Vertical barbell press. Vertical presses. Possible problems and their solutions

The military press is a regular bench press. And the army one is a standing shoulder press, also known as a chest press, or a standing barbell press. The exercise is basic, used not only in bodybuilding, but also in the training of weightlifters and powerlifters. Quite popular, but considered controversial; many athletes believe that it is the cause of spinal injuries, hernias and protrusions. When done correctly, this is not the case. On the contrary, the movement teaches how to stabilize the spine under load, and is very useful for anyone who wants to find a balance between the development of physical qualities and the beauty of the body.

The movement is carried out by the triceps, the anterior and middle heads of the deltoid muscles and partly the posterior deltoid. The muscles of the legs, buttocks, and core work as stabilizers. It is a mistake to think that the military press is an exercise that involves the calf muscles. It is a technical fault if the lifter pushes the weight upward with their legs. If performed correctly, the result will be a shwung; if performed incorrectly, it will be a mediocre imitation.

Some articles actually claim that this movement helps pump up your breasts. In fact, the pecs contract, acting as a shoulder stabilizer, and gradually stretch as the lifter lifts the bar behind his head. But the load cannot be considered sufficient for their hypertrophy. Significant confusion has also arisen because many authors of articles confuse the military-style bench press with the army one. A military-style press is usually called a bench press without supporting your legs, and a military-style press is a standing press.

It is not possible to turn off the stabilizers while standing. Therefore, it is better to leave ideas about performing this movement in Smith without implementation. The Smith machine is a fixed barbell with a trajectory that is exclusively suitable for seated overhead presses, not chest presses. Some machines simulate an elliptical path to make pressing movements more natural, but not every shoulder can work in this exact path. Therefore, it is better not to use the Smith machine option.

Turning off stabilizers from work in basic exercises is a very irrational exercise. Athletes make a base in order to develop all the muscles of the body and activate neuromuscular connections, and not in order to later think about how exactly to adapt it so that the base is not a base.

To begin with, this movement did not come from the training of US Navy SEALs, as is commonly written everywhere in RuNet, but as a traditional element of training weightlifters. The SEALs really do it, since a good military press will help both throw a bag onto a support and pull out a wounded comrade if something happens. But it is impossible to say for sure who “invented” the exercise. Lifting weights overhead was known to the ancient Greeks, judging by the frescoes, and has always been considered a good developmental exercise.

The military press allows you to develop not so much the strength of the shoulders and triceps themselves, but rather the synergy in the movement of the legs, body, and arms. In addition, it allows you to increase the strength of the entire upper body precisely due to stabilization. It also serves as an excellent special-preparatory movement for a good half of bench press exercises, and partly for strength-speed exercises, such as clean and jerks.

All this has led to the high popularity of the exercise in modern times. In fact, it was not powerlifting or bodybuilding that “infected” the masses with this movement, but CrossFit. When many people came to CrossFit boxes in order to become as cool as those guys in the video, they discovered that they lacked not only strength indicators, but also endurance, as well as banal amplitude in the joints. The military press helps you develop all the necessary movements in CrossFit, from throwing medicine balls from the chest to weightlifting clean and jerks. It also serves to stabilize the shoulder joint in movements performed on the bar.

The military press was also respected by old school bodybuilders. Most of them trained in one way or another with coaches who came from Soviet weightlifting. In this form, lifting weights overhead is a basic movement.

The benefits of the exercise do not end with its applied significance for various disciplines. Being basic, it involves most of the muscles of the upper body. This allows the athlete to effectively build muscle mass and activate neuromuscular connections, as a result, the gain will actually happen faster than if you do only isolation in the gym.

In addition to the shoulders, the movement works great on the triceps. It allows you to change the shape of your hands. Therefore, the military bench press is often given to girls who want to quickly tone their arms, no matter how paradoxical it may sound.

With the correct technique, movement serves as an excellent prevention of problems arising due to insufficiently active blood circulation in the cervical-collar area. A number of sources mention that the military bench press is a prevention of trapezius hypertonicity in security forces and headaches associated with muscle spasms.

Important: all the benefits of the military press are revealed only when performing the exercise with the correct technique

For beginners, the movement has two serious disadvantages:

1. Possibility of injury due to technical violations;
2. Risk of falling

Some athletes simply do not have time to “unhook” their hands from the apparatus and therefore fall back along with the barbell. This usually happens if the weight taken is too heavy. For novice athletes, movement carries many dangers, especially if a person cannot adequately assess training volume. We are not talking about injuries and falls. Many athletes really want to build up their shoulders faster, so they do a monstrous amount of work on them. This causes inflammation in soft tissues and pain.

