question wrt SS:BBT3 Learning to Press excerpt

[jack.bauer]

Coach,

From the excerpt:

"Figure 3-12. The bar rests on the meat of the shoulders – the anterior deltoids – if possible. Top, Normal forearm dimensions. Bottom, A long forearm relative to the humerus. This lifter will press from a bar position that “floats” over the delts. An attempt to set the bar down on the delts will adversely affect the mechanics of the start position."

I belong to the group of people that have a long forearm relative to their humerus. I too have been pressing with the bar floating over the delts.

My question is, should we continue to press in this way, with a view to eventually be able to rest the bar on the delts (through stretching or just by virtue of doing the press over time)?

Or is this an anthropometry limitation that will not go away and so I should continue pressing the way I am?

thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Do you suggest that training will eventually reduce the length of your forearms?

[johnnys]

Do you suggest that training will eventually reduce the length of your forearms?

Seems more likely that the delts would grow enough to accomodate resting the bar. As a long-forearmer, I think those delts of unusual size would interfere with my ability to turn my head, though.

[OCG]

As someone with this floating bar "problem" (I press much better when my wrists and elbows are under the bar, so it's not that much of a problem) and who also has (I would like to think) sizeable delts, no, they won't get big enough that contact will be made. You shouldn't really be pausing that much that it's a problem though. It is also rather tiring to hold the bar on a heavy squat or bench, yet somehow most people manage.

[jack.bauer]

Do you suggest that training will eventually reduce the length of your forearms?

no, it was more the case where I thought an element of flexibility (lack of) is contributing to the problem, which would get better over time with pressing (similar to how you suggest this for those who have shoulder flexibility problems and cannot adopt the prescribed bar position for the squat).

the "floating" bar stance is quite unstable. it also feels like the traps are contributing more than perhaps they should be in trying to stabilise the bar and keep the body in balance. would appreciate any tips to help achieve good balance and stable bar.

although if you cover this in the new edition then no need to repeat yourself, my copy is in the post, looking forward to it.

[Mark Rippetoe]

In the press the problem is more frequently anthropometry. And it is hard to overstate the importance of the traps in a press.