CrossFitters and powerlifters aren’t the only ones who value the power of the push press. All you need is a barbell, and you can work your shoulder deltoids, traps, pecs, triceps, quads, and more with just one simple move. Starting with a quarter squat, you use the momentum from your squat to help you press the bar up overhead to complete the push press. It’s a commonly overlooked and understated move that could save you time in the gym.
The proven power of the push press
The research is mounting, validating the push press as a superior move to augment upper and lower body muscle strength. Researchers emphasized the importance of training athletes with the push press as a time-efficient approach to improve trunk muscle strength and conditioning and enhance competency in overhead movement patterns in sports. Most strength and conditioning coaches place more emphasis on moves like snatch pulls, jump shrugs, and various forms of plyometric training.
Explosive triple extension of the knee, hip, and ankle joints
Even for outfield soccer players, the researchers point out that the push press involves an explosive triple extension of the knee, hip, and ankle joints during the lift, which is important for athletic tasks like sprinting, jumping, and quickly changing directions. Any exercise that develops this pattern of movement could help enhance overall power and sports performance.
Comparable lower-body power output to the jump squat
Interestingly, study authors have shown that the push press can generate comparable lower-body power outputs to other commonly used training exercises like the jump squat.
Optimal shoulder flexion
While this move definitely works more than just your shoulders, the push press really gets your shoulders working with an optimal shoulder flexion range of motion reported to be 180 degrees.
Superior for power
When comparing the jump squat and the push press, researchers found that the highest peak power and impulse were very similar for both exercises. However, when looking at the results for the average power across all the different weights, the push press produced around 9.5% more power than the jump squat, which was statistically significant. In other words, the push press generates more power on average compared to the jump squat.
How to do the push press
Here’s how to do the push press:
- Adjust the height of the bar so it’s level with your collarbone.
- Face the bar and grip the bar with your palms facing forward, slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart.
- The bar should be resting against the front of your shoulders in the starting position.
- Brace your core and inhale.
- Slightly bend your knees and forcefully push the bar up overhead, using the momentum from the squat to help you press the bar straight up.
- Return the barbell to the starting position with control.
- Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.