They say that the reason is the military press itself, and they forbid doing it. But in fact, the reason is the abundance of different presses, and insufficient time and resources of the body for recovery.

A beginner whose strength is not yet sufficient to adequately stabilize the lower back in an exercise may also experience a back injury. Usually this is a vertebral displacement, protrusion or hernia. It is impossible to assume that this movement alone is the cause. In practice, there are many more reasons, and one of them is weakness of the anterior abdominal wall. Until the abs become stronger, it is recommended to wear an athletic belt. But this is not a panacea. The skill of keeping your back neutral will still have to be developed, no matter how much you would like to exercise safely all your life using only a belt.

Hand injuries are common due to improper technique. Many people do not place the bar in the middle of the palm, and do not provide even pressure, but simply try to redistribute the weight so that it is comfortable to lift. This is not always optimal for the wrists. Wrist bandages partly solve the problem of such athletes.

This is a technically difficult exercise. Before performing it, you need a full joint warm-up, and you just need to activate the entire shoulder girdle. During the warm-up, you need to perform several series of circular rotations forward and backward.

The movement is performed as follows:

1. you need to set the racks to a height that is suitable for a front squat. The bar should rest freely on the chest;
2. the grip is shoulder-width apart, the athlete grabs the barbell from both sides, the grip is quite tight, then the chest is brought under the bar and the athlete extends his legs, removing the barbell from the racks;
3. moving away from the racks looks like a classic squat. After this, the athlete tightens his abs, stabilizes his lower back, rests his feet on the platform, and in one movement along an elliptical path presses the barbell upward;
4. the correct trajectory of the projectile is upward in an arc behind the head, and not straight ahead;
5. lowering also occurs smoothly;
6. touching the chest in each movement is required only if the athlete works without pain or discomfort. Lowering itself is not a necessary element of the exercise.

After completing the approach, the barbell returns to the racks.

Wrong trajectory

Some people manage to make this movement into a parody of the bench press. They press straight up at the highest point, pushing the barbell away from the body. This turns out to be a rather traumatic variation for the shoulders, which, as the weight increases, also becomes a cause of falls. Another trajectory error is placing the barbell sharply behind the head; this option is not acceptable because it contributes to unnatural overload of the cervical spine. The third trajectory error is the “nose press,” that is, performing the exercise at half the amplitude.

A hodgepodge of styles and exercises

Some athletes confuse this movement with the barbell overhead press due to technique. They do not press their forearms to the body, but do all the work by pushing the weight away from themselves and moving it behind the head. In this case, the elbows are spread to the sides, and the shoulders at the start are parallel to the floor. Everything would be fine if this particular initial position did not cause subacromial syndrome. Using this technique is fraught with joint pain.

Big ego

Huge weights lifted up look cool. But then treating inflammation of the ligaments and muscle tears is not at all as great. Working weights should be increased only when the movement technique allows them to be increased. Everything else is still superfluous.

Engaging your legs, back, and core

Some athletes, instead of bench presses, perform a half-push, a push-up, anything to push the weight with their legs. If you can’t squeeze the barbell smoothly with your hands, you should simply reduce the weight of the weight. It is not necessary to work with the help of the body and legs.

Heel-to-toe rolls

Many people find it difficult to hold weight without losing balance during exercise. Such people should try to carefully maintain their balance by placing their weight in the middle of the arch of the foot. If this doesn’t work out and all you can do is roll, you should switch to a seated press and simultaneously work on developing the muscles of your legs and core.

Excessive training volume

This is common for all beginners. It seems to them that the program is for hacks, and they train less than everyone else in the gym. So the person begins to perform all the approaches that, in principle, he can perform. The volume increases significantly, but the intensity stops growing. The athlete experiences pain in his ligaments and joints, he does not get stronger, and his training simply becomes another attempt to overcome himself. Over time, cumulative injuries appear, and the person refuses to exercise.

Lack of mobility in joints

Sometimes they write that movement cannot be performed only with arthrosis and osteochondrosis, but the problem is that a completely healthy person may be unable to make a movement of exactly this amplitude due to “office posture,” that is, weakness of the back muscles when the trapezius and pectoral muscles are overloaded. Over time, as your back strengthens, you will be able to lift weights overhead more effectively. Until this point, it is recommended to work with dumbbells.

Article by Dmitry Smirnov, fitness editor of the Russian publication "Mens Health".

