Today (9/19/22), during a rather press centric period – I military pressed 225lbs (230 exact). This had been a long time coming, considering how long ago (10/23/17) it was that I pressed 205 for the first time.
I have video of that 🙂
Not today’s though :)-
I started this as a rough draft eight days early.
What works for me, for the military press, has been high frequency. To not give the body the opportunity to get away from it’s strength.
Mostly high reps, high frequency, some volume.
A normal day would be a set or two of 8-12 reps with 155-165lbs.
I’ve pressed everyday this month, and today after running some unexpected errands, breaking an almost 18 hour fast with a bag of snyder’s of hanover cheese pretzel sandwiches, the cheese version of why I was a fat middle schooler in peanut butter flavor which to my chagrin no longer seems to be made, in the mist and light rain – I pressed.
(only a couple hours after I intended to lift, an earlier pump session of total gym pullups and deep knee bends getting my mind right and in the mood to do so – and then finished the lift an hour before it downpoured, good timing)
The Session :
Overhead Squat
21×65
Press 135-180
singles at every 5lb jump
4×200 = PR, a rep or three in the tank, had I approached this set right it could’ve been an 8-10rm, an easy one became four with more in the tank
1x…230, I decided to simply put all the plates I had outside on, as after an easy PR set I realized “fuck it” it’s guaranteed regardless of 220, 225, or 230.
= PR !!!
I had been debating hitting 220lbs/ 100kg to save 225lbs for another day, then I flipped the reasoning, and went +5lbs to goal, set up for a good clean, hit it, and with only moderate effort, pressed 225+ lbs for the first time in my life.
Some 12yo kid was walking a yellow lab, and was totally gawking looking/hoping/wanting to watch as I was at around 170lbs – overhead lifting really fascinates people.
Through 175 were just heaves, real easy/felt real light, which probably should have been a hint towards the end of the session.
180, and 200 were basically perfect power cleans.
230 my feet went slightly wider than perfect form in the catch, and slightly back, I stepped the inches forward, recentering myself on the particle board “platform”, steadied myself – motionless, got tense, and pressed.
The press was barely moderate, a little slow about ¾ of the way to lockout, but easier than some of the 155lb presses I had grinded out two nights back.
Funny to note ; shirtless, wearing soft soled ancient cheapo skateshoes [instead of barefoot – cause rain (sorta)], track pants, in misty to a light rain, the session from about 545pm to 610pm.
A 225lb press was something I’ve long wanted, probably since I first hit a military press, a lift I’ve been looking for for a decade or longer.
At 20yo I could jerk anything I could clean, never past 205.
At 21 I got my first 225 power clean, 4 (!!!!!) gyms (plus a few no gym periods) back.
205lbs press at 23
225+ press at 28
I lifted with my mouth guard in. The thing is $2 performance enhancement.
I did not scream in celebration, no “ric flair” (WHOO!), simply held the bar at lockout for a LONG time, lowered it under control, then decided to leave the session on that note instead of hitting any back off AMRAP presses or curling.
Funny that I almost didn’t lift today.
Noteworthy that it was on day 19 of military press everyday, whereas my lifetime 515 deadlift PR was on something like day 21 or 24 of deadlifting daily.
Frequency really works for me, a moderate amount of work gets you strong, though that moderate approach can be highly varied. It was a whim to do low reps today instead of 155 for amap like would be the usual. I got here quicker than expected, I had been expecting to press daily for more than another full month 🙂
Cool.
Persistence & Tenacity
Now, I need to focus more on the power clean on my trip to a 255lb press
Today’s PR Music/One Song Playlist :
mr criminal – based on a true story