Form check for a press

Just wondering how my (horrible, horrible) form looks on my presses.

It's one of those exercises I can't do every day, and even when I can, it's not that much. :oops:

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A good way to approach the press is to press up to a handstand with straddled legs and then bring your legs together.

Try to eliminate the planche in your shoulders. Think about trying to squeeze your ears with your arms.

The planche in my shoulders...sorry if I'm really ignorant, but what exactly is that? I mean, I know what a planche is, and I know my shoulder flexibility is pretty bad, but do I need to rotate my shoulders out for that?

You are a tall, lanky fella!

Form, well it ain't pretty. Obviously, you need to work on your shoulder mobility and open up the shoulders. And I would take -0.1 for flexed knees and feet, each.

6'2 178

You should gain about 15-20lbs... I know I am not one to speak, but I am in the process right now

Planche in the shoulders means your body is partially horizontal (diagonal) instead of being vertical with open shoulders (straight line from wrists to hips) and arms rubbing against your ears

element3904 said:

Planche in the shoulders means your body is partially horizontal (diagonal) instead of being vertical with open shoulders (straight line from wrists to hips) and arms rubbing against your ears

Okay, I think I understand now. But to counterbalance how far the legs are behind you (especially during the pike press), wouldn't you need to planche the shoulders a little bit? Or just to tuck your head between your shoulders and balance that way?

Nick_EOD said:

6'2 178

You should gain about 15-20lbs... I know I am not one to speak, but I am in the process right now

Yeah, I've been trying. Unfortunately, my school's food system only supplies us with easy-to-make-in-large-quantities style food. If I'm going to gain weight (I want to at least have a few levers down first), I want it to be healthy weight, not the pounds you get by eating Fried Mac and Cheese with Perogies and Cabbage.

To avoid planching you need to be more flexible, which also makes the move easier.

Mac and cheese is some discusting american invention, i'm telling you

Razz said:

To avoid planching you need to be more flexible, which also makes the move easier.

Mac and cheese is some discusting american invention, i'm telling you

I know, right? It's just not worth trying to gain any weight until I have something healthy to eat.

I'm guessing by flexibility you mean everywhere, hips, shoulders, etc, right? Are there any good ways to improve hip flexibility? (the wall slides for shoulders I'm gonna have to start doing.)

Also, thank you everyone for your help. Much appreciated!

Hip flexibility work straddle-l and seated straddle and pike compressions

Erik said:

Okay, I think I understand now. But to counterbalance how far the legs are behind you (especially during the pike press), wouldn't you need to planche the shoulders a little bit? Or just to tuck your head between your shoulders and balance that way?

Ya like what Razz said. Just get more hip flexibility to bring legs closer to your hands and more shoulder flexibility to avoid planching

Question: what does the term "flexed feet" mean?

Way better than mine! Very cool that you can do that! I... can not.

phken4343 said:

Question: what does the term "flexed feet" mean?

It means his toes aren't pointed.

whitemonkey said:

phken4343 said:

Question: what does the term "flexed feet" mean?

It means his toes aren't pointed.

Just look at what I did in the video. Then don't do that. >_<

Good job bro, I feel like I am never gonna get to that point! HS presses are so tough man. I am not able to do the straddle press yet but I did noticed you were looking at the ground ahead of you, if you try to look slightly behind you during the press your head will go in that direction, like you are pulling your head underneath you. This will help bring your shoulders in line with your hands. Great job keep it up!

Eddie said:

Good job bro, I feel like I am never gonna get to that point! HS presses are so tough man. I am not able to do the straddle press yet but I did noticed you were looking at the ground ahead of you, if you try to look slightly behind you during the press your head will go in that direction, like you are pulling your head underneath you. This will help bring your shoulders in line with your hands. Great job keep it up!

Thanks, and good advice! It really helps me keep my balance if I stare right between my hands, but if it helps keep my shoulders back (and hopefully get good posture), I'm willing to try anything!

I know dude, me too. I feel bad critiqueing your press seeing how I currently can only do a tuck press to HS with bent arms, but I have realized that any press is significantly easier when you force your head under your body. I struggle with it as well because, like you, my balance is better when I look between my hands. My problem is that I fall forward when I finally reach the full HS position. I am going to try putting some padding down (a matress or something) in front of me, that way I can really focus on getting my head underneath me and not worry about falling forward. But just a thought. Did you work through the box HS press progressions from Coach?

No worries, buddy. I only just got this too. I've been doing straight arm tuck presses for a while, and negative straddle HS presses (in the book) to work on my strength. I think that and the HS wall runs and cast wall walks really helped me get it.

I don't think I can really get a proper handstand because of my shoulders' lack of ROM. I can get it to the point that it feels really extended, but it just doesn't seem right.

Ummm...no, I actually didn't. :oops: Since I don't have very many resources at my disposal, I'm not very good about doing the WODs as prescribed.