A simple diagram shows which exercises are most important for training and health. It is advisable that the training includes exercises from each group.

Horizontal presses and rows.
- Vertical presses and rows.
- Knee-dominant exercises.
- Pelvic-dominant exercises.
- VPN - exercises.
- Exercises for the core.

1. Horizontal presses.
This is any movement that involves flexion of the shoulder and is similar to a bench press.

The exercises themselves:
- pushups;
- dumbbell bench press;
- push-ups on parallel bars;
- bench press;
- bench press of one dumbbell;
- bench press while standing with one hand forward.

2. Vertical presses.
Exercises that involve shoulder abduction.

The exercises themselves:
- corner push-ups, feet on a bench;
- seated dumbbell press;
- high row with a barbell from the knees;
- Shvung press;
- Shvung of one dumbbell while standing.

3. Horizontal thrusts.
Movements that are the opposite of horizontal presses. Such exercises train the main area responsible for normal posture of the thoracic spine and stability of the shoulder joints. The main thing is to always concentrate on clearly bringing your shoulder blades together!

The exercises themselves:
- pull-ups on a low bar;
- dumbbell rows while lying on an incline bench;
- pulling the block to the stomach with a narrow grip while sitting;
- bent over barbell row;
- bent over dumbbell row without support.

4. Vertical rods.
Movements reverse to vertical presses.

The exercises themselves:
- vertical row of a block to the chest with a wide grip;
- simplified pull-ups;
- wide grip pull-ups to the chest;
- pull-ups with a medium reverse grip;
- pull of a vertical block with one hand.

5. Knee-dominant exercises:
The main movement in exercises of this type is straightening the leg at the knee, and the knee joint. Its amplitude is always greater compared to the hip joint, which is also often involved in most movements of this type.

The exercises themselves:
- Bulgarian split squats;
- Zercher squats;
- front squats;
- squats with a low stick (bar);
- squats on one leg.

6. Pelvic-dominant exercises:
Unlike knee-dominant ones, they create a load on the back of the thigh. This type of exercise is THE MOST IMPORTANT for health. All strength, potency, longevity and even safety lie in your own buttocks! A person who leads a sedentary lifestyle typical of modern society often has very big problems with the strength of his rear. And if the buttocks and hamstring muscles are weak, problems with the back and knees are almost guaranteed. But strong hip extensors can reduce the load on the vulnerable and often injured cruciate ligament of the knee and provide stability to the lumbar spine.

The exercises themselves:
- gluteal bridge with one leg;
- Romanian deadlift;
- the same on one leg;
- deadlift;
- the same on one leg.

7. VPN - exercises (rotating the shoulder outward):
When we do vertical and horizontal presses and rows, we heavily load the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid and latissimus muscles. If you do not balance such a load with VPN exercises, you can disrupt the natural geometry of the unfortunate shoulder joints - the muscles that penetrate the shoulder, which have become much stronger, chronically rotate the humerus inward. The result is the same as from squats, bringing your knees together, or deadlifts, rounding your back - injuries and chronic pain. Anatomically, VPN exercises contain such a rare movement in training as shoulder supination, that’s all. Their task is to BALANCE all that huge number of exercises that rotate the shoulder inward.

The exercises themselves:
- L-leads standing with shock absorber;
- lifting dumbbells to the chest while sitting;
- lifting one dumbbell to the chest while standing;
- lifting the barbell to the chest from the bench;
- jerk with a barbell from the bench;
- jerking one dumbbell from the floor.

8. Exercises that train the core.

Front core:
- crunches on a fitball;
- front plank with elbows resting on a fitball, feet on a bench;
- rollouts on fitball.

Back core:
- hyperextension on a fitball;
- gluteal bridge on a fitball;

The exercises listed below, as a practicing coach and active athlete, I consider harmful. Unfortunately, their harm is not noticeable to everyone, not suddenly and not immediately. I don’t know how interested you are in such arguments, but along with the increased risk of injury, these exercises simply steal our time. I sincerely recommend that you spend your priceless
Kunda of your own life, spent in the gym, wisely and never resort to the help of such nonsense!

1. Sisyphus squats.

These “squats” are called squats in vain. "Sissy squat" - "squat for weaklings" - is a single-joint exercise, usually performed with your own weight, although there are kamikazes who also load a couple of barbell plates onto their chests. Have you ever heard that squats are bad for your knees? So, if we are talking about Sisyphus squats, this is not a myth! Thanks to the very strong movement of the knees forward, the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee experiences such terrible overloads that the moment may come when the real Zeus with a scalpel in his hands will no longer help you. The funny thing is that these squats are used to “bulge” the quadriceps when viewed from the side. I don’t know why Sisyphus lovers didn’t like the Bulgarian split squats, which do the same thing with the shape of the hip, but without the slightest traumatic load on the knees.

