do Standard Push Press
- Stand on the floor with hip-width apart.
- Grab the bar with a fixed grip. Rest the bar on your torso.
- Your elbows position should be in front of the bar.
- By pressing your torso starts dipping down until your legs and hip gets extended.
- Once you come up like a spring, press the bar over your head with fully extended arms.
- Your knees should not be bent and your legs should be straight.
- Start doing it for around 2-3 reps.
- Remember to put focus on the lower legs and then lift the bar.
Push Press Variations
Single-Arm Push Press
As the name suggests, only one arm is used to lift the dumbbell. Just stand in the same position as you do for the standard push press. Hold the dumbbell with anyone’s arm and place it above your shoulder. Lift the dumbbell above your head. Push it straight up and just bring it down above your shoulder level. Repeat it with your other hand. It is a unilateral form that increases arm strength and maintains stability throughout your body.
Dumbbell Push Press
It is the same as that we discussed in single-arm variation. The movements are the same except your lift two dumbbells at a time with both your hands. A major benefit you get from this variation is gaining muscular development and getting balanced coordination throughout your push press workout.
Behind the Neck
Only advanced level lifters should perform this variation. In this form, place the barbell on the backside of your shoulder. Hold your barbell in such a way that your knuckles should face the ceiling. Push the bar up with your hands and try to lower them down until the middle part backside of your head. In this version, your scapula starts rotating for doing push press. To complete the lift, you have to utilize the deltoids.
Common Mistakes and Precautions
- The feet distance is given prime importance in the push press. Even though you feel that further distance between your feet relaxes you and makes you do this exercise easier, it is the wrong thing to do. You will end up straining your legs and making your lifts tougher. Always keep your feet a hip-width apart.
- Your elbows and hands placement should be in the correct form. The elbows should be in relaxed form with palms facing up the ceiling.
- Don’t be in a squat position while doing push press. It’s natural to squat but instead slightly perform a dip. Do not bend too much.
- Always start with low weight barbell. If you starting with high weights then your back will slightly arch and then you will end up injuring your back muscles.
- Premature lifting of the barbell is an improper way to do push press. Only lift the bar when your legs are straight and your hips are fully straight.
- According to Crossfit, push press is as an effective exercise to increase core strength, power, speed and athletic performance.
- During weight lifting and strength training the lower body push helps to prevent from getting an injury.
- Since the movements are similar to clean and jerk exercises, athletes and weight lifters usually do push presses for enhancing their muscle strength.
- During push press, a lifter has to put force from the kinetic chain, from the lower to upper part of the body. This force generates a powerful stimulus that creates muscles strength and mass in both the upper and lower part of your body.
- Comparing to overhead press and bench press, push press is an ideal standard workout to improve your motor control and coordination in your body.