Long before today’s common challenge, “How much can you bench (press)?", the earlier lifting challenge was “How much can you press?” Through the end of 1972 weightlifters competed in three lifts: today’s snatch and clean-and-jerk were as they are today. But the first competitive lift was the press. In the early days of weightlifting competition, the press lift was a true test of a lifter’s upper body pushing strength.
Why are we even considering the topic of a lift erased from competition nearly 50 years ago? Using an old adage, the simple answer is, one is only as strong as the weakest link. In today’s weightlifting competition, without the press, the shoulders and triceps do not get much emphasis, while squatting and pulling muscles tend to dominate. Yet, the arms and shoulders are an important part of one’s overall physical development.
Adequate upper body pushing strength can be vital, especially for female and youth lifters. Speaking generally of physiological differences between the sexes, women tend to exhibit about two-thirds of the upper body strength of males. Youth lifters of both genders, often recruited at an early age in order to learn weightlifting technique and begin competition, may report for training not particularly well prepared for a strenuous sport such as weightlifting. Specialization in two lifts that do not emphasize upper body pushing strength may eventually highlight strength imbalances likely to result in lost lifts or injury.
How did we arrive at this junction? Perhaps a slight look back at the history of the press will provide some insights for new lifters.
Some History of the Press
Over time the press went through many changes. For Americans, the lift started as the military press (heels together, bar at about chin level, raised at the same tempo as the referee’s hand). On the Continent, pressing involved some body sway in order to get the lift started.
Soon thereafter, press rules were standardized to begin with the bar on the shoulders and clavicles, and the feet up to 12 inches apart. The bar simply needed to proceed upward in a continuous motion, without stopping.
