Military press: get strong or die

3 ways to lift more weight above your head and have big strong shoulders.

If you want to develop both your strength and the size of your shoulders, you need to maximize the mechanical tension in them. No other exercise allows you to do this like the military press . 

The military press is the gold standard for the force of pushing overhead . If you want to increase the force with which you press over your head almost instantly, do the following three things.

1) Put on a seat belt

If you want to lift as many weights as possible, you need to create tension throughout your body. A belt allows you to do just that. By tightening the whole body you can recruit more muscle fibers, which will increase strength.

2) Increases blood pressure in rhomboids and dorsals

A strong upper back is the key to pushing heavy weights. The upper back muscles act as a platform from where the weights are released upwards; the bigger and stronger the platform, the more you can push. 

Before taking the dumbbell off the stand, tighten the shoulder blades together and tension the trapezius, posterior deltoids, dorsals and rhomboids. This simple arrangement can instantly increase the force with which you push over your head.

3) Sit on your back as you press

The body naturally deduces what to do to lift more weight, and leaning slightly on your back (arching your back) allows you to incorporate more back and chest into the military press . 

Some will say that this can injure your lower back, but if you have a belt and you tighten your abdomen and tighten your buttocks, maintaining high tension throughout the body, you will be fine. After all, here we are talking about lifting as much weight as possible above your head, not to look beautiful when you do it! 

27.08.2021