As outlined in my previous article THE LOG PRESS, you need to have a big overhead press if you want to be competitive in strongman. There are many ways a big log press can wrong, none of which end pleasantly. From passing out with the log on your chest to dropping it backwards over or on top of your head many of these risks can be significantly reduced with proper technique practice and coaching. In part 1 of this piece we will be looking at the Clean portion of the lift aka getting the bloody log to your chest so you can press it!
Let’s Clean things Up!
Having a good, efficient clean technique allows you to save energy for the part of the lift that matters most, the press! Due to different leverages and athlete sizes this technique and the cues to fix the issues may vary greatly. A 90kg guy with abs cleaning a log will look very different from a 140kg guy with a gut! Another huge factor in the equation is the diameter of the log. Log diameter can vary from somewhere between 230mm-330mm in diameter (8inch-13inch) but will usually be around the 270mm (10inch) mark for most competitions.
Lets break it down now. The key position to get the best key for you is the one that allows you to generate the most upward force and allow the log to roll up the body and finish high on the chest putting you in the best position to press. Some lifters do a better job of using a catapult type technique with a tonne of hip drive while others do better with a more traditional clean technique maintaining a more upright posture and really driving upward with the quads and hips. My Preference on heavier attempts and when teaching the new movement to beginners is to go for a more upright posture allowing to fully utilise the quads and hips to drive the log up, provided there leverages allow for it. The two videos below show two very different sized lifters utilising a the same style technique as we teach it.
In both cases you can see the lifter get a nice low hip position with the log on the lap, chest up and looking forward or forward and down before exploding upward and rolling the log up the body. In the first video the lifter is 90kg and the second he is a 140kg heavyweight competitor. They both have vastly different builds but as demonstrated can still get into a similar position to generate the most force. Small aspects of the lift may change slightly such as wrist position, head and chest angle as well as how close to the body the log sits while lapped. As clearly demonstrated though the position works well for both. One often overlooked area of the start position is breathing. For smaller lifter more so than the big boppers taking a big deep breathe before cleaning the log is an absolute must. With the log sitting on top of your chest pushing the rib cage down breathing can be very difficult in the top position. Generally bigger guys can breath easier cos it sits better on there larger frame. The key is to stay tight and upright which is almost impossible if you lungs are empty. Practicing keeping tight and keeping big belly full of air will go a ing way to making you more comfortable and STABLE in the clean position to press the log.
If the clean is an area that needs work for you a few simple modifications to your program can make a huge difference. My preference is to always include at least one full clean and press movement in the program whether it be viper press, one motion, clean & press or another variant. Secondly we train the clean specifically. I have found it to be a great exercise to train and develop explosive strength. We usually add in a clean variant after our pressing. It may seem strange to some one of the best ways to improve an aspect of a certain lift, is to do more of that lift!
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