2. Leg press.

The leg press, although sometimes useful, is not used in modern fitness for its intended purpose. The leg press machine came to us from sports, where with its help athletes were able to train the endurance of their thigh muscles without putting unnecessary strain on the lower back. The example of Eric Heiden, Olympic champion in speed skating, who did several hundred repetitions of leg presses in his training, is very strong evidence of this. But in our time, the leg press is used to set very conditionally “strength” records. But in vain - when performing a power-style leg press, your blood pressure can easily exceed 400 units. With that kind of pressure, a stroke is just around the corner. In addition, due to the very small amplitude and rigid fixation of the back, the “heavy” leg press greatly overloads the knees, hip joints and often the lower back. If you still decide to subject yourself to this test, at least press one leg - you can reduce the negative effects on your health by at least half.

3. Standing chin rows.

When performing such rows, the humerus is rotated inward as much as possible, which over time inevitably leads to chronic injuries to the shoulder joint. Try to replace it with power cleans or snatches as often as possible - you won’t regret it!

4. French bench press (and especially sitting).

Do you want sore elbows by the age of 30-35? Then train your triceps more often and start with these exercises. If you don't want to, work on horizontal presses and be happy!

5. Hack machine.

Do you know what the “drawer effect” is? This is a traumatic syndrome of the knee joint, in which the patient’s femur tends to protrude forward relative to the shin bones, like a drawer. This is exactly the load you put on your knees when training your hips with the help of a hack machine. By the way, all of the above practically does not apply to hack squats with a barbell, especially if you do them with your entire foot on the floor and do not place bars, disks and other accessories that kill your own knees under your heels.

6. Concentrated biceps curls.

This is the most useless exercise you can do in the gym. It doesn’t develop any “peak” biceps, especially if you don’t have biceps yet.

7. Lying dumbbell flyes.

From my own experience, I know that convincing a committed bodybuilder not to do lifts is more difficult than convincing an ossified bachelor to wash the dishes immediately after eating. Any arguments, such as excessive load on the shoulder joint and the uselessness of single-joint exercises in developing strength, do not work on these guys. I really hope that you are not one of those stubborn people.

The military press (also called the standing barbell press from the chest or the classic shoulder press) is an excellent exercise aimed at developing the muscles of the arms and shoulders. At the same time, the athlete improves the support and shock-absorbing qualities of his body.

Muscle work in exercise

The military style barbell chest press (military, soldier) is a basic exercise. That is, when performing it, several muscle groups work at once. The main load falls on the deltoids - the muscles covering the shoulder joint. The work involves the posterior, anterior and middle bundles. The front is used as much as possible, the rear is minimally used.

Regular training of the deltoids makes the shoulders visually wider and more voluminous.

In addition to your shoulders, the movement engages your triceps (you extend your arms when you lift the barbell in front of you) and the upper pectoralis major muscles.

The muscles of the abs, back, legs and buttocks are responsible for stabilizing the body while performing the exercise while standing. If you do a barbell bench press while sitting on a bench with support on a vertical backrest, the load on your legs is completely removed and the load on your back is significantly reduced. In general, the seated press is a slightly simpler and safer option for the exercise.

The delights of the military press

As the name suggests, the military bench press is a traditional element of physical training for military personnel. The name came from the English language, but was completely adapted among Russian-speaking athletes.

The functionality of the exercises in the case of military training comes first. The standing press (lifting the barbell overhead) allows you to increase the force of the vertical push from the shoulders, allowing you to effectively set up fighters when needed. For example, to overcome high obstacles, or when you need to get into a high window.

The exercise is performed while standing (the seated barbell press is a simplified version), and the weight of the barbell rests on the entire body. You need to maintain balance throughout the entire exercise. This allows you to develop muscles that stabilize the position of the human body in an upright position. As a result, the muscles of the legs, back, and lower back are strengthened.

Since the standing barbell press engages the triceps (this was mentioned above), this will also be useful during wrestling, when you need to push your opponent away from you.

Thus, the military press (aka vertical press) is a basic exercise for a fighter.

Civilian athletes are interested not only in muscle strength and increasing the capabilities of their own body, but also in the harmony of the figure, which is achieved through the development of the shoulder girdle.

