I've been out of the game for a while now with lower back pain and I'm feeling good now, time to get back into it. For bench I'm trying to get tight ala Dave Tate series but I just don't feel very strong in that position, it actually feel like my chest is lower than normal. For deadlift it looks like I'm a little high but I'm not really sure how to fix that. I'm trying to do everything Rip says in his videos, bend knees, chest up but my hips don't really move very far down and I don't want to exaggerate it into a squat position. Thanks.
Bench & DL Form Check
- Thread starter Frenzy1
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For the deadlift it looks like you are straightening your legs too quickly so the bar is moving backwards and you are almost stiff-legging it. If you stop the first video at 0:37 you can see it. Your legs are straight and the bar is starting to move backwards. Then when you push your hips through the weight moves forward. The bar path ends up being a curve instead of straight up and down. I believe the solution is to push your hips through sooner. Your setup looks good, the height of your hips will change depending on your body's proportions.
For the most part everything looks fine to me, except on the second bench video it looks like you aren't pressing in a straight line. It looks like you touch low on your chest and move it back a few inches towards your head as you press. But my pressing sucks so, meh.
I'm looking but not really seeing it. He is moving pretty fast though.
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The reason I noticed it is because when he pushes his hips through to lock out you can really see the bar move forward. If you pause the vid at 0:37 (when the bar is just above his knees) the back of the plate is past the back of the phonebook (or whatever it is that he's lifting off of) and his legs are pretty much straight. When he's locked out (at 0:38) the back of the plate is in front of the back of the phonebook.
It's not a huge thing and overall I think he has solid form, that's just one small thing that I noticed.
Yeah, I see what you are talking about now, not sure why that is happening though.
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I think it's because he's straightening his legs too quickly but since he's also sitting back on his heels the weight doesn't get out in front of him. I don't think it's a big deal, just a small tweak. Hopefully someone more experienced will add their 2 cents.
FiveFeezy
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On the bench: It's hard to tell, but it seems like you may not be pulling your shoulder blades together. They should be retracted (pulled together) so that your shoulders are in a more stable position. Also when you set up, it is better if you plant your traps on the bench before your ass. Plant your shoulders and traps first, then push your ass up toward your shoulders to get a really good arch. It should feel like you are pressing off your upper traps while your shoulders are retracted really tightly.
My back has been really stiff yesterday and today, I've been squatting to pick things up off the ground instead of bending over, hope it's just soreness.
DL - Thanks for spotting that, I see the bar moving in an arc instead of a straight line, I'll work on that. Does it matter if I control it on the way down or just drop it like I'm doing once I clear the knees?
Bench - That's the problem I've been having is getting the shoulders tight, it seems impossible to squeeze them together when I'm setting up with the grip I have on the bar and I have to grind them together once I'm already on the bench. Some sets I can feel my lats working to lift it too but some there's no support there, that's also pulling the bar out with the lats which I forgot to do in the vid.
DL - Thanks for spotting that, I see the bar moving in an arc instead of a straight line, I'll work on that. Does it matter if I control it on the way down or just drop it like I'm doing once I clear the knees?
Bench - That's the problem I've been having is getting the shoulders tight, it seems impossible to squeeze them together when I'm setting up with the grip I have on the bar and I have to grind them together once I'm already on the bench. Some sets I can feel my lats working to lift it too but some there's no support there, that's also pulling the bar out with the lats which I forgot to do in the vid.
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