Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Wednesday Form: What's the big diff?

Photo of Push Jerk from CrossFit North Fort Collins.







Shoulder Press, Push Press, Push-Jerk...what's the difference in the 3 exercises, and what's the importance in that difference?

Watch the video here at CrossFit. Post comments.

7 comments:

Maria_C said...

Great form idea MD. Sorry, I am not answering your question, going in another direction here.

If you watch that video, then compare it to a few others out there, notice how important the terms flexibility and joint mobility are. You know the terms MD chants along to during his classes? The hip rotation is a whole different discussion. I refer to arms and shoulders here. In the morning classes we are instructed to align the arms in places that can throw one off balance and pull the back out. Keep in mind that shoulder, arm, elbow alignment are dependent upon the flexibility and range of motion the body can handle. Forcing into position that the joints are not ready for is not safe.

Wakinyan4 said...

The big difference between shoulder presses and push presses is that shoulder presses are done moving only your arms, and push pressing involves using your legs for the majority of the momentum you transfer to the weights. That is an important idea, because you can conceivably push-press more weight(vs. shoulder presses) because of the momentum you generate with your legs. Remember that momentum p=mv, mass times velocity, so the faster you can push with your legs the larger the momentum you can impart to the weight. Shoulder presses are working the outside and top of the shoulder muscles and it is imperative to use good form and slow, steady movements to avoid injury, your shoulder muscles are small in comparison to other muscles in your upper torso and can easily be strained. So, proper positioning and alignment is imperative, less weight and more reps are generally better for endurance athletes and high weights and low reps, for body-builders.

Matt_D said...

Gee whiz...joint mobility AND m x d/t! Those are a few of my favorite things!

SteveC said...

I am going to go with...
Shoulder press - Push the weight away from the body with the arms
Push press - push the weight away from the body with the legs
push-jerk - move the body udner the weight.

The importance is the muscles that are engaged during the movement.

tanner said...

less weight and more reps are generally better for girlie men . . . . the goal should be to press your body wieght

Matt_D said...

Strength thrills, but Speed kills.

tanner said...

but the fast people are big look at the olympic sprinters NFL running backs and Olympic lifters; unlike slow Ethiopian looking marathon runners but if you are into wearing skinny jeans .....well then I have to say to each their own

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