In fitness clubs, athletes perform overhead presses both standing and sitting. Both options develop the shoulders well. The first is suitable for experienced athletes, and the second is good for beginners or people with spinal problems.

If we consider the front chest press as an element of strength training, then there is a push, a jerk, and braking due to the shock absorption of the legs. More about this in the execution technique.

The big advantage of the exercise is that it develops the whole body (not just the shoulder muscles), overall coordination and stability. This is good for both the soldier and the civilian athlete.

In civilian life, it is unlikely that you will need to lift someone over your head, sit them down, and so on. But the exercise will be very useful for opening hatches, ceiling windows, and lifting something high up. So pump up your shoulders.

Now let's talk about the cons

The military bench press combines two serious disadvantages:

1. Danger of injury (muscles and joints can be damaged).
2. Risk of falling and dropping the barbell (especially when the technique is incorrect).

The fact is that the overhead press involves movement to dampen the inertia of the descending projectile. This occurs by bending the knees and slightly tilting the pelvis from its original position.

If you perform a standing press with straight legs, there will be no shock absorption, and the shock will be absorbed due to the elasticity of the articular cartilage. This means that the joints of the knees, pelvis, spine, and ankles will receive a harmful load. All this can be easily achieved if you do the military press with straight legs (that is, with your knees “locked”).

Another risk is increased stress on the lower back. Therefore, it is recommended to perform the exercise with a special athletic belt. If for some reason you have osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine, and the doctor recommended an orthopedic belt, wear it during approaches. This will reduce the degree of compression of the spine.

The most ridiculous thing that can happen is the barbell falling or being thrown to the floor. This can happen for several reasons: you took on a lot of weight, you are not an experienced athlete. For athletes with little experience, we strongly recommend that you practice the technique of the exercise before increasing it.

Also at risk are the shoulder muscles and shoulder joints. Under no circumstances should you begin performing the military press without thorough pre-warming.

Exercise technique

Prepare the racks for the bar: set them to the desired height. You can use a power rack or regular squat racks. To warm up, do 10–12 repetitions with an empty bar.

An empty bar (Olympic) weighs about 20 kg, together with plugs - 25 kg. This is a hefty weight for beginners, so look around the gym for lighter bars.

Technique for performing the military press:

1. The bar should be positioned just below your shoulders so that you can remove it by straightening your knees rather than lifting your body on your toes.
2. The position of the hands should be shoulder width or slightly wider than shoulder width. Elbows point down, palms point up.
3. Go under the bar until you touch the bar, place your feet shoulder-width apart, feet parallel, you can point your toes slightly apart.
4. Grasp the bar as described in point 2. The bar should be located on your collarbones, and on the sides of them should be fixed on your palms.
5. Bend your legs at the knees for shock absorption. Lift the barbell up in front of you, bringing it above your head. The bar should be on the same axis with your head, pelvis and heels. If the bar deviates anywhere, you are doing the overhead press incorrectly!
6. Lower the barbell back onto your collarbones, squatting slightly when the barbell touches them. Movements are carried out at a moderate speed, not slow, but not fast either. From the outside it looks like jerking, but it's not. Each movement must be completely under the control of the athlete.
7. Do 10–12 repetitions in three sets.

Don’t forget that when lifting the bar (with effort), you need to exhale through your mouth, and when lowering, inhale through your nose.

Anyone who wants to completely protect themselves from injury can perform a barbell press while sitting on an incline bench, placing the back at 90 degrees to the floor and pressing your back tightly against it. In this case, you completely eliminate injuries to the lower back and back, since they are fixed on the back of the bench and receive only part of the load. However, the seated press will not allow you to improve your pushing skills, develop greater strength, or learn to maintain better balance. Therefore, think for yourself which option is best suited for you: standing barbell press, or still in a sitting position.

Monitoring equipment: common mistakes

Confused with other exercises

The overhead barbell press is often confused with the military press. In the second case, the bar moves up and down behind the head, and the athlete’s hands grasp the bar wider than shoulder width. When the barbell is lowered, it goes to the top of the trapezius, or more often, it does not go below the athlete's ears. In the case of a military press, the barbell should be held on the chest-clavicles, supported by the palms, fingers facing the athlete.

Extra movements

We are talking about unnecessary pelvic vibrations, head movements, and jumps. If you move your pelvis too far back while lifting the barbell, you are doing the exercise incorrectly.

If you jump up to lift more weight, you are cheating; when lowering, there is a risk of injury. Before your sets, remember how to do the exercise using an empty bar.

