Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Bent Press part 2

This is the follow up the the first part on the Bent Press, Here I will give a suggested method to strengthen the muscles used in this lift by Arthur Saxon.

A good practice for strengthening the muscles used in this lift,and for giving you better control over your bell,is after pressing same aloft (the barbell),to bring aloft with the disengaged hand,a ring weight or small dumbbell.Thisis first raised to the shoulder and then presed aloft,your eyes being all the time kept on the barbell in the right hand.

Still another exercise or prcatice is to load your barbell up to such a weight as can be turned over to the shoulder,then let go with the left and and twist the body into possition for the press,and after holding the bar there for a second or two return to the the ground. It is reasonable to suppose that is a man can press only 150 pounds with one hand,and he turns over and holds at the shoulder 224 pounds,when he returns to his 150-pound bell,he will handle it with greater ease,comfort and assurance then he ever could do before,and he will eventually  in this way reach a higher limit then if he always held in awe such a weight as 224 pounds,and he will further have  a better idea of what 224 pounds really means if he handles the bell,than if he has to rely on his imagination when considering what can,and what cannot,be done with a 224-pound barbell.

I hope this exercise helps you in your quest to master The Bent Press.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Goal of the Old Time Physical Culture Association

Every group should ahve a set of goals here  are the Goals of OTPCA.

The mission of Old Time Physical Culture association is to:
(1) promote the ideal of developing a classic physique as invisioned from the 1890's until the end of 1939, (2) demonstrate just what kind of body can be developed naturally,
(3) preserve & learn from the history of the pre-roid and pre-bodybuilding Physical Culture era,
 (4) serve as a source of education & inspiration to all; 
(5) help initiate a Renaissance of Classic Physical  Culture  in the 21st Century,
(6) preserve and promte the training information and routines of the Physical Culture Era,
(7)  Re-establish muilti-lift events based on eight standard  lifts,
(8)Establish Physique contests similar to Eugen Sandow's The Great Competition which wiould include iron bending,ripping deacks of cards betwen posing to demonstarte they had strength and where not merely body beautiful posers.,and (
9) to found as a physical enitity the Old Time Physical Culture Association.

The Bent Press part 1

 Today we talk about one of my altime favorite Old Time Lifts...dun dun dun THE BENT PRESS! It is a  lift  introduced to Englad and America by the late Eugen Sandow.
the Late Arthur Saxon set the still existing world record of 371  pounds.

Here I will let Mr.Saxon tell us how to preform the Bent Press:

Constant Practice is the only way in which one my succeed in rainsing a heavy weight in this position.PRACTICE is the great thing,all the time enderveoring to find a position which will suit you.

(Personally I feel those last words are something many have forgotten) 

I will describe the barbell lift,as in a barbell more  my be raised then in any other way.the bell may be raised with tow hands tot eh shoulder,or it may be raised to the shoulder with a clean pull in,although,of course,when one reaches  a very heavy weight,it is impossible to get it to the shoulder except by using two hands..If anything like a heavy weight is to be raised to the shoulder,theb it is imprative that the center be accurately marked,so that you will not have to move the weight about while it is held at your shoulder,as this is certian to exhaust your strength and spoil the lift.

 Having gotten the bell to the shoulder with the elbow firmly placed on the hip,the first thing to do is to get the feet in the proper position.As my be supposed,when one is pressing,say 200 pouns,it is not easy to shift the feet about without destroying the balance,causing the weight to fall.Therefore,get your feet placed in the correct position before you coomence to press.

 Another point I will mention here is that the eyes must not,at any portion of the lift,be taken off the weight.Holding the bell at the shoulder.fall away from teh same,but do not allow the elbow to move from off the hip until complelled to do so,as you can support far more in this position,without tiriing the muscles,then you can in you allowed the weight to fall on the muscles alone,without supporting same rather by bone strength then muscle strength.

In allowing the body to fall forward,the speed of movement must be at all times governed by the balance you feel you have attained.Of course,it is best to ge the lift over as quickly as possible,but fair speed is pressing may be obtained only when it is felt that a perfect balance has beeb gained,other wise to hurry will only be to cause the weight to fall.Another hint is that the bell should not be hell any loger then absolutely necessary at the shoulder before commencing to press,as your strebgth begins to wane immediately the bell reaches the shoulder.

Having pressed the weight to a straight arm,then you must not endeavor to rise until you are certian that you again have gotten thorough control over the weight.Your position at this point should be such that your hand is held over your shoulder,which in turn,should be over the shoulder belonging to the  disengaged arm.This shoulder,in its turn,should be over the left knee,so that a straight line could be drawn from the right hand to the left foot,and the weight,if a heavy one.will pass out of your control and fall to the ground.

If you feel that you are holding the weight firmly,then you may bend the right leg a little to bring yourself well beneath the weight,and by pushing firmly with the left hand or forearm at the left knee,you will be able to stand erect,when the barbell may be changed from one hand into two,and so lowered to the chest and then to the ground.

I hope this has been enlightening,and if you do teh bent press i wish you all the ebst