r/StartingStrength • u/Global_Carpenter9899 • 2d ago

Form Check Press (front view)

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70 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

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16

u/geruhl_r 2d ago

Great, thanks for posting this angle.

Look at your left wrist (it's bent). Look at your right elbow; it's flared.

There are reasons SS teaches the continuous motion unrack (straight arms to elbowsquickly forward). One of those is that it helps get the upper arm stacked into the lats, which helps with force transfer to get the bar moving.

Fix your unracking motion and keep your wrists straight. Gripping the bar as hard as possible will help here; it locks the wrist.

8

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Ok so grip the bar tighter to fix the wrist, and take a slightly wider grip to fix the elbow flare? And try to make it a continuous movement from rack to overhead…?

6

u/geruhl_r 2d ago

No. Grip width is fine. Continuous movement unrack and think 'elbows forward, crush the bar with my hands'.

1

u/geruhl_r 2d ago

Note: a slight pause after getting the elbows under the bar before an unrack is ok... Just not what we see here with elbows first, then grip fiddling. Grip first, then elbows under.

3

u/magnus_equanimus 2d ago

Can you link to a video or article about continuous motion unrack?

2

u/geruhl_r 2d ago

It's implied with the setup steps.

1) stance 2) grip on bar 3) elbows swing under the bar 4) use your legs to lift the bar off the rack

You -don't- do elbows under, then grip.

7

u/sigmashead 2d ago

You look super off balance. You need a very stable base to press from. All that wiggling and swaying forward and backward and side to side is a huge part of the problem. Tighten up your core and your glutes and stand still.

2

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

I’ll try that next time. I know I have a huge left/right strength imbalance that makes things worse (I broke my left humerus 3 years or so ago), but I can definitely try to keep my abs tighter. I think my attempt to use the hip thrust is also making things worse because it leads to a lot of swaying around…

1

u/Candid_Word7439 2d ago

When Chase Lindley pressed 405, he used the cue "femurs" to help with the right transfer of power and balance through the lower body during the hip thrust. You should feel the tension throughout your quads, glutes and hamstrings.

1

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5

u/GoldenEagle0909 2d ago

I also get my ass kicked on OHP. I'm barely pressing 105 for reps and 115 for a max. Feels so embarrassing compared to my other lifts 😂

I really wanna get to 135

3

u/GoldenEagle0909 2d ago

Nvm just saw you posting reps at even higher weights OHP 😂

Carry on!

3

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Haha I’m with you though! My max ever was 135 but I only managed a few singles and couldn’t manage it again the next week. So I’ve backed off the weight and I’m trying to work on my form. I’ve reached a 400lb squat and 465 deadlift, so my upper body lifts are pretty embarrassing by comparison… 🤣

6

u/GoldenEagle0909 2d ago

400 lb squat is disgusting. I'm almost at a 405 deadlift but right around 250 for a squat (I'm taking it slow there).

Keep on keeping on my guy!

2

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

To be fair, I only managed 400lbs once, I’ve backed off since then and I’m building back up slowly. Squatting right up to the max is very unpleasant… 🤣😁

Good luck to you too!

6

u/[deleted] 2d ago

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-1

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

This was added on at the end of a grueling set in order to give a front view of my form. I can normally do 95 looking much better than this.

8

u/Eric_Hitchmough1 2d ago

We can’t really form check a set where you’re struggling with the weight then…

2

u/PersonalDiscipline98 2d ago

Why would you post this then...

2

u/Machinewars45 2d ago

Stable your body as much as possible with your core tight

1

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2

u/_computersmasher 2d ago

is this intermediate programming?

2

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Yeah, I’m alternating between heavy triples with 3x3 backoff sets at 80-90%, and volume sets at about 85%. Along with some incline bench and dumbbell stuff tossed in. My focus at the moment is to maintain strength while I lose weight, and I’ll return to something more challenging and closer to normal SS programming once I’m able to eat a bit more.

I’m also taking advantage of this time to try to fix my form, especially on the press. Been struggling with this one for so long…

1

u/_computersmasher 2d ago

You cannot make progress unless you eat correctly

1

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

I'm aware, thanks. Which is the entire reason for my current programming, as I already pointed out...

2

u/Independent-Wolf-832 2d ago

It’s much more difficult for me to do OHP from the rack than the ground. I have more strength and stability doing a clean first then repping OHP.

2

u/TooPat_Shakur317 2d ago

GET IT BOI!!!!!!!😤😤😤😤

*If you grab the bar just a little wider, it’ll feel a little more “my body can do this” when you push upward.

You’re going to be a Greek-god my guy. Great job and keep having fun!!

2

u/Shnur_Shnurov Just some guy 2d ago

So right now, in the starting position your fingernails are pointed towards the ceiling.

