Bent Press - I highly recommend

[jmc53]

Bent Press
I have been doing this for about 5 weeks, and I think so highly of the exercise I wanted to share.
I started doing it with just the Olympic bar, (expect some weird looks from people if you're doing a single handed barbell exercise) - it really is tough to control the bar during the movement.
Once I had the feel of it I started using dumbells each other session. With the dumbells you can use an explosive action (using a motion similar to a "Push Press" when lifting, and then fight it coming down on the negative).
Now that I'm getting the feel of it I'm going to warm up with the Olympic bar, and then switch to dumbells for working sets.
This has the feel of a compound exercise, which I like.

For any of you guys (and gals) looking for something different for your delts, I urge you to give this a try.
If you do, please let us know what you think.

[hapkido]

It's interesting enough, but I would think there are other movements like a db press seated that would do the job.
Thanks for sharing that information.
To each there own

[=M=]

I might be tempted to try it, but it looks like it might be a good way to injure something!

[FortifiedIron]

Awsome workout.

I've found it to be more of a core exercise than a shoulder exercise. Its great for the obliques and that was its original utilization.

Kc

[jmc53]

Originally Posted by FortifiedIron

Awsome workout.
I've found it to be more of a core exercise than a shoulder exercise. Its great for the obliques and that was its original utilization.
Kc

Interesting. I find with the barbell, it's very much a core and upper body exercise, but with the dumbell and slightly more weight it's a core and upper body move on the way up, but it definitely hits the delts hard when you do a controlled slow negative.

=M= definitely clear some space around you first time you try it with a barbell and tell Greeny to stand back (and put on a helmut if you have one)

[SV1000]

I sat there and watched the whole video waiting for the guy to do the exercise...then the video started over and I figured it out. I am a deadhead tonight

[sytennison]

Originally Posted by =M=

...it looks like it might be a good way to injure something!

That's what I was thinking. Maybe my imagination is lacking, but I'm having a hard time understanding what constitutes "good form" for this exercise. It looks like a real attention-getter though, and that's gotta count for something, right?

[FortifiedIron]

Originally Posted by sytennison

That's what I was thinking. Maybe my imagination is lacking, but I'm having a hard time understanding what constitutes "good form" for this exercise. It looks like a real attention-getter though, and that's gotta count for something, right?

Sometimes being unorthadox isnt a bad thing. There are many lifts like this and many kettlebell type exercises that people dont understand.

Kc

[jmc53]

Originally Posted by FortifiedIron

Sometimes being unorthadox isnt a bad thing.

I agree.
We do so many lifts where being square on, shoulders level, is critical to good form - then you go and dig a hole with a spade and injure yourself cause it's the only lopsided thing you've done in months. That's why core strength (or strength of abs, obliques, erector spinae etc. etc. for those who dislike the "core" concept) is so important, specially for us old farts.
This exercise is a chance to slighly rotate spine through a controlled range of motion, under a moderate load. I thought it a good thing and that's why I wanted to share.

[joed]

Very interesting jmc. I used to visit a site & the guy who ran it, Brooks Kubrik I believe his name was, called his method Dinosaur Training (wrote a book by that title too as I recall). He had a video on his site of him lifting the Inch Dumbbell & it looked very similar to the bent press; difference was that dumbbell weighed around 150 lbs or more. I'm glad you started this thread, it's neat.

[Aquilius]

I am not sure that the other guys in my comparatively crowded gym would appreciate me doing one-handed barbell lifts - chances to high to injure someone, methinks.

Regards,
Aquilius

[sytennison]

Originally Posted by jmc53

I agree.
We do so many lifts where being square on, shoulders level, is critical to good form - then you go and dig a hole with a spade and injure yourself cause it's the only lopsided thing you've done in months. That's why core strength (or strength of abs, obliques, erector spinae etc. etc. for those who dislike the "core" concept) is so important, specially for us old farts.
This exercise is a chance to slighly rotate spine through a controlled range of motion, under a moderate load. I thought it a good thing and that's why I wanted to share.

I guess another way of putting it is that if you want practical strength rather than just increasing your standard numbers (pounds pressed, squatted, curled, etc.) then it pays to do a variety of exercises, some of which may look a little strange. Thanks for reminding me of this.

