The Sots press - named after Soviet world champion Viktor Sots, who warmed up with it - is weightlifting's most humbling mobility drill: pressing a bar to lockout while sitting in the bottom of a full squat. It demands simultaneous thoracic extension, shoulder flexion, hip depth and unshakeable balance; most strong athletes can't Sots press an empty bar on day one. As a diagnostic it's ruthless, and as a developer it builds the exact overhead-in-the-hole strength that snatches and overhead squats live on.
| Level (x Bodyweight) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 0.1x | 0.06x |
| novice | 0.2x | 0.12x |
| intermediate | 0.3x | 0.2x |
| advanced | 0.45x | 0.3x |
| elite | 0.6x | 0.4x |
1RM as a multiple of bodyweight - an empty-bar Sots press is already a real achievement.
Start with PVC and pride left at the door. Sit tall in the deepest squat you own, brace, and press slightly behind the head into the overhead slot without letting the hips rise or the heels lift. Snatch-grip is the classic (and slightly easier on wrists); clean-grip is brutal and best after months. Sets of 3-5 slow reps in warm-ups, 2-3 times per week - progress is measured in weeks, not sessions. Film from the side: torso angle is the honest judge.
Progression: seated presses, then PVC Sots press to a box (partial depth), then PVC at full depth, then the empty bar - a months-long journey worth taking.
Enter your 1RM above to see your training percentages.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.