Durbin-Durco, Inc. – Bent Press Tutorial [ca. 1950s–1960s?]

Great concise bent press tutorial from a 1950s? 1960s? booklet—you can use the tips for the kettlebell, dumbbell, or barbell bent press. We have added our comments in italics.

Having practiced Dumbell exercises you are ready to learn the Bent Press. If you are able to press 50 pounds in the One Arm Military style, you should press 110 to 115 in the Two Arm Press and be able to press 125 or over in a Bent Press.

A couple of interesting points: dumbbell lifts are a prerequisite. In the bent press, the lifter should lift more with one hand than with two hands in the two-arm press.

The first part of the lift is getting the weight to the hip. If you are tall and can pull more weight to your hip than you can jerk with one hand, you will be more than gratified by cleaning and bent pressing the heavy weights that will be possible for you to handle by practicing this lift. If you can jerk better than you can clean, lift the weight to the hip with the other hand by holding the lifting hand in the same position as you would use for a One Arm Clean. Place other hand with knuckles in the opposite direction under your lifting hand, then with a quick and sudden effort lift weight to the hip.

One hand all the way has been used successfully by standing bar on end. The lifter bends under the bar, getting it to fall so that the hand holds it on the hip and then is ready for the major part of the lift.

Various options are given—the clean proper, the assisted clean, or standing the bar on one end and getting under it.

If you are going to press with the right hand, stand with feet 18 to 24 inches apart at right angles to each other. Hold arm well back of hip, resting tightly against the muscles of the back. To properly balance the weight you should lean not only to the left but a little to the front. Right leg is straight, weight resting on hip can be easily held as the elbow is in a vertical position and you have what could be called solid bone from the elbow to the floor. Bend left leg slightly. Hold left arm out straight to the side for balance.

Key points for the proper starting position: a foot position that allows you to create space that you can bend into and later semi-squat into; elbow position for firm support; a straight supporting leg and a slightly bent other leg; leaning not to the side but to the front.

Start lift by leaning to the side and toward the front as you go down, employing what is called the “screw press.” Keep your eye on the bell as you bend. As your body bends far front and to the side, your arm raises on the muscles of your back. Now is the time to concentrate a real effort with the arm, pressing it to straight arm length over head. Your non lifting arm, in the meantime, has first been placed on the knee, then slid to the side and down so that the arm and ultimately the arm pit rests on the knee.

Notice that the lifter needs to lean to the side and especially to the front—think forward bend. Watching the bell all the time helps with balance. The lift is fairly easy until the very last part, where you fully extend your elbow and the upper arm leaves your lat. Notice the use of the non-lifting arm—key for heavier bent presses. Don’t let it just dangle down—give it work.

One of the most difficult parts of the lift is straightening up with the weight. Quickly bend your legs to make your body more erect. Then press with the non lifting hand and rise to erect position.

The second difficult part of the lift—standing up. Semi-squat under the bell and use the non-lifting arm on the corresponding thigh to help support the weight and stand up.

At the start of this lift the bar bell will be turned well around so as to be almost parallel with the shoulders. As the lift progresses the bell will slowly rotate in a semi-circle.

You may find it easier to keep the hand upon the knee so that it can assume part of the weight, instead of sliding it down all the way and resting on the arm pit, thus making it less difficult for the side and back to assist in rising to an erect position.

Another reminder of the importance of the non-lifting arm, which actually has a very important function. Keeping it on the same side was a technique favored by Arthur Saxon. Other lifters, depending on their body type, need to cross over to the other leg, but once they semi-squat, the non-lifting hand needs to get back on the corresponding thigh to assist the rise.

Durbin-Durco, Inc. All American Ways to Health. St. Louis, Missouri: Durbin-Durco, Inc., [ca. 1950s–1960s?]. Promotional exercise/weight-training booklet.