For a fair variety of Overhead work, I recommend ‘THE GIANT X’ which you can get here.
If you want to include Dips with your Presses, I recommend Rebuilt After 40 which you can get here.
If you don’t know what proper Pressing mechanics / techniques are, I recommend you check out ‘THE BIG 6’ for Single KB Press or Kettlebell STRONG! for the Double KB Press.
Have you ever wanted a “HYYYOOOOGEE Bench Press?”
Or “Big Pecs?”
I did.
Up until I was about 23.
Then, I stopped Powerlifting and started Olympic lifting.
You know what I discovered?
All that Benching - and the assistance work - the Incline Bench… Close-grip Bench…
I didn’t help ONE IOTA for my Jerk - or ANY of my Overhead Work for that matter!
In fact, all it did was tighten me up and make it difficult to rack the bar across my shoulders!
I spent MONTHS stretching so I could get in the Rack position!
And it was PAINFUL!
Especially on my left side with my jacked up elbow that neither fully bends nor fully straightens.
But you know what was fascinating?
My bench didn’t suffer at all by training all that overhead work!
At one point I was hitting 5 sets of 2 with 90% of my all-time 1RM Bench Press - without much BP practice!
Which brings me to the point of today’s email and a question I got from Jaramiah -
“What’s your thoughts on kettlebells building chest strength and musculature? I don’t really see you talk about it much and it seems to be missing from your kettlebell pyramid.”
My response was quite simple:
“The KB Press trains the upper chest - the clavicular pectoral muscles.
For any other chest work, I do Ring Dips.”
Honestly, I don’t focus on “chest work” at all.
My pecs appear “big enough” to me.
And I don’t care to look like I have a pair of bre@sts, which is what big pecs on many guys look like to me.
But to each his own.
More:
I’ve also noticed that training the Single KB Press, and later the Double KB Press, improves and maintains proper shoulder function / mechanics - assuming you’re using the proper technique.
I’ve used it repeatedly for clients recovering from shoulder issues as part of post-rehab work.
And they keep my shoulders healthy and strong too.
In fact, I got an email from Gilles from France the other day saying that Presses fixed his shoulder problems. I emailed him back and told him I wasn’t surprised.
So, what have we learned here either directly or implied?
1- Too much direct chest work - including Bench Press - can tighten up your shoulders, and limit your Press, and any other overhead work.
2- Too much direct chest work - including Bench Press - can screw up your shoulder mechanics, and even lead to injury.
3- Direct Overhead work, like the Press, is actually good for your shoulders, when performed using the correct technique and can actually help fix your shoulders.
4- Direct Overhead work, like the Press, can actually maintain, and possibly even improve direct chest work like the Bench Press.
5- Ring Dips (or Parallel Bar Dips) may be a better choice for you for direct chest work.
For a fair variety of Overhead work, I recommend ‘THE GIANT X’ which you can get here.
If you want to include Dips with your Presses, I recommend Rebuilt After 40 which you can get here.
At the end of the day, most guys limit their shoulder function and health by overemphasizing chest work - especially horizontal pushing like the Bench Press and even Push Ups.
When you focus on building a strong Press using proper technique, not only will you pack muscle on your upper body, you’ll also train your chest, without damaging your shoulders in the process.
Hope this helps.
Stay Strong,
Geoff
P.S. If you don’t know what proper Pressing mechanics / techniques are, I recommend you check out ‘THE BIG 6’ for Single KB Press or Kettlebell STRONG! for the Double KB Press.
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