Press

[Mark Rippetoe]

I had a baby last Monday so I missed 4 workouts. The gray book says to go back 3 weeks and repeat everything rep for rep. If I had done that the work sets today would have been 147.5. Since I failed at 157.5 last time I pressed, I went to 135 to make sure I got the reps. But I still failed on the third rep, so I went down to 120. I tried recreating the angle in the instruction videos, but the setup I have isn’t quite right.

When your pussy stops hurting, you'll be back to 135.

[Matt Nieveen]

Set 1 125 - YouTube
Set 2 125 - YouTube
Set 3 125 - YouTube

[Mark Rippetoe]

We coach the press with more hip movement than this. Lots of videos on the forums.

[Matt Nieveen]

Ok. Will try to implement more hip movement on Saturday.

[Maybach]

You're moving your hips but failing to "whip" back up: you're thrusting your hips and just kind of freezing them there. Think your upper body as a lever that "flings" the weight up after the hips are thrust forward.

[Matt Nieveen]

Today I really tried to move my hips as far forward as I could, and in doing so I started to unlock my knees again, despite squeezing my quads. When trying to “throw” the bar up, sometimes it looks like I’m getting a double bounce.

Set 1 130 - YouTube
Set 2 130 - YouTube
Set 3 130 - YouTube

[Mark Rippetoe]

Better hips. Now, look at your feet. Get some lifting shoes.

[Maybach]

Your grip is creeping wider. In general, you have a "looseness" in your body that's letting the energy of the bounce (which you are correctly executing now) dissipate through it. I think thay might all come back to your grip. Stack your elbows more in front of your shoulders. At the bottom position, try cuing your elbows "in", almost like the rack position of a clean or front squat. Get the "platform" you're launching the bar off as tight as possible. Like Rip says, shoes will also help.

[Matt Nieveen]

Previously I was putting the webbing of my thumb about a half inch outside the knurling. Since you told me to narrow my grip I’ve been setting up a half inch inside the knurling.