Press Check

[LudwigVan]

Are you sure the grip is wrong? I setup my grip based on the "elbows in front of the bar" directions in the book, and the pictures of the male trainee in the book. My elbows look no more forward than the pictures in the book. If I lower my elbows to directly under the bar, the press becomes at 30% more difficult, plus I lose most/all of the stability coming from the posterior (like rear delts/rhomboids etc) it becomes a loose unstable movement for me. I will make a another video of me pressing with elbows under the bar for setup.

Rip can correct me if he disagrees, but:

I used to use a grip like that on my press until I did it in front of John Sheaffer and he corrected it right away. Your elbows should be slightly in front of the bar, but by allowing your wrists to flop backwards under the weight you're creating distance between the bar and the bones of the forearm and introducing inefficiency into the movement. Look at SS p. 77 figure 3-13: "For maximum power transfer to the weight, the bones of the wrist and forearm should be lined up directly under the bar." That's the bench press chapter, but the principle is the same.

For me, because of the proportions of my arms, this means that the bar doesn't quite rest comfortably on my deltoids at the bottom of the press. So I take my grip and my breath and tighten up before unracking and the drive off the shoulders is a lot more solid. Try it and see.

[LaHabra]

I highly doubt you can feel your rear delts if you cannot press 89lbs efficiently. Stop thinking so god damned much and hire someone to yell at you to keep the bar close to your face. Dont be a pussy, if it hits your nose squint and finish your reps. You owe me 10min of my life back.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Originally Posted by Dastardly:
Are you sure the grip is wrong?

I concur with LaHabra completely. I don't give a shit if the grip is backwards, you should be pressing more than half you bodyweight even if you're 12. Train harder, type less. You will not be allowed to post on this Q&A again until you submit a video of yourself performing a good press with 135 x 5.

[Greg C]

Originally Posted by Dastardly:
Are you sure the grip is wrong?

I concur with LaHabra completely. I don't give a shit if the grip is backwards, you should be pressing more than half you bodyweight even if you're 12. Train harder, type less. You will not be allowed to post on this Q&A again until you submit a video of yourself performing a good press with 135 x 5.

Halle-effin-lujah. Christmas comes early.