Press Form Check

[Adam Levine]

Was hoping I could bother you for another form check.

I'm pre-NLP, just trying to get the motions down well enough that I'm not going to hurt myself. Any feedback is appreciated, but safety issues are more appreciated than anything else. I know I shouldn't back into the rack, but it was the only way to get a front-quarter video.

The press is bothering me - it "feels" wrong to me, especially on the last few reps of my worksets. It feels like the hardest part is straightening my hips at the top, and I feel slightly off-balance. Is that how it's supposed to work?



Any help is appreciated.

-->Adam

[Karl Schudt]

Hi Adam,

The biggest problem I see is that you aren't getting your shoulders extended at lockout. This is why you are having trouble straightening out. The barbell needs to go back directly over your shoulders and your torso (not your neck) needs to go forward to make this happen.

Try taking your press grip on the chinup bar and hanging straight down. See how much more open your shoulder is? This is what we want in the press.

Other than that, you're bending your knees quite a bit. If you're going to do the dynamic hip motion in the press, don't hold at lockout and breathe, but bring it down to the bottom position. Big breath, tight abs/knees, then Hips--press.

[Eric Schexnayder]

safety issues are more appreciated than anything else

Sorry, I feel compelled to say this. Don't rack the barbell by walking backwards like that, and don't aim for the J-hooks themselves. You should always face the rack, and then walk forward until you hit the uprights and then set the bar down.

I realize you're doing it for the sake of the video angle, but don't make a habit of it. This is a safety issue.