Incorrect body position

Some thrill-seekers lift the barbell up in front of them, tilting their body back, thereby overloading the vertical stabilizers of the body. Firstly, you can fall, and secondly, you can injure your shoulders and lower back.

The bar should be held above your head (with your gaze directed forward), and your body vertical.

Weight too heavy

The most common mistake newbies make is the desire to impress. Remember, you will not make any impression on the long-time inhabitants of the gym, except to make them laugh. And it’s not even worth showing off for the sake of other newcomers. The price is too high.

For example, you take a barbell weighing 50 kg and try to lift it upward in the clean and jerk. You will succeed once, and then you will not be able to keep it. You need to choose the weight wisely. To begin with, ensure that the execution technique is close to ideal, do the exercise correctly. Then you can increase the weights. Technique is everything. If there is a technique, there will be results. Without it, there will be injury.

No warm-up

A very risky and common mistake is to immediately take on working weights. The shoulders and their muscles are very vulnerable to injury. Many of you know perfectly well how all this happens - first there is a sharp pain, then for six months it is difficult (or even impossible) to raise your arm in any direction. This is exactly how the process of tearing the deltoids occurs.

All of this takes a long time to cure and requires compliance with restrictions and additional warming up in the future.

Do you need this? Warm up your muscles well before exercise. After cardio, work on your shoulder joint, then do this exercise with light weights. If all the barbells in your gym weigh 20 kg, try warming up with dumbbells. This is very convenient - because the weight is much less than that of the bar. Do 10–15 warm-up reps. Then grab the bar and gradually approach the working weight.

It’s better to do 2-3 intermediate sets of 4-5 reps than to strain your shoulder. And remember - the correct execution technique is no less important than warming up.

For example, if your working weight is 55 kg, start your warm-up with an empty bar (that's 20 kg). Do 15 reps. Add 10 kg, do 4-5 repetitions. Hang another 10 kg, perform the exercise 5 times. Now you can hang the working weight (55 kg) and perform the required number of repetitions and approaches.

Possible problems and their solutions

It hurts to lift the barbell

The pain is most often observed in the shoulders, triceps and wrists. If you work without a special belt, your lower back may also hurt.

• If your shoulders hurt, one of the deltoids is pulled (your choice: middle or anterior). You need to wait a while without training - let your muscles recover for at least a month.
• If your lower back hurts, always wear an orthopedic belt (not an athletic belt, mind you).
• For wrist pain, you can use elastic bandages.

Can't keep my balance

There is another way to place your legs - one in front, the other slightly behind. However, it is more likely to be used by weightlifters. Thus, a person stands more stable on his feet, but a traumatic load is created on the spine. Therefore, place your legs straight (feet parallel) and take as much weight as you can support in this position. For convenience, practice in front of a mirror.

Insufficient joint flexibility

If your joints do not allow you to perform the barbell chest press correctly, don’t. We'll have to limit ourselves to other options for pumping up the shoulders. Don't worry, there are plenty of other exercises.

If your back hurts

The seated barbell press is an option for people with weak backs. Lean against the back of an incline bench. This will reduce the stress on your lower back. Also, the seated barbell press will reduce the risk of falling or dropping the barbell.

Overtraining

Don’t forget which muscle groups work when you do a standing or seated barbell press, and plan your workouts correctly. Don't overload the deltoids.

The simplest version of the exercise is a bench press in a sitting machine with your back supported (the support and weight are stable, low load on the spine). Unfortunately, fixed range of motion exercise machines are not suitable for everyone. The next most difficult is the barbell bench press while sitting with your back supported (the freedom of the weight increases). However, it is advisable to include dumbbell presses in a beginner’s program rather than barbells. Dumbbells provide the greatest freedom of movement (unstable weights), which means the ability to perform an exercise taking into account the anatomical characteristics of a person with minimal stress on the joints. In addition, dumbbells allow the right and left arms to work separately, developing muscles in a balanced manner. and finally, with dumbbells it is easier for a beginner to get into the starting position. I will begin with the dumbbell press by describing the technique of vertical presses.

Dumbbell press

The press can be performed standing or sitting (with your back supported) with one or two hands. The most difficult variation is the modified position press: the press is performed alternately from the bottom position, holding one dumbbell down while the other arm makes the movement.

The dumbbells are lifted to the starting position independently or with the help of an assistant. the easiest way: lift one of the dumbbells to the starting position with both hands at the same time, the second dumbbell is held by an assistant. After completing the approach, the assistant also takes one of the dumbbells. Typically, heavy dumbbells are placed on straight arms, at the top point of the press.

