Squat, Press, Deadlift Form Check

[DominicP]

Hello my name is Dominic and I am new to starting strength and the forum. I wanted to post my lifts from today and see if I could get some feedback on how I am doing. I started the program at the beginning of March of this year. I am a 36 year old male 6'1" Weight is 242 lb's.

Lifts currently

Squat 370 5x3 Squat/ Weight 370/ 5x3 - YouTube

Press 165 5x3 Press/ Weight 165/ 5x3 - YouTube

Deadlift 420 5x1 Deadlift/ Weight 420/ 5x1 - YouTube

Bench 225 5x3

I started stalling on my press at 160 pounds, I'm hoping this is a technique issue and would really like feed back on the press most of all. I want to get my press numbers to start going up again, I hit 165 today but it was tough. The videos are all of my last working sets, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[Satch12879]

SQ: Stand up straight with your head between your shoulders. Your knees are moving through the rep. Set them earlier and leave them set. Your back angle is opening at the bottom. It’s tricky to see from the angle, but the forward humping is there.

PR: Moved fast. The moustache is… a lot.

DL: Hips are a hair low to start. Where they get to is where you want them. No touch-and-go reps.

Strong set all around otherwise.

[Maybach]

You could stand to get and stay a little tighter on your press. Tighten your abs enough that your pelvis tilts upward slightly. You can see that a lot of your "bounce" goes to places other than the bar: you knees bend on a few of these, for example. Not from pushing the bar but just from having them absorb the "shock" of the hip movement, rather than staying tight and letting it go into the bar.

If you can do the whole set off of one breath, I would try that. But even if you can't, when you breathe at the bottom, don't let anything loosen up: a quick "out-in", nothing more. Don't reset your whole Valsalva. Certainly don't ever let your abs go.

[DominicP]

SQ: Stand up straight with your head between your shoulders. Your knees are moving through the rep. Set them earlier and leave them set. Your back angle is opening at the bottom. It’s tricky to see from the angle, but the forward humping is there.

PR: Moved fast. The moustache is… a lot.

DL: Hips are a hair low to start. Where they get to is where you want themt. No touch-and-go reps.

Strong set all around otherwise.

Thank you for the feedback! Forgive my ignorance, you said my knees are moving through the rep and to set them earlier and leave them set. I went back and watched my video a few more times, when you say my knees are moving through the lift what do you mean by that? I would like to try to pick up on that in the video so I can correct it. As far as the moustache it is a lot, but it is the only facial hair I can have as a firefighter, so I figured I would have as much of it as I can. I will also work on the no touch and go reps in the DL. Again thank you for the feedback.

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I did notice my knees bend in my reps when I watched the video. I feel that I am keeping them locked as I am performing the lift, but then when I go back and review the lift, I keep bending them. I will try the tightening my abs until my pelvis tilts upward slightly, along with quick in and out breaths. Do you think the knee bend has anything to do with my press stalling? I appreciate the feedback, thank you.

[Ryan Arnold]

SQ - tough to tell from the angle but I suspect these are not below parallel. The main thing with the knees is to get them OUT harder right from the start

PR - Face the other way. You never want to be walking backwards with a barbell in your hands. Breathe only at the bottom. Turn your toes out a little more and squeeze your quads tighter

DL - Each rep must begin from a dead stop. That is why it is called a DEAD LIFT. Breathe only at the bottom

[Maybach]

I did notice my knees bend in my reps when I watched the video. I feel that I am keeping them locked as I am performing the lift, but then when I go back and review the lift, I keep bending them. I will try the tightening my abs until my pelvis tilts upward slightly, along with quick in and out breaths. Do you think the knee bend has anything to do with my press stalling? I appreciate the feedback, thank you.

There's probably at least 5 pounds of weight left on the table just from staying tighter.

Also, have you considered a belt? That will also probably add a few pounds, even if just helping to you cue tighter (I find I can use the belt as a "tightness" to drive the hips "into" and bounce off of, which helps cue the use of the hips). You can also probably start microloading these, even just at 2.5lb increments. Once you "stall" adding 5 pounds on the press, you are probably not truly "stalled" and just need to take smaller jumps

[DominicP]

There's probably at least 5 pounds of weight left on the table just from staying tighter.

Also, have you considered a belt? That will also probably add a few pounds, even if just helping to you cue tighter (I find I can use the belt as a "tightness" to drive the hips "into" and bounce off of, which helps cue the use of the hips). You can also probably start microloading these, even just at 2.5lb increments. Once you "stall" adding 5 pounds on the press, you are probably not truly "stalled" and just need to take smaller jumps

My belt no longer fits and I need to purchase another one. As soon as I can get another belt, I will start using it starting with my last set of warm up sets. I think I definitely need to start using one with my squats. Do you have any recommendations on good belts?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Seriously??? Equipment | Starting Strength

[DominicP]

No excuses I did not look before posting. I found the Dominion belts after posting.