The best kb press for bench pressers

I've been doing a lot of bottoms up cleans and presses,on separate training days.One of the things I've noticed is the incredible similarity between the muscles involved, the body positions required and their firing sequence in the BU press and the bench press.

First, the forearms HAS to be perpindicular to the floor in the BU press to heven stabilize the weight. Same as the bench. Second, the grip has to be very tight and the weight on the heel of the hand. Ditto for the bench. Third, and perhaps most important and similar is that the lat has to be heavily involved in the bottom stabilization (rack for kb and pause for bench) position in both exercises.the triceps have to be literally lying on it.Forth, the lat HAS to fire first to initiate the pressing for both moves.And fifth, the shoulders have to stay in the socket for any kind of strength to be available.Same for the bench.


The lat also has to stay involved thoughout the whole press or the elbows swings out and the press and the bench is lost. AND, more importantly, the shoulder is severly destabilized.This is when rotator cuff injuries occur when pressing.


I had stopped regular KB presses as I coulnt stabilize with my lat well on my wierdo right side. I subbed the BU press for the lat stabilization effect on both the positive and negative reps.And wow what a differce! My right side lat is working much better and I can double the 53's now where I couldnt even press the 36 BU last month without pain and my elbows flairing out. Training my powerlifting partner on the today and he really got the connection to his bench.The lats the thing. Plus, you have to stay totally tight throughout the entire movment or it falls apart in a second.Good stuff.

Now I have to BU press the 72. I can see it.

Rif