Bad arm anatomy for pressing 2.0

[Eric D]

I've tried searching the forums for a question like this and couldn't find anything, so forgive me if this has already been asked.

My arms have unfortunate dimensions which make it impossible to rest the bar on my chest/deltoids at the bottom of a press without bending my wrists back, which is bad. You mentioned in the book that this happens occasionally and that people like me will just have to float the bar instead of getting to rest it at the bottom of each rep. This works ok, but I feel like when I am pressing 2.0 style, I waste way too much energy at the bottom of each rep trying to float it there while I take a deep breath and do the hip movement for the next rep. I feel like this is making my press weight suffer considerably.

Would you recommend that people with bad pressing anatomy just use press 1.0? Or maybe do the first rep 2.0 and the rest 1.0? I mean, press 1.0 worked fine for so long so it shouldn't really be bad to use that, right?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I recommend that you learn how to tighten up properly under the bar. Your armpits -- your lats against your triceps -- should be very tight and your chest should be high and tight, upper back locked. It's a psyche skill as much as anything.

[Joe Tandy]

Tightness and urgency, I have long forearms and do not suffer from this.

Check your grip width, any moment arm at the elbow will make this problem worse.

[DaveJF]

I have the same "problem" and in my experience it can be used as an advantage because it allows for a pretty good shoulder/arm stretch-reflex ("bounce" off the bottom).

If you watch the Press 2.0 video (Press 2.0), it appears to me the floating bar position is taught to everyone regardless of anthropometry. Like Rip says, the key is to stay tight. I use a "chest-up" queue and the rest seems to take care of itself, but YMMV.

Come to think of it, floating the bar may be less fatiguing for me than someone with shorter forearms anyhow.

Going from Press 1.0 to 2.0 can seem pretty awkward at first but I'm glad I gave it a fair shot.

[osv2]

My arms have unfortunate dimensions which make it impossible to rest the bar on my chest/deltoids at the bottom of a press without bending my wrists back, which is bad.

Looking at relevant posts in Technique and SSS Coaches forums it looks like most of us can't do it. Moreover, in the photo demonstrating the issue in SS:BBT3 (Figure 3-12) it looks like the guy who does get the bar on chest/delts does have (slightly) bent wrists as well.

I wonder isn't it norm rather than exception to be unable to get the bar to chest/delts for the press?

[Sean Herbison]

You mentioned in the book that this happens occasionally and that people like me will just have to float the bar

It happens more than occasionally. In my personal experience, it's more common to float than to have the bar on the delts, when it's held properly. Plenty of people, myself included, do it anyway.

As to press 1.0, it's not a bad lift, it's just not optimal. Lots of people have gotten very strong using a fairly strict press. If you're going to use it, use it, but don't do it just because the bar is floating.

[deeprooted]

I'm having the same anatomy with the bar resting over chin height when the chin is tucked in a bit and am using the press 2.0 just fine (79kg 5RM vs only 102kg 5RM on the bench). In the beginning I also felt like I'm getting tired just by holding the bar in the starting position after a couple of reps but I don't notice that anymore now. I guess you're adapting to it like you do to everything else.

But make sure to keep the bar close to your body when you're making the hips movement and not to lean back away from the bar. Push your triceps into your lats as Rip said and also tense your biceps a bit. As you push your hips forward and your back leans back, the whole upper body including arms and hands needs to stay tight or you won't be able to transfer the energy from the hip movement into the bar to get it moving.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I wonder isn't it norm rather than exception to be unable to get the bar to chest/delts for the press?

Probably is. Most people using proper start mechanics will see the bar float a little.

[osv2]

I'm having the same anatomy with the bar resting over chin height when the chin is tucked in a bit and am using the press 2.0 just fine (79kg 5RM vs only 102kg 5RM on the bench).

Shouldn't it be expected that you are rather good at partial ROM lift? I mean are you sure you don't just look for an excuse for not bringing bar low enough? Some time ago there was discussion about it in another SS forum, and AFAIR the consensus was that in proper press the starting point should be below the chin.

[sbhikes]

When I went to see Paul I was sure he would yell at me for holding the bar in front of my face instead of on my shoulders. He did not. Must not be the wrong thing to do. Just keep pressing.