Bent press
Encyclopedia
A bent press is a type of weight training
exercise wherein a weight is brought from shoulder-level to overhead one-handed using the muscles of the back, legs, and arm. A very large amount of weight can be lifted this way, compared to other types of one-hand press. It has been said that more weight can be lifted with one hand in this manner than in the typical two-handed overhead barbell press. It was a staple of the old-time strongmen such as Eugen Sandow
, Arthur Saxon
, and Louis Cyr
, but is no longer popular and poses safety concerns due to the contortion of the body and stresses placed on the shoulder joint and spinehttp://www.realfighting.com/content.php?id=101. However, proponents of the exercise argue that since it uses the leverage of the body in order to lift the weight, if done correctly it can be quite safe. Despite its name, the arm does not press the weight aloft.
To do the bent press, one would begin by lifting the weight to the shoulder (usually a barbell, but it could be done with a kettlebell or dumbbell), either by a one or two handed clean, or by lifting up one end and "rocking" it onto the shoulder. If done with the right hand (the reverse is done for the left hand), the right leg would be straight and directly underneath the weight, with the left leg bent at a slight angle. The lifter would then bend to the left, holding the weight in the same position. The bent position, the origin of the name "bent press", allows the arm to hold the weight in position without dropping down because of the body's leverage, creating an imaginary line between the bell and the floor that travels through the right arm and right leg. The lifter continues to bend to the left until the arm is fully extended. The weight is not pressed, but held aloft while bending "underneath it". To complete the lift, after the arm is fully extended, the lifter does a slight corkscrew to get "underneath the weight" in a half or full squat position, again without pressing the weight, and then once underneath the weight with the arm locked out overhead holding the weight, the lifter stands erect, still holding the weight overhead. The weight can either be dropped or lowered in military press fashion after the lift is complete.
The world record in the bent press is 370 lbs by Arthur Saxon
, but there were unofficial reports of him bent pressing 385 lbs.
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
exercise wherein a weight is brought from shoulder-level to overhead one-handed using the muscles of the back, legs, and arm. A very large amount of weight can be lifted this way, compared to other types of one-hand press. It has been said that more weight can be lifted with one hand in this manner than in the typical two-handed overhead barbell press. It was a staple of the old-time strongmen such as Eugen Sandow
Eugen Sandow
Eugen Sandow , born Friedrich Wilhelm Müller, was a Prussian pioneering bodybuilder in the 19th century and is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Bodybuilding".-Early life:...
, Arthur Saxon
Arthur Saxon
Arthur Saxon , born Arthur Hennig and nicknamed "The Iron-Master", was a strongman and circus performer from the late 19th century into the early 20th century...
, and Louis Cyr
Louis Cyr
Louis Cyr was a famous Canadian strongman with a career spanning the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His recorded feats, including lifting 500 pounds with one finger and carrying 4,337 pounds on his back, show Cyr to be, according to former International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness...
, but is no longer popular and poses safety concerns due to the contortion of the body and stresses placed on the shoulder joint and spinehttp://www.realfighting.com/content.php?id=101. However, proponents of the exercise argue that since it uses the leverage of the body in order to lift the weight, if done correctly it can be quite safe. Despite its name, the arm does not press the weight aloft.
To do the bent press, one would begin by lifting the weight to the shoulder (usually a barbell, but it could be done with a kettlebell or dumbbell), either by a one or two handed clean, or by lifting up one end and "rocking" it onto the shoulder. If done with the right hand (the reverse is done for the left hand), the right leg would be straight and directly underneath the weight, with the left leg bent at a slight angle. The lifter would then bend to the left, holding the weight in the same position. The bent position, the origin of the name "bent press", allows the arm to hold the weight in position without dropping down because of the body's leverage, creating an imaginary line between the bell and the floor that travels through the right arm and right leg. The lifter continues to bend to the left until the arm is fully extended. The weight is not pressed, but held aloft while bending "underneath it". To complete the lift, after the arm is fully extended, the lifter does a slight corkscrew to get "underneath the weight" in a half or full squat position, again without pressing the weight, and then once underneath the weight with the arm locked out overhead holding the weight, the lifter stands erect, still holding the weight overhead. The weight can either be dropped or lowered in military press fashion after the lift is complete.
The world record in the bent press is 370 lbs by Arthur Saxon
Arthur Saxon
Arthur Saxon , born Arthur Hennig and nicknamed "The Iron-Master", was a strongman and circus performer from the late 19th century into the early 20th century...
, but there were unofficial reports of him bent pressing 385 lbs.
See also
- StrongwomanStrongwomanStrongwoman refers to either a woman performing feats of strength in a show or circus, or a woman who competes in strength athletics. Traditionally, strongwomen have had a special appeal, as women involved in demonstrated feats of strength were exceptions....
- StrongmanStrongman (strength athlete)In the 19th century, the term strongman referred to an exhibitor of strength or circus performers of similar ilk who displayed feats of strength such as the bent press , supporting large amounts of...
- KettlebellKettlebellThe kettlebell or girya is a cast-iron weight used to perform ballistic exercises that combine cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.Sizes may range from to...
- WeightliftingPowerliftingPowerlifting is a strength sport. It resembles the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as both disciplines involve lifting weights in three attempts. Powerlifting evolved from a sport known as 'odd lifts' which followed the same three attempt format but used a wide variety of events akin to Strongman...
External links
- http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode3/282/
- http://www.naturalstrength.com/history/detail.asp?ArticleID=556