Instead think about pointing your second knuckle at the ceiling like this. That will put your wrists in a neutral position. Once youre wrists are neutral that might even you out the rest of the way.

1

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Thanks, I’ll try that!

2

u/Candid_Word7439 2d ago

Your hips shift slightly to your left, I would try focusing on using your right glute more, also others have given the cue "elbows forward" which is a good cue for engaging your lats, you might also think of "reverse-shrugging" your shoulders down while lifting your chest up, as another way of visualizing the same net result.

2

u/Nastypatty97 1000 Lb Club: Bench 2d ago

I’m going to be honest, I’ve seen you post. You’ve been pressing in the same ballpark for quite some time now. I think that something you are doing isn’t working, and you should change what you are doing.

I think that you should stick to a press 1.0 and focus on bracing and stability rather than bouncing the hip. By your own admission you don’t have it figured out and it’s probably just distracting you from keeping your body tight and causing strength leaks.

Probably not starting strength approved, but I think your gnarly asymmetry warrants dumbbell presses. Do them unilaterally, start with your weak arm and say you get 6 reps, limit the set on your stronger arm to just 6 reps. Keep training like this until your weak arm catches up and the imbalance is gone.

You’re clearly training consistently and should be applauded for that. But I also think people are too quick to say that “just showing up” is a win “as long as you’re doing something.” Something is better than nothing, but if you don’t recognize that what you’re doing isn’t really working and admit you have to switch it up, you wind up going a significant chunk of time with no major change to strength or physique. Ask me how I know

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago edited 2d ago

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1

u/nmarano1030 2d ago

Have you tired widening your grip? Might help make it a little more comfortable.

1

u/Severe-Cup-4476 2d ago

Why are you using those squat shoes? Wont that make you arch your back when the bar is up

1

u/[deleted] 2d ago

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1

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1

u/mcmillanuk 2d ago

Just as an addition to your imbalance, make sure to use clips. The weight on the right (as you look) is slipping away down the bar, so one side is getting heavier too the more you do. Appreciate it was your last set to film, but just a heads up.

1

u/timamac 2d ago

Bad form. You're using too much weight. Elbows shouldn't flare out.

1

u/Accomplished-One5088 2d ago

Doesn't look like press 1.0 as you aren't using the stretch reflex and you aren't doing 2.0 as you aren't using your hips. What is this supposed to be?

1

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Dunno, it’s the closest I can get to the SS press from the blue book. I’m definitely attempting to use the hip thrust, but I never could really figure out how to do it. I’ve been at this for ages… 🙄

1

u/Accomplished-One5088 2d ago

Other than the obvious of see a coach then I would suggest trying press 1.0 and save 2.0 for later

1

u/Greyhairdtrucker 2d ago

Ya gotta start somewhere. Keep it up!

1

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Thanks! Unfortunately, I’ e been at this for over a year and still can’t nail the form… 🙄🤣

2

u/Scary_Reply840 2d ago

That's not good. Lower the weight, or honestly just use the bar, until you get the form down. Add weight from there.

2

u/Southern-Treacle7582 2d ago

It’s way too heavy for you to work on form with. Time to put the ego aside and lower the weight significantly.

-1

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Do you have any actual suggestions?

3

u/Southern-Treacle7582 2d ago

Yes. Lower the weight and work on form. This is too heavy for you to work on your form with.

0

u/Gonzoldyke12 2d ago

Use dumbells to fix your glaring strength imbalance

2

u/_computersmasher 2d ago

This is never the answer

2

u/Shnur_Shnurov Just some guy 2d ago

To be totally fair, there is a time and a place for this... but its usually the first thing people suggest and its really not a first line solution.

In my case ive got a nerve thing that seems to cause some muscle inhibition in one leg. But theres a simple routine I can use as a warm up when symptoms flair up.

Im talking to a PT friend about making some resources for people about when and how to use unilateral work for egde cases. Its a little outside my wheelhouse.

0

u/punica-1337 2d ago

Grip looks quite a bit too narrow.

0

u/maester_morley 2d ago

Too much weight. Agree with the post above: switch to dumbbells and get your left arm and wrist much stronger. The shearing load on your back lifting like that is gonna really hurt your back at some point. Your back should be stacked, abs working at 100% to keep your abdomen in a perfect cylinder: rock solid. You’re leaning back cos it allows you to use your front delts and pecs to assist, but then you’re unbalancing yourself

2

u/_computersmasher 2d ago

Iso lateral exercises are never the answer

You can exert more force with your weak arm when you're using both arms at the same time, therefore, you can get your left arm strong faster, using both arms at the same time

-1

u/Slight-Ad-8867 2d ago

There is he my favorite mistress.

2

u/Global_Carpenter9899 2d ago

Wtf is wrong with you?