With the release of Powerful Pressing out in the internet, it’s high time to start digging deep into the that program and revealing some super top secret training secrets from this publication to the rest of you. Remember, I am hell bent on making you stronger that you ever though possible, so I’ve decided to share a super secret training tips to you all today that will show you just how strong you can be not just with limiting, but with other strength skills in your life.
But first, the pressing.
The kettlebell strict military press requires a number of skills that translate to other strong areas of life. Today, I’m going to break down the nature of the press to reveal how this one lift creates one hell of a strong body.
The Press and Your Shoulders
Unlike barbell presses, kettlebell presses force weight on the back of your hand due to where the weight has to rest. You have to push the kettlebell back up against gravity that is applying more pressure than usual on your arm due to the nature of the weight. To compensate for this, your rotator cuff goes into muscular overdrive to quickly force that weight back up above your head safely. Consistent practice with this lift will strengthen the rotator cuff and make for some seriously sexy looking shoulders.
The Press and Your Lats
Your lat muscles are some of the strongest muscles you can have in your body. They take up the portion of your back that runs directly under your shoulder and down to your glutes. These muscles are of particular importance when moving heavier weight upward. Generally, we get a lot of lat activation with swings and pull ups, but these lovely lats get turned on with our kettlebell press as well. In my own experience, strong lat muscles lead to a powerful press. The lat muscles will not only aid in stabilizing the kettlebell above your head, but they will also add to the overall strength of your press. If you’re ready to strengthen your back, practice your press!
And might I add, you may have some seriously freaky gains in your pull ups just from your pressing practice. Here’s an example 😉
The Press and Your Abs: The Vertical Plank
Perhaps one of the most over looked components to the kettlebell press is proper abdominal tension. Remember, maximal tension will lead to an efficient press, and your abs need to be firing away to get that weight above your head. This gets back to stabilization. When you get your kettlebell in the racked position, you want to have your abs so tight that it feels as though you are doing a hardstyle plank on the ground. This ab tension will not only give you the proper set up to stabilize a heavy weight well, but it will also give you some nice looking abs by default. Excuse the vain remark, but who doesn’t want strength and some nice looking abs to go with it? Think about that for a moment.
The Press and Your Glutes. Yes. Your Butt!
Here’s another commonly overlooked component to a single arm heavy press: your butt. Yes. Your butt! Creating tension into your glute muscles will facilitate (you guessed it) tension to stabilize a heavy weight. When I teach the kettlebell military press to new clients, I tell them to imagine that there is a $100 bill between their butt cheeks and that no one is to snag it from you. I know, it’s a strange visual, but what this does is cause the trainee to contract their glutes so much so that their glutes become rock solid. This muscular contraction will facilitate more lower body stabilization and forces more lower abdominal contractions to sustain the load of a heavy weight. Oh and it will make your butt look amazing too 😉
The Press and Your Quads: Prepare for Super Strong Legs!
I have a 32kg pistol squat, and I attribute this to proper leg tension from pressing.
Perhaps the most important area you will create tension in for this lift is your LOWER body. When you fully contract your quad muscles you generate some serious lower body power that is enough to help aid your overhead press. In order to activate all that leg power, I recommend a very effective visualization. visualizing yourself pushing your feet into the ground actually makes your press easier. It gets back to the whole tension bit. As you begin to execute your press, your going to want to visualize pushing your feet downward into the ground. This will cause your quads to tense which adds to the tension into your glutes and abs. I often tell my clients that you want to visualize pushing your feet hard into the ground as if you are leaving an imprint on the floor. It’s as if you are moving out of the way of your kettlebell, not just pushing it upward. Trust me, this works! If you’re looking for serious leg power, practice pressing. I guarantee you’ll have might strong legs with a proper pressing program!
Ready for more?
Click the link below to secure your spot. I’ll see you on the forum once you register! I cannot wait to have you press on into a whole new level of strength! Registrations will cease on May 5th, 2017 and all coaching and training will commence on Monday, May 8th 2017! Don’t delay! Register for Powerful Pressing Coaching Today!
Thanks for your support everyone. Like this post. Share it with your friends. Let’s show the world how strong we are as we press on to incredible new feats of strength together. Until next time. . .
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Until next time. . ..
PRESS ON!
-Janelle Pica
