PRESSing problems

[confuzzl3don3]

I'm at about your deadlift (pulled 130kg today) and I've been finding that it helps a lot to look down more, like keeping my head in a normal line with my spine as I pull. Form looks great to me otherwise, as a fellow noob at least. Are you using hook grip?

Ok i'll try looking down a bit more. As per usual, when i think UP, my head follows. And i'm using a mixed grip. hook hurts too much :P

I have the exact same problem with my press, confuzzl3don3. I'm super slow getting back under the bar, and the problem only gets worse when things get "heavy." I got stuck at 135 for about 3 weeks before I finally fixed things -- it's amazing how much more explosive you feel once you figure it out -- and I still have to constantly remind myself to get under the bar or I quickly revert back to my old habit. I think "forward" as soon as the bar comes off my shoulders. And I've really had to focus on pushing my head back rather than leaning back, and I make sure to lift my chest as high as possible (thoracic extension) without leaning back too much at the hips.

Yeah. Hopefully i can get the hang of it and can actually stack up some weight on my press.

[tescott]

You're pausing for a long time at the top. One thing that helped me a lot was trying to speed up my sets: Lock it out, take a short, sharp breath, and quickly bring it down as-fast-as-you-can-while-staying-tight, bounce it back up there, and repeat. That way, you're using far less energy to simply hold the weight.

This is especially pertinent for the press, since it takes a lot of abdominal stability to hold the weight above your head for longer, and so you'll get fatigued abs before the set is finished.

[Tom Campitelli]

anyway, here's a video of me pressing. watch the 5th rep, which i fail. i still get my head back under the bar even though it just stops right above my dome. you aren't getting back under the bar on some of these reps until it's almost locked out overhead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rD12XIZ-gs

Those are some legit presses. You do an excellent job of getting your head and shoulders under the bar as early as you can. Impressive.

[Squatson]

it looks to me like you don't really press "hard" until you get to that sticking point...it is going to be hard, you know it is going to be hard, press hard the whole time.

good points made about getting the bar around your head smoothly and earlyly.