The technique for pressing with two hands while sitting is described below; in a standing position, the technique of movement does not change, only maintaining balance becomes more difficult. The most difficult option in terms of body stabilization is the one-arm press. The movement of a one-arm press is characterized by greater movement of the apparatus towards the central axis of the body and a tendency for the spine to tilt in the opposite direction instead of extension. This exercise is a corrective exercise and, in combination with one-arm vertical rows, is used to monitor the condition of the joints and assess muscle balance. To practice the correct technique, you can use a barbell disc as a weight. This is the most difficult version of the exercise. The center of the disc coincides with the center of the palm, the fingers are abducted as far as possible. During presses, the surface of the disc is parallel to the plane of the floor.

When performing a seated press, the rule of 4 points of constant support is observed: legs, buttocks, upper back. It is advisable to place your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent at right angles. You should not allow the spine to deviate from a neutral position (usually extension of the lumbar and thoracic regions) and do seated presses without supporting your back on the bench.

Phase 1. Starting position

Sitting with your back supported on a bench with a backrest tilt of 80°.

The dumbbells are held symmetrically, the grip is selected to be comfortable, depending on the size of the dumbbells. The shoulders are abducted in the plane of the scapula by 40-45°, the elbows are bent, the forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Shoulder blades and spine in a neutral position.

The dumbbell bars are parallel to the floor; a slight tilt of the “inner” edge of the dumbbell is allowed. Stopping for 1-2 seconds while performing the approach increases the load in the exercise.

Phase 2. Concentric contraction

With a uniform, smooth movement, the dumbbells rise up until the arms are straightened at the elbows. The movement begins with the shoulders while the shoulder girdle is motionless. As the shoulder abducts, the shoulder girdle moves upward (not earlier than the shoulder abduction reaches 90°). When performing the movement with full amplitude, the lift is completed by straightening the elbows (directed to the sides). At the same time, you exhale. The forearms remain vertical throughout the entire range of motion.

When performing the first repetition of a set with significant weights, it is recommended that a partner assist in starting the movement.

Phase 3. End position

The movement can end in different positions depending on the purpose of the movement. The preferred option is to not fully straighten the elbows at the end of the movement. It is better to straighten the elbow and bring the arm to a vertical position in the version of a one-arm press with weights<8 ПМ. Третий вариант выполнения, подразумевает поднимание гантелей чуть выше уровня головы. В этом положении отведение плеча составляет ~120°, поднимание плечевого пояса не допускается. Остановка в достигнутом положении не рекомендуется.

Phase 4. Eccentric contraction

With a uniform, smooth movement, the dumbbells are lowered to the starting position. At the same time, an inhalation is made.

The most common mistakes when performing dumbbell presses:

• raising the shoulder girdle at the beginning of the movement;
• deviation of the forearms from a vertical position;
• tilting the “outer” edge of the dumbbells;
• shoulder abduction in the frontal plane;
• head movements;
• significant extension of the lumbar or thoracic spine.

Jim Stoppani, Dmitry Sillov

The vertical leg press allows you to train your lower body muscles from different angles. Of all the leg presses, the vertical one places the main emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes. The Panatta Vertical Press exercise machine is very popular with women and athletes who have to run, jump...

For bodybuilding, the vertical leg press stimulates the thigh muscles, providing the best stretch for the muscles. Leg contractions can be modulated at will by changing various machine settings as well as leg placement to place primary emphasis on the quadriceps, hamstrings or glutes. The vertical leg press can also be used to train your glutes, demonstrating its versatility.

A large number of settings and leg positions

All muscles trained by the Vertical Leg Press can be modulated as you wish between the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, this is due to the many ingenious settings available on the Panatta machine.

1) Back adjustments

The very first setting is the back of the machine. It can be adjusted to any inclination relative to the ground.

2) Foot platform adjustments

The second setting is the platform that you push with your feet. It can be any inclination you choose. In addition, the compact platform allows for different leg placements. We did this because the position of the legs will greatly influence the pattern of muscle development

Position selection and adjustments to better target the quadriceps muscle

The lower the back, the more the quadriceps will be worked. A highly inclined platform relative to the ground will cause the quadriceps muscle to contract more intensely.

The more your feet are under your buttocks, the more your quadriceps will work. The closer your feet are together, the more you will limit your range of motion, which will encourage quadriceps engagement.

Position selection and adjustment for better hamstring work

By placing your feet under your face, you activate your hamstrings.

