What's up with my press?

[statesboroga_keith]

Okay I thought I was pretty good at this until I started to video my lifts. On this press (136 5X3), I cant seem to get my elbows out in front, especially the left one. I know the stand is too low (which may be affecting some things), but its all I had at the moment. Comments and suggestions are appreciated.

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

[mcsquared]

Well, could be a shoulder flexibility issue. How's your rack position for your clean? Try pushing up your elbows rather than pushing them forward.

Watch your head position, you're tending to look up on a few of those reps.

[Paul Sousa]

It doesn't look too bad for what I am guessing is a heavy set. One thing I would say is try to do your breathing at the top. The way I try to explain it to people is to think of it as a squat once you lockout on your first rep. Once it's at the top treat it like the squat and pretend the reps start at the top. That way you should breath at the top and also use the stretch reflex at the bottom.

[Testiclaw]

I think you could push your elbows forward, in front of the bar more, and really push your head/body through as soon as the bar clears the head.

The elbow position is the most noticeable.

[elVarouza]

Your unrack looks rushed. Try to get the bar secure on the shoulders, with the elbows in front, before you unrack the bar. Also, make sure the bar is symmetrical across your shoulders. It looks like your grip is symmetrical but it's hard to tell from a video.

[Force Production]

You are gripping the bar the wrong way, read this post:

http://www.startingstrength.com/reso...0&postcount=10

And don't start each rep from a dead stop unless you're doing it for a specific reason, make use of the stretch-shortening cycle instead.

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

And don't start each rep from a dead stop unless you're doing it for a specific reason, make use of the stretch-shortening cycle instead.

I thought starting each rep from a dead stop on the shoulder was the point of this lift. Using the stretch reflex will help you lift more, but as Rip says in his books, lifting more is not always the same thing as getting stronger.

IPB

[statesboroga_keith]

Well, could be a shoulder flexibility issue. How's your rack position for your clean? Try pushing up your elbows rather than pushing them forward.

Watch your head position, you're tending to look up on a few of those reps.

My rack position is TERRIBLE. Flexibility is a major issue for me in all my barbell work so far. I have been working on some shoulder stretching exercises to get the flexibility up.

It doesn't look too bad for what I am guessing is a heavy set. One thing I would say is try to do your breathing at the top. The way I try to explain it to people is to think of it as a squat once you lockout on your first rep. Once it's at the top treat it like the squat and pretend the reps start at the top. That way you should breath at the top and also use the stretch reflex at the bottom.

Ok. I will try breathing at the top and the stretch reflex at the bottom.

Your unrack looks rushed. Try to get the bar secure on the shoulders, with the elbows in front, before you unrack the bar. Also, make sure the bar is symmetrical across your shoulders. It looks like your grip is symmetrical but it's hard to tell from a video.

That is something I have never considered...I thought I was taking too much time unracking!

[statesboroga_keith]

You are gripping the bar the wrong way, read this post:

http://www.startingstrength.com/reso...0&postcount=10

And don't start each rep from a dead stop unless you're doing it for a specific reason, make use of the stretch-shortening cycle instead.

I had been so focused on getting the elbows out front, the grip kind of goes that way. When I use the grip in Justin's post my elbows kind of point out to a 45 degree angle. I am thinking that goes back to the flexibility issue?

[statesboroga_keith]

I thought starting each rep from a dead stop on the shoulder was the point of this lift. Using the stretch reflex will help you lift more, but as Rip says in his books, lifting more is not always the same thing as getting stronger.

IPB

I'm too much of a novice to give an opinion here...others please comment?