Presses: Vince's Gym Style - Vince Gironda (1970)

 

The first press is a standard military press, heels together, with barbell resting on the deltoids, standing. 

The difference in my method of pressing is that, at the extended or arms overhead position, instead of lowering the barbell after reaching this position, you hold the barbell for a count of six. This insures perfect contraction of the deltoids and produces faster deltoid development. 

The next press is the alternate dumbbell press. 

The difference again is in the contracted or arms overhead position. Instead of using the shoulder rest position with the dumbbell pause, resting at the shoulder, hold the dumbbell at arm's length or contracted position and continue to lower the alternate, moving dumbbell down to the shoulder and up again and hold overhead while the other arm lowers dumbbell to shoulder and up again; then lower the dumbbell that was held overhead to shoulder and back up again. 

This method of pressing insures peak contraction and complete movements. This method is also fool-proof form insurance and is the best style of working out for beginners to enable them to develop that mind-to-muscle feel and/or that thing advanced men call concentration. 

At this point, let me advise you that to have a picture in your mind of the muscle that is doing the work is of utmost importance. So get a chart, or an anatomy book, and see how the muscles looks and read what is function is (front or anterior aspect of the deltoid). 

Now remember that presses are not side or lateral head exercises, they are front deltoid exercises. The press will not give you broader shoulders, but will only thicken the shoulder in the front of the deltoid. Presses do not build the low head of the deltoid (insertion) where the muscle attaches to the upper arm bone (because of the lack of stress at the low, or shoulder position), but are upper (or origin) developers, where the deltoid attaches to the clavicle and the shoulder joint. (acromion process). 

Every top bodybuilder in my gym was a presser before receiving instruction from me, including Larry Scott, who had very narrow shoulders, and overdeveloped trapezius, further decreasing the illusion of should width. Most of these top bodybuilders were also bench press devotees. They assumed this exercise was a great pec builder, which it is not. 

The bench, because of the position of the hands (palms parallel to the bar) is an excellent front deltoid exercise. The bench press, as I see it, is 75% front deltoid.

Back to standing presses again: It is also my observation that this exercise never produces fast deltoid growth. I have observed bodybuilders work for years on standing presses and change but little. 

Now don't get me wrong about presses. I think they have a value in the right context, which is, only advanced bodybuilders should press. Because, at this time, they need to round out their deltoid development. This exercise, as I see it, is a finishing-off type of movement. 

Enjoy Your Lifting!