Here is a visualization which really helps with the bent press:

Imagine your torso is a spool rotating on an axis. The spool is connected to the two sides of the pelvis by the oblique “threads” which are wrapped around the spool.

The side which bends forward is the pulling side, with the obliques shortening the distance between the ribcage and pelvis by contracting, causing flexion and rotation. The obliques on the opposing side are still tight in their stabilizing role, but “play out” as the bend increases. The harder you crunch your obliques on the bending side, the more you increase the tension in the lat on the pressing arm side.

Focus on “spinning” the ribcage down and forward with the obliques and crushing the lat hard. The pressing arm really does go up like magic as you descend down, around, and forward. All of Pavel’s other instructions in The Russian Kettlebell Challenge apply, but the above really helps find the groove.
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