Press and Deadlift Technique

[Govar8]

Hello

Just looking for some pointers on these two lifts. On the dead lifts I have a tendency of have the bar about 1/2" - 1" away from my shin is this okay or is there something I'm doing wrong.

Press -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv-jMP5Smso

Deadlift - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdsqMLEtE6g

[jillingworth]

First, I'm not an expert so other opinions should probably trump mine. If the bar is away from your shin you have, or will have, trouble with your deadlifts. It really should rub/slide/run along your shin for the whole lift. This may tear your shins up (I have a bald patch along my shins from this), but with those tall socks, it shouldn't be too bad. The closer you keep it to your leg, the easier it is to keep all the other form issues and the less stress there should be on your back. For me, thinking about pulling the bar into my legs with my lats while keeping my arms straight does the trick. You've got some rounding in the lower back which is probably in part due to the bar being too far forward. I think if you can lower your butt down some more this will help, too. At the end of the pull, you should have your knees fully extended (I can't tell from the video if you do or do not have this). Similarly, make sure you finish standing up at the end. This may sound like a lot, but I've seen (and done) worse lifts.

Your press looks alright, though you could reduce the lay back some if you want to be more strict. I think you're finishing with the shrug up of your shoulders, but can't tell for sure from the video. You're letting the bar come down harder than I would personally like for myself, but I don't know that this is a big deal. One thing I've been doing is breathing on the lock out. I get a big breath for the first push, lock it, grab my next breath, and then bring the bar down and push it right back up - similar to the timing for the bench press. I don't know that one way is more or less right than the other, but it feels better to me.

[Govar8]

First, I'm not an expert so other opinions should probably trump mine. If the bar is away from your shin you have, or will have, trouble with your deadlifts. It really should rub/slide/run along your shin for the whole lift. This may tear your shins up (I have a bald patch along my shins from this), but with those tall socks, it shouldn't be too bad. The closer you keep it to your leg, the easier it is to keep all the other form issues and the less stress there should be on your back. For me, thinking about pulling the bar into my legs with my lats while keeping my arms straight does the trick. You've got some rounding in the lower back which is probably in part due to the bar being too far forward. I think if you can lower your butt down some more this will help, too. At the end of the pull, you should have your knees fully extended (I can't tell from the video if you do or do not have this). Similarly, make sure you finish standing up at the end. This may sound like a lot, but I've seen (and done) worse lifts.

Your press looks alright, though you could reduce the lay back some if you want to be more strict. I think you're finishing with the shrug up of your shoulders, but can't tell for sure from the video. You're letting the bar come down harder than I would personally like for myself, but I don't know that this is a big deal. One thing I've been doing is breathing on the lock out. I get a big breath for the first push, lock it, grab my next breath, and then bring the bar down and push it right back up - similar to the timing for the bench press. I don't know that one way is more or less right than the other, but it feels better to me.

Thanks for your points I will try them next session

[MattJ.D.]

On the press stop using your hips to start it and don't pause at the bottom...honestly bring the bar down as fast as possible and you get a stronger stretch reflex and will allow more weight...got everything else in check though elbows in front, moving your body around the bar not bar around body, and your shrugging at the top..and your going to have some lay back while pressing your supposed to the amount seen in the beginning of the press is because your using your hips to start the lift....maybe squeeze your abs harder but again you really don't have bad lay back..you should be doing it though

Deadlift looks solid to me

and Jillingworth if your getting cuts on your shins while deadlifting your not controlling the bar..it shouldn't be scraping up your leg, but it should be very close

[betweentheburiedanddan]

My back used to do the very same thing while pressing. I fixed it by consciously squeezing the heck out of my glutes throughout the whole movement, it kept my back from buckling under max loads

[Carlos Daniel]

Are you trying to do an olympic press?

On the deads your back is too horizontal and it seems it's not a question of anthropometry. Get the bar closer to your shins. The bar will be approximately half an inch from your shins after it leaves the ground and you extend your knees, but it should start with the bar touching the shins.