Learn how to build overhead pressing strength with a 5x5 protocol, jumping 10 kg each set until the last one goes to max reps. The coach connects standing press gains to handstand push-ups and other pressing moves, and explains why that final set matters as a test within training, not just a workout.
All the presses work together. It's not really a mystery that when your standing press goes up, handstand push ups become easier. Even stall depressors and press handstands. There's other factors involved with the skill and with the mobility. But if our baseline on standing press goes up, everything is likely to get better. Paul Anderson was 120 plus kilos world champion weightlifter. He was able to do handstand push ups. He also pressed a truck and he was a champion lifter. His squat was also massive. So what we're going to do, what we're going to do is five sets of five, and on the last set we're going to go for maximum repetitions. This is the 5D 5X. We're just waiting for the timer to beep. Andrea's on the timer down there. So with the 5D 5X, we're going in 10 kilo jumps. That keeps it nice and standardized. So you can do the same test as me, 50 kilos on the bar, five sets of five and then. But the last set will be as many reps as you can do. It might only be five or it might be more. I could probably get this at 60, but I'm not guaranteed. So I'm doing it on 50 today, see what I get. And the last set is really the test set. So everything leading up to that is like speed, work, practice, warming up, and then we go for the big one. That's two sets down. I went a bit early on that one. Getting excited. This is a really simple way to train, but it also gives you that feedback loop of I'm getting better, gives you a test element, but it's a training session. Testing every session is. Is a dangerous place to be. The way that this works is that you're getting a test, you're getting a result, but it's also a training effect. So it allows you to continue to develop yourself. But also getting that feedback of the testing keeps training really interesting, keeps exciting, gives you a number for the session, but you're also getting that training effect rather than if you consistently do one rm. So you're always striving for, you know, a maximal heavy set. It can become very tough mentally to be able to consistently do that. The deal with the last set is no pauses, no psyching yourself up. The goal is simply to complete the set calmly, get the number that you get. Don't try and take it to the nth degree. So all of these presses are going to play together. Your French press being able to press behind the neck, behind the neck, press, push presses, push jerks, bench press, incline, bench press decline, bench press, piked, handstand push ups, handstand push ups. All of these will play together, your push ups, your dips. There's going to be a ratio that emerges between all of those lifts. I'm very excited that we're collecting the data so that we're going to be able to see which of yours where you fall on the bell curve for that exercise relative to your other exercises. Relative to a big population, as far as I know, you can't really find that data, especially with relation to dense strength. Last one before the big one. This. This idea was put forward by Charles Poliquin, right? The idea that all the lifts should be in proportion to each other and that if you bring up the weakest ones, that's going to be a good thing for your shoulder health, that's going to be a good thing for your performance. Generally, the rule is that the overhead press carries over more to your bench press than your bench press carries over to your overhead press. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have a big bench press. If your bench press is poor, everything else is going to be more difficult. Nico was bench pressing 140 when he was able to also be able to do those 90 degree handstand push ups. So they're always going to be in relation to each other. If you haven't practiced at all with the barbell, then sure, the barbell numbers are going to be lower, but they're not going to be terrible. Last set. Max set. Thinking so much about making this video, racked it after the five. I did eight after the micro rest, and then I paused at the top without really thinking about it.
