Form check x4

[Elder]

This morning I went to the gym and it was dead so I was able to get some videos of my workout.  I did bench press, squats, dead lifts, and push presses.  I have video of me using just the bar (45lbs), 55lbs, and 65lbs.  Which videos should I post?  Some of the exercises I do better with just the bar and others I feel are more graceful with some added weight.  

 

I guess I will start with videos where I just have the bar.... 

 

Would you critique me please?  I would really appreciate the feed back.

 

Bench Press:

I find with the bench press my arms wobble a lot, not shaky because I can't lift the bar, they just don't stay "quiet" enough to make the whole thing a fluid motion.  Does this get better with practise?  Should I be doing it slower?  I am still wobbly with added weight, my bar just doesn't stay straight.   

 

 

 

Squat:

My squats feels good, I don't have any issues...I don't think.  Now I can squat low enough to rest the bar on the bumpers, should I go that low or should I stop just before I put the bar on them?

 

 

And the front view.

 

 

 

Dead lift:

 

Is dead lift one word or two?  I never know.

My dead lifts feel pretty good.  I am not sure if I should have the bar sitting on a higher stand.  Is my butt going low enough when I bring the bar back down?  I am getting better at "scraping" the bar up my shins and legs, I am going to have to start wearing pants on DL days.  

 

 

 

Push Press:

The push press is the toughest/weirdest exercise for me.  I feel like I am curving my back inward (belly out) when I fully extend up.  Am I leaning too far forward?  Am I doing it right?  Should I be using a rack where the bar starts off at shoulder height or is it ok to "flip" it up from my thighs to my shoulders?

 

 

 

Thanks for all the constructive criticism, tips, and tricks.  I can also put up the videos with extra weight on the bar if that helps.

[Elder]

I tried to embed the videos on this page but I couldn't get it to work...so you get the links instead.

[El Exorcisto]

Okay, here goes.

 

Bench: Hop on the YouTube and find "So You Think You Can Bench?" It's by Dave Tate at EliteFTS, and it is the best resource I have to give on the bench. From what I see, besides not having a setup, is that you should definitely widen out your grip. Your range of motion is huge, and you'll be leaving a lot of weight on the table by not using your chest.

 

Squat: I fucking LOVE it! It's deep, you keep your arch, god damn. Don't change. Don't change one thing. Except the bare bar of course, that needs some weight on it.

 

Deadlift: After you've spent the 45 minutes watching the bench series, watch this:

 

 

As it stands you are setting up a mile from the bar and squatting it up. It puts you at terrible mechanical disadvantage, and will lead to bruised knees for sure. You also need weight on the bar to get set right on a deadlift. You need enough to be able to load yourself before the bar begins to move.

 

Push press: Drop it and go with a strict press picked from the rack. A rank novice will have a hard enough time getting the right muscles working just putting the bar overhead. Putting a clean along with it, and then a dip for leg drive, and there is just too much Rube Goldberg happening to get good at it this early. Here is a good resource on the press:

 

 

BTW, to embed video just grab the share link from YouTube and post it.

[wildross]

I agree with EE. BEAUTIFUL squat!!

On the bench, watch the Dave Tate video and then practice. The wobbles are because the helper muscles aren't there yet. More reps with good form with wake them up

Deadlift...yeah, the up and down motions should pretty much mirror each other. Your's are totally different. Watch the video of Ole Rip teaching how to deadlift.

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[Elder]

Thanks guys!  I really appreciate it.  

After watching the videos I can see all the things I need to work on.  I know I will get better, just have to take my time and get it right...be patient...which is tough.

[Rooks]

I tried to embed the videos on this page but I couldn't get it to work...so you get the links instead.

NF only allows embedding 2 Youtube videos per post. Also, sometimes the link versus video sensing can be a little finicky and you have to go into Advanced Edit mode to get the video to show up right. I can explain more if you want. Just let me know.

Bench: Was going to say widening the grip, but EE already beat me to it. I find them he and I agree on quite a few things. Speaking of which...

Squat:

Squat: I fucking LOVE it! It's deep, you keep your arch, god damn. Don't change. Don't change one thing. Except the bare bar of course, that needs some weight on it.

Yep... make me the 3rd person to say. Super awesome. Keep that exact same form and just keep adding weight.

