Press Review

[Espen Lund]

Please have a look at my press. 75kgx5 on LP.

YouTube

[Michael Wolf]

Get into the exact, complete starting position for the first rep before you unrack; in your case, your elbows aren't up enough and your wrists are too bent back. You do raise your elbows up, but after you unrack. They should be there before you unrack, with straighter wrists.

When you press, you push the bar slightly forward every rep, and never really get to full lockout because you don't press it back to finish over the shoulder joint. "Aim for your nose" when pressing up, and push it up and back so it locks out over your shoulders, with elbows completely locked out.

[Treg]

When you press, you push the bar slightly forward every rep, and never really get to full lockout because you don't press it back to finish over the shoulder joint. "Aim for your nose" when pressing up, and push it up and back so it locks out over your shoulders, with elbows completely locked out.

Michael, I just want to jump in here, because this has led me to what I think (hope) is going to be a breakthrough on my press, which has always sucked. I watched Espen's video and realized, wow, my press looks exactly like that (except with less weight on the bar) - never quite getting locked out all the way back the way it should be. Then I read your comment quoted above. Then I clicked on your IG link and watched your most recent press video, "240 x 5 for the dresses." It happens to have been shot from the front, which helped me finally get it. I've been thinking "aim for the nose," but also envisioning a straight up-and-down bar path. Watching your video, I realized that if I think "straight up and down," I'm not really aiming for the nose. The bar is going to wind up going forward, instead of back over my face.

So I decided to do some presses with the unloaded bar and concentrate on driving the bar "BACK," not up, like for bench press. Being pretty OCD about everything in the gym, my feet are always in the same spot inside the power rack when I press. I did the first rep, and bam! The bar hit the posts in the back of the rack. I.e., I locked the bar out way, way farther back than I ever have before.

Just wanted to throw that out there in case it helps anyone else. And I wanted to thank you once again for all your generosity here - I've learned so much from your posts.

[Michael Wolf]

Nice stuff.

Aw, this guy. Very nice of you to say that Tref, glad we have helped so much.

[Espen Lund]

Get into the exact, complete starting position for the first rep before you unrack; in your case, your elbows aren't up enough and your wrists are too bent back. You do raise your elbows up, but after you unrack. They should be there before you unrack, with straighter wrists.

When you press, you push the bar slightly forward every rep, and never really get to full lockout because you don't press it back to finish over the shoulder joint. "Aim for your nose" when pressing up, and push it up and back so it locks out over your shoulders, with elbows completely locked out.

Thanks Wolf. I was hoping to respond with a new video, but I always get sloppy after rep 2 and bend my wrists and and push the bar away from me. So I have something to work on here. I hope to post another video soon when I feel I have improved.

Regarding lookout.... my shoulders are inflexible, to say the least. Am I far off proper lockout? I really try hard to get under the bar and extend my elbows. Is there an effective stretch that can help me, or is continuing to press with focus on completing the lockout sufficient stretch?

[Michael Wolf]

I'd need to see a direct side view to be sure but it looks like you're not far off, an inch or two. If focusing on pushing it back directly over the shoulder joint, every time, starting with first empty bar rep isn't enough to get it there, double overhand dead hangs for progressively longer do seem to help some people with this.