Last Thursday’s article on increasing pressing power has people talking about the overhead press…
That’s a beautiful thing. We need to restore this lift to its former glory…
Last week’s tip also has them asking…
‘How heavy is a heavy press?’
‘I’m glad you asked…’ I thought to myself…
Some asked if it was 100 lbs. Others said around 150-175 lbs. A few guessed 200-225 lbs.…
Depending on your body weight, any one of those might be a ‘heavy’ press.
Your experience comes into play, too. If you’ve never done any serious overhead pressing, an empty bar might feel heavy…
So, to the uninitiated, I can see how those weights might seem HUGE. Especially, since the average lifter’s perception of ‘heavy’ shoulder work involves doing side raises with 30-40 lbs dumbells, or seated presses with 135 lbs.
If you fall into this category, you’re going to be in for a little shock…
A heavy press is in the hundreds of pounds. And I don’t simply mean the 200-225 lbs mentioned above…
I’m talking about weights so massive, they literally bend the bar…
For example, past Olympic champs were pressing hundreds of pounds overhead. Tommy Kono pressed 350 lbs overhead.
Paul Anderson and Doug Hepburn both pressed over 400 lbs.
I know what you might be thinking; both Paul and Doug were mass monsters. You might not be that large, or even want to get that big…
But Kono locked out 350 lbs at a body weight of 183 lbs!
If you know your Iron history, you might know that Tommy set a world record with that press.
Being that it was a world record, it must be out of reach for a mere mortal, right?
I don’t know.
But say he did have super genetics. Was he three times as strong as an average man? How about twice as strong?
I don’t think so, at least not ‘by birth.’
What I do know is that Tommy was a small, frail and sickly child. But through dedication, perseverance and hard work, he built himself up into a champion.
Who knows, maybe 350 lbs may or may not be within your reach. I can’t tell you either way. But surely you could work up to at least half that weight.
And once you reach 175 lbs, who’s to say you have to stop?
Train Smart, Train Hard
Ray Toulany
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