Originally Posted on NaturalStrength.com on 26 August 2003 *Editors Note: The book did not actually have numbered chapters. They were just separated by topic headings. I numbered them as "Chapters" to make it more orderly for the reader. Some were combined as they were very short. This includes four of Saxon's little "blurb topics" here put into one "chapter".
DOUBLE-HANDED SLOW PUSH, BAR-BELL
Having raised the bell to the chest, stand with heels together, legs straight, and body erect. Now push steadily overhead, but do not bend backwards. Watch the bell with the eyes as it goes up, and avoid any kind of jerk from the chest. Most lifters believe this is purely a test of triceps power, but they are wrong; the deltoid perhaps comes into more prominent play than the triceps in this position, and it is generally recognised as a sure test of strength.
SINGLE-HANDED PUSH--OVERHEAD, DUMB-BELL
Stand in position, legs to be straight, heels together and body quite erect. Now press slowly overhead without leaning over to the side. Here again we have a good test of strength, in which the chief muscles called into play are the deltoid and triceps.
HOLDING AT ARM'S LENGTH
The Continental method of holding at arm's length with a ring weight is described by the following test:
Hold the weight in front of the chest, elbow in horizontal line with your shoulder. now hold the bell out sideways so that your left arm shall be almost in a horizontal line with your sholders. You may lean back a little, but not too much.
DOUBLE-HANDED LIFT ON BACK, BAR-BELL
Elbows to be held from off the ground and the weight to be slowly pulled over the forehead and on to the chest, but do not make the common mistake of turning the head to one side in pulling the bell on to the chest. After you have done this, place yourself in position 2 from which you must suddenly heave up the body, at the same time pulling and pushing with the arms so that you find the weight supported by straight arms overhead. A more genuine test, perhaps, is to lay perfectly flat, and slowly press the bar-bell overhead.
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