The more you spread your legs out to the sides, the lower your legs can go before touching your torso, which provides a greater stretch to the muscles, helping to restore the hamstrings and adductors.

Position selection and adjustment for better buttock training

A higher back position will help work the buttocks. Likewise, placing the platform parallel to the ground will help expand the glutes.

Anatomy of the muscles of the lower extremities

The lower extremity kinetic chain is present in deadlift exercises performed with the leg press and consists of three rings connected in series: the hip, knee, and ankle. These joints open and close thanks to the support of many muscle groups that work together; Among the most important are the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteus maximus.

The quadriceps muscle consists of four muscle fibers in the front of the thigh.

• Rectus Femoris:

it is two-joint, it remains vertical along the thigh; crosses the hip joint and knee.

• Vastus Medialis - Vastus Lateralis - Vastus Intermedius

Single-joint, they are located in the inner, outer, front part of the thigh and involve only the knee joint.

• Working out the quadriceps muscle:

at knee level, the leg is extended above the thigh; at the level of the hip joint, the thigh bends over the thigh and participates in flexion of the hip over the hips.

The hamstrings are made up of four muscle bands at the back of the thigh:

Hamstring muscles

• They consist of two different muscle bundles: The long head of the biceps, which is biarticular and crosses the hip joint and the knee joint.
• Long Bicep Head, which is mono-articular and just crosses the knee joint.
• Half-dendin and half-membrane.
• Double-jointed, they cross the medial region of the leg, including the hip and knee joints.

Hamstring muscle performance:

• At the level of the knee they flex the leg; at the level of the hip joint they flex the thigh and finally promote the expansion of the thigh at the thigh.

• The gluteus muscle consists of three other muscle bundles: Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medium and Gluteus Minimus.

• The Gluteus Maximus crosses the hip joint and partially connects the ilium, creating an anatomical and indirect connection also with the knee joint.

• Performance of Gluteus Maximus: It extends the thigh over the thigh, rotating it externally; promotes abduction of the hip along with the small and middle gluteal. With a bilateral contraction, the hip extends to the hips.

How to do the exercise?

After adjusting the machine, lie on your back and squeeze your lower back well. Raise your legs to rest your feet on the platform. After stopping, straighten your knees, which will automatically remove the clamps blocking the foot platform. Lower your legs until they touch your torso. Then straighten your legs and repeat the movement as many times as necessary.

You'll want to start with a moderate range of motion to get your hamstrings and glutes accustomed to the intense stretch this movement provides. Slowly increase your range of motion as you progress.

With four long barbells and additional weights available for training on the machine, even the strongest athletes will have something to do with the Panatta Vertical Press.

Safety first

When using traditional vertical presses, the more you flex your lower back, lifting your butt off the seat, the greater the range of motion, but at the expense of jeopardizing your lumbar discs.

To prevent users from making this classic training mistake, the Panatta Vertical Press has an ergonomic backrest. Thanks to the anatomically curved backrest, full lumbar protection is maintained throughout the entire movement.

The second danger inherent in traditional vertical presses is the possibility of getting stuck under the machine in case of muscle weakness. This risk can be avoided on the Panatta Vertical Press as it has adjustable safety arms located on both sides of the machine. They will stop the load:

1) This will help prevent the footrest from crushing the unfortunate user.

2) Additionally, provide the athlete with the ability to easily exit from under the machine.

Foot training

By straightening your legs, keeping only your toes on the footrest to release your heels, it becomes possible to work your calves on a vertical leg press. This exercise is reminiscent of a donkey's inverted calf raises, but with the lumbar vertebrae perfectly protected by the anatomically curved backrest.

Unlike foot machines, the pressure on the back is much lower, while the feet benefit from a fuller stretch because the hips are perpendicular to the torso rather than the axis of the spine.

The big benefit of having your feet in the air is that lactic acid can't sit in your calves like it does with all the other exercises that put your feet down. With the vertical leg press, lactic acid is immediately removed by gravity, allowing you to push your series harder by performing more reps with heavier weights.

Ideal for professional athletes

Of all the leg presses, the vertical leg press is the most suitable for athletes who run, jump, ski, bike..., emphasizing the work of the glutes, hamstrings and adductors. Sports activities put a lot of strain on the hind legs, which can easily damage the hamstrings and adductor muscles.

By training the hamstrings and adductors in a tight, stretched position, the vertical leg press is ideal for not only enhancing athletic performance, but also training muscles that will help prevent common injuries that regularly plague runners.