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

[Simma Park]

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.

You are nowhere near leaning back too far. In fact, you should be leaning back more, and doing it earlier.

The problem is that you start with the bar in the wrong place, and then you move the bar around your head (way around your head) instead of driving the bar straight up and moving your body/head out of the way.

First of all, start position: get your elbows forward more so that your forearms are vertical. This will feel like your elbows are way ahead of your body when they are not, so use video or a knowledgeable pair of eyes to confirm. Right now, they start out WAY behind the bar, and the bar is too far out ahead of the body and too low on the chest. Here's a comparison between your start position and two correct examples from the book. I think you can see the huge difference here in bar placement, arm/wrist configuration, and upper back/chest tightness.



Secondly, mwhities is correct--your grip is wide. It should be just outside the shoulders.

When you get the bar position correct, you will be able to thrust your hips forward even more and drive the bar straight up toward your nose and have it feel like it makes sense.

And once you have the drive up correct, start getting your body back under the bar as soon as it passes your eyes. This should result in a more or less correct press.

I recommend you work on the above and post another form check afterward.

[Simma Park]

Also, fix your grip so that you don't create that moment arm at the wrist. The book discusses that on p. 83, and I took some photos a while back for some guy on here: http://startingstrength.com/resource...598#post290598

[Gene61]

Spar, Thanks. This is very helpful! Thanks for taking the time to make this so clear. I'll get to work.