The Bent Press – The Forgotten Lift You Need

by Bradford Cooke An Overhead Press For Your Whole Body

Want big shoulders, an iron core, better mobility, and more upper-body mass? Master the bent press. Here’s exactly how to do it.

Remember The Bent Press

When we think of moving heavy weights overhead, we often think of Olympic lifts, military press, and push press. But another overhead lift lurks in the shadows of weight training history. The bent press, a favorite of old-time strongmen like Eugene Sandow and Arthur Saxon, allows you to lift enormous weights overhead in a unique fashion. Saxon’s best was an incredible 370 pounds… with one arm. Let that sink in.

The bent press is like a one-arm overhead press, but your arm straightens out overhead while you’re bending at the hips. Once your arm is locked out, you stand upright. We’ll get into the technique details below.

It’s unfortunate that the bent press has been forgotten. A well-executed bent press can improve mobility, build an iron midsection, and create a strong, muscular upper body.

Admittedly, it looks odd. You have to do it to truly “get it.” Let’s get into it.

Why Do The Bent Press?

I asked the same thing. I wasn’t sold on it until getting injured. When I developed a nerve injury in my elbow, it prevented me from doing traditional chest and shoulder presses, so I decided to give it an honest try as a temporary substitute. It was surprisingly a good fit, but even more surprising were the weights I was able to use. This led to broader shoulders and filled-out sleeves. Nice side effects, right?

The bent press allows you to move more weight than you currently can in a regular single-arm overhead press. Like the windmill and Turkish get-up, it challenges you with atypical angles you likely won’t use with any other exercises. This combination is a powerful training stimulus.

When you can use one arm to move half your body weight (or more) overhead, how do you think you’re going to look? You can be damned sure of having an upper body that gets noticed. It’s also a great confidence booster. Once you get comfortable in the locked-out position, you’ll bust through any perceived plateaus in your regular pressing movements.

Technique: Nail These Steps

The bent press isn’t technically a press. Basically, the weight should stay stationary as you contort your body away from and underneath it. As you do this, your arm should straighten.

It takes practice. It’s helpful to try this when you’re a bit fatigued in the triceps already, so you’re less likely to try to blatantly press out of it. Let’s break down the steps:

Start with the weight at shoulder height. Rotate your hand out so that your elbow sits on the side of the ribs or same-side hip. This position should form a bit of a shelf. If using your right hand, your

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