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You can almost military press the
Iron Maiden or Beast Tamer kettlebell…
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| But not quite…
Quality volume with low rep heavy ladders for months and years has gotten you this far. Now it is time to make that final push for the prize…
The tactic that will make it happen is professionally performed assisted—note that I did not say “forced”—reps.
Watch a weak bencher press his max. He blows the bar off his chest, stalls a couple of inches later, and gives up. Now watch an experienced lifter. When the awesome poundage slows down to a crawl and threatens to crush the big dude, the latter somehow finds the oomph to grind the bent bar to the top.
Scientists explain that “grinds” like heavy presses require a special type of endurance—neural drive endurance. Your nerve force starts to drop off after two seconds into a heavy grind and you must train to keep it up for as long as your max attempt lasts. As one powerlifting champ put it, “You’ve got to learn how to grind.”
Developing this highly specialized type of endurance is tricky. If you go about it like an amateur, you are likely to get hurt or at least fry your nervous system. Here is how to do it right.
Focus but do not psych up.
Clean your target kettlebell with your trusted training partner standing behind your loaded shoulder.
Pause momentarily, then drive with a 100% certainty that the lift is yours.
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| | You will get the weight going all by yourself. When your upper arm is almost parallel to the ground and your leverage is about to hit its worst, your training partner will smoothly help you through the sticking point and then let go to let you finish on your own. Practice teamwork beforehand with a light kettlebell.
It is essential that your brother or sister in strength gives you just the right amount of help—to make a 101% weight feel like 95%. Doing all the work for you—“It’s all you, bro!”—or leaving you squirming are both unacceptable.
Do professionally assisted presses once a week for three singles, three weeks in a row. Chances are, on week three you will press the kettlebell all by yourself, with your friend doing nothing but spotting. Like riding a bike for the first time; you thought your dad was still holding you…
Once you have bagged that military press PR, do not forget to report it on our forum.
And if your press is not in the Iron Maiden or Beast Tamer territory yet, make sure to get our StrongFirst Kettlebell Fundamentals online course today to get you on your way in a hurry.
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| | CLICK HERE for the StrongFirst Kettlebell Fundamentals online course—and press strong. |
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