Deadlift: To far from the bar (as EE said) and too low I think. Both those are causing the oddities of lift if I had to guess. Does your gym have light full size plates? If not, I'd maybe even recommend trying 135 just to see how it feels. You'd be amazed how much better the DL will feel when it starts at the right height and it can roll (meaning you can roll it to the proper distance from your shin).

Push Press: Again, I'm with EE. Go with a strict press. Unless you want to go with Oly lifts, and if you want to do that, get a coach that knows how to do them.

[wildross]

Thanks guys!  I really appreciate it.  

After watching the videos I can see all the things I need to work on.  I know I will get better, just have to take my time and get it right...be patient...which is tough.

One thing that I've found, is that I have to repeatedly review my form...and that when I do, my lifts usually take a jump for the better.  It's very hard to fix the whole problem at once.  It's more like get 75%, then 75% of that, etc, etc.  Except for your squats...  

[Elder]

NF only allows embedding 2 Youtube videos per post. Also, sometimes the link versus video sensing can be a little finicky and you have to go into Advanced Edit mode to get the video to show up right. I can explain more if you want. Just let me know.

I though there may be a video limit also.  I am going to try and get update videos tomorrow and test things out again.

 

 

Bench: Was going to say widening the grip, but EE already beat me to it. I find them he and I agree on quite a few things. Speaking of which...

 

Deadlift: To far from the bar (as EE said) and too low I think. Both those are causing the oddities of lift if I had to guess. Does your gym have light full size plates? If not, I'd maybe even recommend trying 135 just to see how it feels. You'd be amazed how much better the DL will feel when it starts at the right height and it can roll (meaning you can roll it to the proper distance from your shin).

Push Press: Again, I'm with EE. Go with a strict press. Unless you want to go with Oly lifts, and if you want to do that, get a coach that knows how to do them.

 

Bench:  I widened my grip and adjusted my positioning and things felt better at first.  Then my wrists started to hurt so I've got to figure out where I am going wrong still.  I have some good DOMs today (finally) so I believe I am moving in the right direction with this exercise.

 

Deadlift:  No light full size plates so I will test out the 135.  

 

Push Press:  I am going to work on the press.  Read Staci's article and watched a whole bunch of videos so I'll add these in too.

 

One thing that I've found, is that I have to repeatedly review my form...and that when I do, my lifts usually take a jump for the better.  It's very hard to fix the whole problem at once.  It's more like get 75%, then 75% of that, etc, etc.  Except for your squats...  

 

I think after watching the videos, etc. I've made some good progress (I hope).  It feels like I've made progress anyways.  And it's definitely nice to compare a video of myself doing the exercise to a video of a more seasoned lifter.  I am hoping to have some update videos by the end of the week.

 

 

Thanks again everyone, I really love lifting and can't wait to get in to the really heavy stuff but I know that slow and steady is the key.

[Elder]

All right, I got some videos of my deadlift and bench press this morning.  

 

Bench Press:

 

I widened my grip and made it so that I am "tight" while doing the exercise.  I tried it with my feet back but it was nuts, so feet forward like Dave Tate shows at the end of his bench press series.  Things feel better and I have more control.  The bar is supposed to move straight up and down right?  Not on the diagonal that I have it going?  Are my elbows still going too far down?  I might try widening my grip a little more.

 

 

 

Deadlift:

 

It was nice to be able to pick the bar up off the floor instead of having to build stands for it.   It felt alright while I was doing so hopefully I've made some progress. When I start am I leaning too far over the bar?  I have a feeling my shins should be straighter but I was really focusing on keeping my ass in the air.

 

 

 

Thanks again for your input!  I feel like I've improved things some.

 

 

 

P.s.  Did you see that ^^^, got the videos to work!  Booyah! 

[El Exorcisto]

Your bench is perfect. If you press it in a straight line you leave your pecs out of the movement and leave weight on the table. I have a feeling that is a big reason why my bench has plateaued for so long. With as good as your mobility looks to be I'd really like to see you try to bench on your toes with a bigger arch. It takes some getting used to, but you have no idea what tight feels like until you've tried it. Remember, getting set up on the bench should be one of the most uncomfortable things you ever do.

 

Your deadlift is actually a stiff legged deadlift. Your shoulders are much too far ahead of the bar and hips are too high. Sink deeper so you can use some quad to break the bar off the floor. Somewhere in the middle between your first and second form checks.