Press: Backward Bend of the back, half way up.

[Gene61]

I'm a geezer, 61 yo, novice and started very weak; no history of weigh lifting. I've made great progress from a very light beginning on all the lifts but the Press. Once I get to 65lbs and above on the press, I feel my back curving backwards as the bar gets just over my head. My diagnosis is that I have the arm and shoulder strength to get the bar up, but not the abdominal strength to secure a straight back through the lift. I'm holding my breath under pressure. I'm leaning back from the hips. Everything feels great until the bar passes my forehead and then I feel my back collapse into a reverse curve until I get almost to the lockout position. I've deloaded to the bare bar 3 times now and each time I get back up to 65lbs this collapse of technique occurred.

My current plan is to just very slowly microload at levels at which I can control the form, but this is very slow progress at a very low level. Any ideas?

[Simma Park]

Can you record video? It's hard to know exactly what's going on just from verbal self-reporting.

[mwhities]

Do you wear a belt? That will help give your stomach something to press against. Be sure you flex your quads, deep breath, and keep your stomach tight against the belt.

Lead out with your hips, keeping your whole body tight.

[Gene61]

Can you record video? It's hard to know exactly what's going on just from verbal self-reporting.

I'll have to get organized to do this, but yes, that is only fair. May take me a bit as I'll have to go buy a tri-pod and edit up the video.

[MikeC1]

If you continue pressing and make it a point to concentrate on maintaining a strong abdominal isometric contraction, then it should improve over time. I usually wouldn't suggest it, but you could consider doing other (isometric?) abdominal exercises in the meantime.

As for technical advice, think about trying to keep the bar as close as possible to your face/head on the way up. This will help minimize how much laying back is needed to stay balanced under the bar. Although you might not have this problem, only a video would say for sure.

[mwhities]

If you continue pressing and make it a point to concentrate on maintaining a strong abdominal isometric contraction, then it should improve over time. I usually wouldn't suggest it, but you could consider doing other (isometric?) abdominal exercises in the meantime.

As for technical advice, think about trying to keep the bar as close as possible to your face/head on the way up. This will help minimize how much laying back is needed to stay balanced under the bar. Although you might not have this problem, only a video would say for sure.

Try to get as close as you can to your nose. On the way up and on the way down. "Aim for your nose."

[elVarouza]

You don't need a tripod and a video editor. It'd be nice, but it's definitely overkill. I usually just prop my camera up on some towels so it gets my whole body in the frame. Post an unedited video; it really isn't that big of a deal.

[Gene61]

OK. Here is the video of my pathetic 55lb Press. I can barely get through a set of 5 at 55lbs and yet I'm doing a 120 lb bench press and easily adding weight to it each time.

http://youtu.be/KhtdKa-5CE0

It was good to do the video. I can see right away that I'm leaning too far back. The bar is missing my nose by 6" or more. This is probably making it hard to get under the bar after it passes my head. Anything else you see? All help welcome! I'd like to get this exercise on track.

[mwhities]

Your hands are out to wide. You need to grip closer so that when you rack it, your forearms are vertical. Also, your elbows need to be tucked in toward your sides (with vertical forearms).

[jkw]

You need to tighten your whole body from quads on up, and puff that chest up high. Your forearms should be vertical with the bar sitting right on top before you press. You are starting with the bar too low on your chest and without your chest up, you end up with the elbows way back. Then as other people said, aim for your nose. You can see the bar is clearly moving in a huge C shape out and back.