[jmc53]

Originally Posted by joed

called his method Dinosaur Training (wrote a book by that title too as I recall).

Hey Joe, perhaps that's why I like it

[FortifiedIron]

Originally Posted by jmc53

I agree.
We do so many lifts where being square on, shoulders level, is critical to good form - then you go and dig a hole with a spade and injure yourself cause it's the only lopsided thing you've done in months. That's why core strength (or strength of abs, obliques, erector spinae etc. etc. for those who dislike the "core" concept) is so important, specially for us old farts.
This exercise is a chance to slighly rotate spine through a controlled range of motion, under a moderate load. I thought it a good thing and that's why I wanted to share.

Bingo.

I posted a study I think here discussing plyometrics and how its different loading patterns helped strength athletes connective tissue in the knee and ankle. Leaving them less likely for injury in competition.

Kc

[yellowrv]

True this works the obliques, but indirectly. This is call a "press up plus" in rehab circles and has now found a new lease on life secondary to the recent "Core" strenghtening programs. A friend of mine said he could not do the roman chair lower ab workout because his shoulders gave out first. Started him on these- He could not do more than 65lbs on the Smith machine at first. His serratus and subscapularis were so weak they could not stabilize him for more than 30 secs in the roman chair. After a month he is able to do 15 x 3 in the chair. You can do these with the barbell, DB, even heavy on the cables. I do mine on the smith with 155-205-255-270-320 8-10 reps. Supersetting with heavy db pullovers will get you some serious serratus lovin'

Rickster

[jmc53]

Originally Posted by yellowrv

I do mine on the smith with 155-205-255-270-320 8-10 reps.

I'm guessing this ^^ guy is talking about barbell incline shoulder raises, which were the first exercise on the page, and are primarily for serratus, and that he didn't scroll down to the Bent Press - the subject of this thread. When he stops by, and realises his mistake, he's going to be mortified that he told people he could perform 320 x 10 at this exercise (roughly equivalent to a 1700 lb. bench press for rep.s).
Perhaps he could edit his post and then I'll edit this one, and anyone in the future searching "Bent Press" won't be going WTF?

[JoelR]

The pics and instruction write-up don't match the video. The guy in the video doesn't do any of the dip, corkscrew, knee bending, etc. He is just doing a standing shoulder press. LOL

[JeepCreeper]

Originally Posted by JoelR

The pics and instruction write-up don't match the video. The guy in the video doesn't do any of the dip, corkscrew, knee bending, etc. He is just doing a standing shoulder press. LOL

Yes. The videos do NOT show a bent press. In a bent press you don't press the weight up, you basically lower your body under the weight until your arm is straight and then stand up. Here are instructions with some pics :

http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/282/

http://www.ironbarbell.com/Articles/Bent-Press.html

[Capt. America]

Man, that hurts my back just looking at it. A young mans exercise for sure!

[JeepCreeper]

Originally Posted by Capt. America

Man, that hurts my back just looking at it. A young mans exercise for sure!

I do those, along with kettlebell windmills and my 45 yr old back loves them.

[jmc53]

Originally Posted by JeepCreeper

http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/282/
http://www.ironbarbell.com/Articles/Bent-Press.html

Thanks for the links.

[Athena]

Originally Posted by jmc53

Bent Press
I have been doing this for about 5 weeks, and I think so highly of the exercise I wanted to share.
I started doing it with just the Olympic bar, (expect some weird looks from people if you're doing a single handed barbell exercise) - it really is tough to control the bar during the movement.
Once I had the feel of it I started using dumbells each other session. With the dumbells you can use an explosive action (using a motion similar to a "Push Press" when lifting, and then fight it coming down on the negative).
Now that I'm getting the feel of it I'm going to warm up with the Olympic bar, and then switch to dumbells for working sets.
This has the feel of a compound exercise, which I like.

For any of you guys (and gals) looking for something different for your delts, I urge you to give this a try.
If you do, please let us know what you think.

Pavel Tsatsouline was big on these, along with kettle ball exercises. Personally, considering my physical defects, these scare the living **** outta me, although I'm tempted to try them with little tiny dumbbells... the way most girls work out.