Four Tips for Getting More Power into your Presses

by Tyler Hass

To add more power to your press, one method is to pull your shoulder down as far as possible. This pre-stretches the deltoids, which gives you a little bit of momentum going into the sticking point. To do this properly, pull your shoulder down as if you want to touch it to your hip on the same side. Use you lats and obliques to really pull the shoulder way down. Be sure to keep your shoulder down and in the socket throughout the press.

Another way to get started with a heavier press is to start it from the top. Usually the first rep is the most difficult because you have start without any stored tension. By jerking it to the top first, you can then load tension as you lower the bell.

The clean and press is another variation that allows you to handle more weight. First clean the weight and catch it with max tension. Immediately press the bell up. Do not delay, for you will lose some of the tension in your abs and glutes.

As you are pressing up, push your heel down through the floor. Try and form a vertical column from the weight, through your forearm, your hip and your heel. This will ensure a strong platform for heavy one-arm pressing.

Like Circuits? Then Try these Evil KB Complexes

by Tyler Hass

Circuit Training is an excellent way to add variety to your workouts and to make sure that each workout hits your whole body equally. The next step beyond circuits are kettlebell complexes. Simply take a few exercises that flow into one another and just knock them off back to back. For example, whenever the bell is overhead, you are in a perfect position for an overhead squat or windmill. Here are a few sample complex exercises to get you started.

Clean, Front Squat into Jerk, Overhead Squat- Clean the weight and immediately drop down into a deep front squat. From the hole, explode up and jerk the bell overhead. As soon as it reaches the top, drop back down into an overhead squat. Drop bell or lower it to your shoulder first and then repeat.

Snatch, Overhead Squat- This one resembles a full Olympic snatch. If you are power snatching, then simply add an overhead squat at the end. Sometimes it's best to take a little juice off of your snatch so that you will be forced to catch it in an overhead squat.

Straight Arm Pullover, Turkish Get-Up- Grip the bell with one hand gripping the handle and the other hand gripping the side of the handle. Lying on the ground with your arms locked, pull the bell over your head head. Once your arm reaches vertical, let go with the supporting hand and perform a Turkish Get-up.

Deck Squat, Waiter's Press- Be careful with this one because you will be holding the weight upside down and gripping the bell by the sides of the handles. Perform a deck squat and then immediately press the bell overhead with both arms. It is also fun to hold onto the bell itself and then toss the bell after your deck squat. Oh, and do this one outdoors.

Push-Up position Row, Dead Snatch- From a pushup position, grab onto the KB with one hand and perform a row. Set the bell back down, kick your legs back up so you are set to perform a dead snatch. Perform the snatch with as little delay as possible, but do not be sloppy with your form. Set the KB down, kick back into the pushup position and perform another row.