Add pounds to your one arm press in a week

One of the finest drills a man (or woman) can do is the standing one arm press. The press can be done with a kettle bell, barbell, dumbbell, block weight, jump stretch band, club, rock, ect. A good standing presser will have a strong back and waist, strong flexible shoulders, and strong arms. I very much prefer the one arm version over the two arm because it is easier to learn and you can lift more weight safely. Most people turn their barbell standing presses in to an unnecessarily dangerous “standing bench press” which places the back and shoulders at risk. I am not here to tell you what you should and should not do, so if you like to do that than keep on trucking.

“…to press a lot, one must press a lot…” burn that in to your mind. Strength is a skill, and to improve upon a skill you have to practice it often.

As i write this i assume the reader already is familiar with the fundamentals of the press. This piece is to share some things which i believe will increase your press. I am not going to hammer out exact rep/set schemes, as that will largely depend upon too many individual factors. If you want my personal opinion on how to integrate these ideas in to your training, than let me know and i will happily assist you.

1) One arm overhead squats: If your upper back is too tight, or your shoulder range of motion is poor (you should be able to touch your ear with your bicep by moving your upper arm overhead and close to the head. Move the arm to the head, NOT the head to the arm) you will not be a very successful presser. While my education is not complete enough to tell which muscle is responsible for your tight upper back, i can tell you it will limit you. This drill is a safe and effective way to build strength and stability in the upper back and shoulders, while improving the healthy range of motion. For an excellent video explanation, check out David Whitley’s Iron Tamer blog at http://www.irontamerblog.blogspot.com/

2) Yielding press: Negatives are a powerful to increase strenght. One of the great advantages of the one arm press is the fact your free hand can safely spot you for some one arm negative work. The key to negatives to use the correct weight. A range between 105-115% is superior to using 150-175%, because you will have more control over the weight. As you lower it, your must do several things. Pull the weight down while generating tension. this will keep the shoulder “packed” and allow you to have greatest levels of control. Keep your belly braced and full of air to protect the core. Keep the legs and butt as tight as possible to promote greater stability. Don’t be afraid to use the free hand if things get a little hairy. When negatives are done in this fashion, you will find them to be a great drill.

3) Partial band press from the bottom: Using a jump stretch band will allow you to train for a faster explosion from the hole. I use a partial range, coming up to about the top of my head. I know if i can get the weight to the top of my head, it is going all the way up. Training with bands will allow you to own your sticking points. This is of course one of the many innovations from world famous Power lifting coach Louie Simmons. Check out http://www.westside-barbell.com/ article sections for more information on bands.

4) Isometrics: Lost to the modern world, Isometrics has only remained in America due to the underground strength movements. Most people have tried them, and quickly abandoned them because they were told they don’t build muscle mass. This is a critical mistake. Isometrics are a powerful tool to keep around in your strength arsonal. They can be worked in to almost any training schedule, require minimal equipment, and produce some fairly rapid gains. I have used Isometrics for a few years training for strongman feats and presses. i would like to think they are proving their value at the rate i continue to improve. For the press, the most important portain to work is the BOTTOM. From collar bone level to your jaw line. When you build power here, your press will take off like a rocket. There are many ways to do this, if you would like some suggestions let me know.

5) Press! Remember, to press a lot, you must press a lot. The best way to combine solid poundage with higher volume is the russian ladder method.

There it is! Once again, my mind set is not to expose hidden secrets once lost to the west, or prove how smart i think i am. My goal is share things which i have found are golden. As always, i do not recommend anything i do not or have not tried. I will submit this to you, add in any two of these techniques, or even up to all five, and watch your press jump poundages in the next week.

Don’t follow the mindless herds my friends, walk the road less travelled…