MY TRAINING FOR THE PRESS

by John Davis as told to Johnny Terpak (May, 1952,
Strength & Health.)

On June 27 and 28 of this year final tryouts for the Olympic Games

will be held in conjunction with the Senior National Weight Lifting

championships. It is the ambition and dream of most athletes to qualify
and represent their country in their chosen sport. It is necessary for
these athletes to be in the best possible physical condition to qualify,
for if the athlete in question makes the team, he must spend another
six to eight weeks training to be in even better condition to compete
in the actual Games themselves,
When the various members of the American weight lifting teams
arrive on European soil they are Usually in excellent condition. Final
training preparations are done under the watchful eyes of Bob Hoffman,
coach, and Dietrich Wortmann, manager. Prior to this meeting,
members of the team train alone or with members of their respective
clubs. How can an athlete get into good condition to qualify as a
team member? I receive dozens of letters and speak to as many
lifters asking: "How do you train?" My reply is usually the same
and, except for an occasional change in the number of repetitions
employed, my program is basically the same.
If a lifter is not physically adapted to the two arm press it is a
rather difficult problem to overcome. However, it has been proven
time and again that hard work can overcome what once seemed an
impossible situation. Pete George, middleweight champion of the
world, and David Sheppard were both notoriously low pressers. Their
inability to press was not due 100% to lack of work but I shall endeavor
to prove here that at least 90% of it was. As can be seen by a quick
glance at past reports of contests in "S. & H.," Pete and Dave seldom
registered more than 220-230 in the press. Both of these fine lifters
are exceptional, to say the least, on the quick lifts. Like any other
human beings, they undoubtedly were inclined to train on those lifts
they were exceptional at rather than try to improve the lift that was
more troublesome. Pete was twice beaten by Touni because of what
he lacked on the press and three times missed international titles
because of his inability to make up the tremendous difference of his
opponent's press with his quick lifts.
In 1949, Pete improved somewhat on the press and surprised
everyone by making 242. This was at Den Haque, Nederlands, and
even Touni was shocked, for no one had expected Pete to get more
than a 231 press. Unfortunately, Pete fell short of the mark by only
a few pounds and could not make up the difference with his quick
lifts. In 1951 he took the bull by the horns and on several occasions
prior to the championships pressed 255 and on one occasion made
260. I asked him how he managed to get his press so high and the
reply was simply, "I pressed and pressed, and pressed some more. ~
Pete George does not have the temperament of a presser, not is he
built like a presser. If hard work on the press could improve his
press by 20 pounds, then hard work must be the answer.
I perform a minimum of 64 presses during a four-day training
period. I perform these presses via eight sets of presses done in series
of two. Some nights I do 10 sets, making a total of 80 presses for the
four-day training period. I never reduce my training poundage no
matter how tired I feel but rather I try to advance the training
poundage whenever my strength will permit.
The 5,4,3,2,1 system used by many lifters today, as well as the
I, 2, 3, 4, 5 system do not and will not build sustaining power in the
pressing muscles. Bob Hoffman has so often remarked: "The principal
idea of weight lifting is to build bigger and stronger men." Lifters
would do well to bear this in mind when planning their training
programs. The aforementioned training methods are contrary to basic
training ideas and should not, in my opinion, be used.
In conversation I have been quoted as saying: "I will not use less
than a certain number of repetitions or poundages no matter how sloppy
my form becomes." Certain people, in an effort to advance their own
theories regarding lifting and exercises, misconstrued, misinterpreted
and deliberately clouded the issue in confusion and double talk. As a
direct result of this alleged quote of mine, many lifters were led to
believe (and I have been questioned by several athletes on the subject)
that I actually advocated, as well as practiced, lifting contrary to the
rules set up by the governing bodies. What I did try to say was this:
There are times when a lifter does not feel up to par. Consequently,
some adjustment must be made. In my opinion, reducing the training
poundage is not the answer to the problem. If a lifter presses a heavy
weight in training that may. in some quarters, be considered a good
lift and not good somewhere else, can it be said that the lifter "cheated"
or performed the lift "incorrectly?" It was this kind of lift that I tried
to point out as being acceptable in training sessions. I certainly do not
believe that every lifter performs what might be classified as a perfect
press at all times during training. I do not advise bad pressing form in
training--for obvious reasons.
All lifters cannot have Bob Hoffman at hand to give them his
personal attention when preparing for important competition. They
must take the next best step and plan a good all-around training program.
I mentioned briefly my procedure on the press but I do not depend
entirely on presses alone to build sustaining power. It has been my
experience that additional work with the "supine press on bench" is an
excellent power builder. The fact that one can handle heavier weights
with the arms alone in this position develops tremendous powet to
drive and fight heavy poundages through the sticking point. Another
power builder, as well as helping to improve form, is the press while
seated. It is almost. impossible to cheat, bend back or heave the barbell
when seated.



Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday

Warmup: Press 135 for six reps, two sets

Press 185 for three reps.
Press 205 for three reps.
Press 255 for three reps, two sets.
Press 280 once.


Then eight sets of two presses with 300 pounds, a total of 16.
In addition, I supine press 330 three reps for five sets, and
squat with 450 five reps for five sets.