Chronicles of Strength

Generalism and minimalism in fitness, business and life

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INSTANT STRENGTH

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instant strength

 

INSTANT STRENGTH:

2 Tips to Press Heavier NOW

If you’re NOT doing these 2 things and you START doing them TODAY, you will experience instant strength,–and you’ll likely see an immediate Personal Record.

Such is the power of the “Concrete Column” and the Trigger.

Although I may have, at one point or another, been identified as being a bit dramatic having a flair for embellishment, this–dear friends–is not hyperbole.

Enact the formula. Unlock new single-arm strength. Impress all your friends.

And then comment on this post, so that I can relish in the product of my astuteness.

(Allowing me also to prove to my dad that, at least sometimes, my grandiose claims are true.)

For Instant Strength, the basics obviously have to be in-check.

I mean, if you’re missing one of these components, and you put it to use with the Instant Strength strategies, you’re REALLY in for a treat!

So then: Let’s start with some Single-Arm Kettlebell Military Press Basics, and then we will get into the PR-worthy tips.

Oh, and here’s a basic reference tutorial, too.

A. Strong, packed rack position: When you set up, make sure the shoulder is packed and all the supporting muscles are engaged. Elbow tucked in, fist facing toward the sternum. No slack.

B. Forearm [at least close to] vertical: Wrist is flat, forearm is actively supporting the kettlebell. This is crucial for C.

C. Elbow as driving force: Think of your elbow as the motor of this movement. A press is really just a straightening of the elbow. (Your lats will initiate both the press from rack and the return of the kettlebell to rack after the lockout.)

D. Braced breath: Keep air/tension in the abdomen during the entirety of the press.

E. Lockout: Elbow should lockout in line with ears. No shrugging. Shoulder STILL packed. Fist over elbow, elbow over shoulder , shoulders over hips, hips over ankles. Alignment!

Looking pretty good so far?

Excellent.

Usher in the angels singing the Hallelujah Chorus.

INSTANT STRENGTH

#1. CONCRETE COLUMN: TENSION!

Your first tip for instant strength is to create maximum tension in your body by mentally filling yourself with concrete, becoming a column of potential energy.

While standing with the kettlebell in racked position, imagine a hole in the top of your perfectly postured head. Imagine concrete pouring straight down through your body.

  • It reaches your feet first and anchors them into the floor. All four corners of your feet are screwed in. There’s a sensation of your ankles rotating towards each other.
  • It fills up your legs. Your quads solidify, engaged, raising your knee caps.
  • Next, your glutes squeeze.
  • Then, the concrete reaches your core and fills it–all 360 degrees. (If your favorite twerking song comes on, you’re $h!* outta luck. Those hips are going nowhere.)
  • From there, the concrete creates tension in your lats. Your shoulder blades could not be more “back and down.”
  • Lastly, your arms tense, your working hand tightening its grip on the handle of the kettlebell, giving that final torque. Your unweighted arm is JUST as engaged as the working arm. It’s probably going to be sticking out from your body at about 45 degrees. Stiff as a rod.
  • There should be a sensation of sweet relief being right around the corner–but right now, your body is 99% loaded.

#2. TRIGGER

In super-scientific physics language…Once you have become a fully-loaded concrete column, you will instantaneously hit 100% tension and trigger that potential energy into a BLAST of kinetic energy.

  • At the last moment before take-off (that is, before your elbow drives the kettlebell with monster force), you will activate the launch by squeezing your non-working fist. You can squeeze a training partner’s finger in your palm, or–my personal favorite–squeeze a tennis ball.
  • Add a grunt, which pulls in your core for even greater engagement, as you bring your fist to lockout in a victory pump.

OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE for INSTANT STRENGTH:

The Concrete Column & Trigger are NOT two completely separate things. They flow. The trigger is the last straw of maximum tension–it pushes you to a level you can’t sustain. Ultimately, you don’t want to be wasting time with any long and drawn out gradual tensioning. You want to be tense, and then–WHOMP!—MEGA TENSE, quickly creating explosive tension.

 

 

5-Minute SWEATY

It’s simple. It’s heinous.

3 minutes of nonstop 1.5-rep squats;

2 minutes of nonstop push-ups (turning into plank if needed)

 

P.S. If you’re looking to practice some presses, look no further than this ladder workout (which apparently comes from a time when socks did not come in pairs). Also, there are obviously some good burners in Pat’s 101 Kettlebell Workouts.

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