So now that we know you are going after 80+ kilo on the press, what’s that 5x5 kb clean about? I assume it’s a bit heavy?
I hadn’t really picked a goal until earlier today.
It isn’t really heavy at all, it’s only 16kg. I do all 50 reps back to back, swapping hands every 5 reps just as a quick consistency goal. I may review and crank the volume slightly over the coming weeks to make it closer to an “easy strength” style program. I’m not quite ready to swap it out for the 24kg yet. And I’d also be nervous throwing a heavier bell around inside.
I think the plan is ~5 days a week of “easy strength” style kb pressing, one day a week of higher rep volume work (probably alternating implements) and one week on a basic, heavier straight bar. 531 has never really worked well for me on pressing so probably have to search around a bit.
Just saw @Koestrizer talking about some kettlebell bottom up press. These may be useful to help build your press.
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I don’t know how good they are at directly increasing the press but they are really good at shifting awareness to what your upper back, scapular and lower traps are doing and should be doing in a good press. 
One of those exercises that helps indirectly with awareness to how things should be done. Kind of like my learning experience with box squats in regards to regular squats, I reckon.
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Hah, probably because your body will automatically engage all the muscles it needs in order to prevent the KB from smashing your skull to bits, I reckon.
Interesting idea.
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How would you use them? As a warm up movement?
Depends on what the rest of the session consists of. I think it’s a good idea to do it first in the workout because it’s a good activator.
Right now where your workouts are less focused on heavy weight and barbell movements, I would personally go for a number of sets and low reps. Focus on maximal tension and scapular depression. Something like 5 x 3, before the rest of the workout. Start light, this is kind of like a circus trick: It looks really easy if you see someone do it but in reality it’s really difficult 
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If you have a minute check out Brian Alsruhes ‘Next Level Linear’ video. Skip to the progression part if you don’t want to watch the whole thing. That scheme got my press moving in ways nothing else has and something I’ll probably get back to at least once a year.
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@mr.v3lv3t I’ll probably have a look at that tomorrow, thanks man. I love 531 but it’s just never really had much impact on my press.
Work for today:
3 x 10 bottoms up kb press (9kg)
Press:
5 x 40kg
5 x 50kg
5 x 55kg
6 x 1 @ 60kg
8 x 50kg
12 x 40kg
Bradford press 15 reps (20kg)
Snatch grip overhead carry, 10m
Band tricep pushdowns 3 x 15 each arm
Notes:
- Light for my garage gym still not arrived so I’m fighting the light again here. I fully intended to do more, especially some actual back work, but time was against me.
- I like the bottoms up press as a quick warm up (thanks @simo74 and @Koestrizer). Grip seems to be limiting factor in keeping the bell upright, especially in my left side. I think in future I’ll let my left hand go first and dictate reps for my right rather than the other way round.
- Wanted to get a rough idea of where my max was so worked up to 60kg, then ran out of small plates and didn’t think I’d have time to strip them all off and go get the 20s so knocked out a few extra singles so I know I’ve definitely got 60kg without a shadow of a doubt. Bar speed slows down around level with the top of my head, but not much, so I’m confident there’s a few more kg in the tank.
- Everything else was just easy work that I could fit in around putting stuff away again, although that Bradford press/overhead carry combo was pretty cool.
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@mr.v3lv3t I love the simplicity of the program, I’m not sure how well it would work as a standalone press program though. I really want to run the whole thing when I get back in the gym proper. We’ll see how that pans out.
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Late to the reply but Gladiators!!!
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KB bottom up press I’m using it almost daily.
Here’s CT using it
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That’s awesome man, I’ll definitely be using them for all my “heavy” press sessions.
I couldn’t speak to it as a stand alone option since I ran the program as a whole myself. It’s brutal man, especially if you push those back off sets for AMRAPS. I was constantly sore for the 16 week duration.
That said, I figure if I were to try using that progression in isolation I’d just use 5/3/1 or something similarly mindless yet effective for my other lifts. I don’t want to do that much thinking haha.
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My “other lifts” will likely take a backseat for the foreseeable. I won’t be benching until gyms reopen and I still need to Macgyver something to make deadlifts realistic. I can still squat, but will probably keep that pretty low key. I don’t need added stressors right now.
Work for today:
1 x bottoms up kb press (16kg)
2 x 15 kettlebell pullover (16kg)
5 x 5 clean and press (16kg)
5 kb snatches (16kg)
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I feel ya man. My hypothetical definitely included the caveat that life would be “normal” haha. All my lifts are passed out in the backseat or tied up and shoved in the trunk right now, so I can relate.
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My thoughts at the minute are pretty much that I need a goal to get excited about and press seems to tick that box for me now. It also has the added benefit of being fairly low stress, which is a big bonus. Work is calmer, but not calm.
Speaking of other lifts:
Work for today:
Squats:
5 x 60kg
5 x 80kg
5 x 90kg
5 x 100kg
20 x 80kg
Some bottoms up kb presses inbetween, thinking I’d have time for some trap bar presses but ran out of time. I’ll likely skip clean and presses tonight and try and find time for some serious pressing tomorrow.
First time squatting 100kg for a long time, and certainly the first in my backyard gym for a while. Felt harder than I’d like but there are many, many factors that play into that that I’m too lazy to write out.
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With all the reps you have been able to manage at 80kg, there is no doubt you have it in you to squat a lot more than a 100. You just don’t train that way, which is fine, you got nothing to prove there.
But you DO have something to prove on the press, and we’re gonna hold you to it, dude =) Personally, I have found 531 to be pretty good for it, but then I always use the most insane rep scheme possible there. I tend to think that medium/high rep ranges work better for improving OHP.
How much do you even weigh? Or is that a question a gentleman shouldn’t ask?
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You do KB bottoms up rpess with a 16kgs KB? You have wrists of titanium!
I’ll simplify it for you - squats suck.
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