Excessive layback?

[LudwigVan]

I'm 6' and 195. There's a pronounced layback in my press and I'm wondering if you think it's too much. I feel it in my lower back, but it's not painful.

Here's sets 4 and 5 of 150 5x5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhkpJ7HDkvM

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is not an excessive layback, at all.

[LudwigVan]

Good! I'm being a hypochondriac I guess. I will continue pressing in this fashion!

[elVarouza]

My presses look very similar, so this is good to know. I've always felt that if my abs are braced very hard, which they are during a heavy press, then I don't need to worry too much about my lower back, to an extent. I feel as if it's losing the ab tightness that is troublesome, but hopefully I'll never have to find out.

P.S. you're looking pretty strong LudwigVan, good to see that you're progressing well.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Have you guys not read Starr's articles on the press?

[Randle McMurphy]

i think a lot of us are paranoid because we saw A.C press HUGE numbers, and he had no layback as the bar reached his forehead

[Mark Rippetoe]

AC pressed 300?

[August West]

i think a lot of us are paranoid because we saw A.C press HUGE numbers

AC pressed 300?

Rip's board gives me hope for just this reason. I'm ready to live in a world where 300+ pressing is actual hugeness. Of course A.C. puts up legit weight, and knocking out 225+ for work sets is no joke. But he's got room for more strength and it will eventually happen. And maybe by the time he's there some more of us will be where he's at now.

[LudwigVan]

P.S. you're looking pretty strong LudwigVan, good to see that you're progressing well.

Thanks Broseph! Press to impress!

Have you guys not read Starr's articles on the press?

I have, but my understanding from reading them is that the Olympic-style press is a somewhat different approach to the movement, and it's not what I thought of myself as performing. I also went back to the press chapter in BBT and saw that you do in fact describe excessive layback as a form error that can cause injury or lead to inefficiency. Have you changed your feeling on this? Or am I misinterpreting you or Starr?

[Mark Rippetoe]

You are misinterpreting LV's press as excessive layback. And Randle misinterprets 225 x 5 as huge numbers. AC is damned strong, but the sad fact is that 225 x 5 is only huge in contrast to most lifters who don't train the press as hard as he does. Google Serge Reding pressing 502.