Bench Press form check, and another Squat form check

[pyaarawala]

I started SS at 75 lb bench, now I'm at 135 lb bench. But today's bench was pretty difficult for some reason. Last workout's 125 lbs was fine and I wasn't afraid at all. This was the first time I got a little afraid and felt like I needed a spotter, but was still able to finish all the reps. And on all 3 working sets my right shoulder hurt a bit and rotating it around helped ease the pain a little. Am I doing something wrong? Here's what I did today, and what I usually do:

Warmup sets:
45 lbs - 8 reps
75 lbs - 7 reps
95 lbs - 6 reps
115 lbs - 4 reps

Working sets:
135 lbs - 3x5

Bench Press 135 lbs 3x5



And just a quick squat video, started at 95 lbs, now at 165 lbs. I'm fairly confident about my squat though, but would like to be reassured if I'm doing it right or not.

Squat 165 lbs 3x5

[ballin43]

form looks good for both exercises.

not sure why your shoulder is hurting though, the same happens to me sometimes when I use the barbell so I stick with the DB Bench Press.

[pyaarawala]

form looks good for both exercises.

not sure why your shoulder is hurting though, the same happens to me sometimes when I use the barbell so I stick with the DB Bench Press.

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah I'm not sure either. At first I thought it was because maybe the bar isn't completely straight, like when I push up it's uneven. But in the video it looks straight to me. This slight shoulder pain only began today when I did 135. I'll do 145 next time and see how I feel.

[Goatny]

as far as bench it doesn't look like your creating a very good base at all. It's hard to tell from the vid but make sure your shoulders are back, shoulder blades squeezed, back arched, air in your stomach, and foot placement can be nitpicky but i like to go back on my toes personally. good luck. I'd embed a vid but I'm lazy and on my way to destroy some legs. good luck.


edit: wow I double good lucked you.

[pyaarawala]

K I'll make a closer video next time. I have my back arched, just can't really tell in the video I guess. Not sure if I was squeezing my shoulder blades or not. I don't remember consciously squeezing them but I might have been doing it subconsciously anyway. Thanks.

[GinjaNinja85]

It looks like your leaning forward too much on the squat. Sit back and keep that bar above mid foot at all times. Are you driving through your heels?

[Bumpus]

as far as bench it doesn't look like your creating a very good base at all. It's hard to tell from the vid but make sure your shoulders are back, shoulder blades squeezed, back arched, air in your stomach, and foot placement can be nitpicky but i like to go back on my toes personally. good luck. I'd embed a vid but I'm lazy and on my way to destroy some legs. good luck.

This is how I prefer to bench and my observations as well. Date Tate explains it pretty well in the series "So you think you can bench". You can find this on youtube. Your warmups seem a bit much too. For 135 I would do:

45x5x2
55x5
70x3
90x2
135x5x3

Google or search the forum for the SS warm up calculator.

This may also not be enough to properly warm up the shoulders. Some light shoulder rotation exercises might help prevent pain. You also have your elbows out a bit far, which puts more stress on the shoulders. I'd narrow the grip a bit and work on keeping the elbows tucked in closer to the body. Tate also covers this.

Squats: Are you trying to do the SS suggested low-bar squats? If so, the bar is way too high on the back. You also round the back a bunch at the bottom. I'd suggest watching Ripp explain the squat in his videos on youtube or the EliteFTS video "So you think you can squat". My pointers would be get the bar under the scapula. Squeeze your chest up to set an arch in your back (think how superman stands). Then sit back into the squat. You may have to drop some weight from the bar to work on this. Your depth looks ok and toes are out and it looks like the knees are traveling over them.

I'm also not a huge fan of the way you grip the bar. I'd suggest getting the thumb on top of the bar and trying to keep the elbow, wrist and knuckles in a more straight line.

[pyaarawala]

It looks like your leaning forward too much on the squat. Sit back and keep that bar above mid foot at all times. Are you driving through your heels?

I am, huh? The reason I'm kinda leaning forward is because I'm trying to make sure I'm using hip drive when I push up the weight. I am driving through my heels but my main focus is on using my hips to drive the weight, like Mark Rippetoe says to do.

This is how I prefer to bench and my observations as well. Date Tate explains it pretty well in the series "So you think you can bench". You can find this on youtube. Your warmups seem a bit much too. For 135 I would do:

45x5x2
55x5
70x3
90x2
135x5x3

Google or search the forum for the SS warm up calculator.

This may also not be enough to properly warm up the shoulders. Some light shoulder rotation exercises might help prevent pain. You also have your elbows out a bit far, which puts more stress on the shoulders. I'd narrow the grip a bit and work on keeping the elbows tucked in closer to the body. Tate also covers this.

Squats: Are you trying to do the SS suggested low-bar squats? If so, the bar is way too high on the back. You also round the back a bunch at the bottom. I'd suggest watching Ripp explain the squat in his videos on youtube or the EliteFTS video "So you think you can squat". My pointers would be get the bar under the scapula. Squeeze your chest up to set an arch in your back (think how superman stands). Then sit back into the squat. You may have to drop some weight from the bar to work on this. Your depth looks ok and toes are out and it looks like the knees are traveling over them.

I'm also not a huge fan of the way you grip the bar. I'd suggest getting the thumb on top of the bar and trying to keep the elbow, wrist and knuckles in a more straight line.

Bench Press: I have my ring fingers around the rings and it feels comfortable when I hold the bar that way. If I narrow my grip to keep my shoulders in, won't that just mostly work my delts and triceps instead? How much more narrow should I go?

Squat: Yeah that's exactly what I'm trying to do. I've watched Rippetoe's squat video and he puts so much emphasis on hip drive. He said not to keep your chest up which would not activate the hip drive. So the people he's coached in the videos he constantly focuses on telling them to drive as if the bar was on their lower back, so that's why I'm kinda leaning forward like that to make sure hip drive is taking place.

For this, the bar needs to be lower? It seems quite comfortable on my traps like that, if the bar is under the scapula, what muscle would be holding it? It kinda seems dangerous like that, but I dunno I've never tried it. I'll check out the So you think you can squat/bench press videos now.

The way I grip the bar? In the bench or squat? I wrap my thumbs under the bar so that's it's safe. I've always heard the suicide grip (esp on the bench) is very dangerous.

[dianelopez06]

I started SS at 75 lb bench, now I'm at 135 lb bench. But today's bench was pretty difficult for some reason. Last workout's 125 lbs was fine and I wasn't afraid at all. This was the first time I got a little afraid and felt like I needed a spotter, but was still able to finish all the reps. And on all 3 working sets my right shoulder hurt a bit and rotating it around helped ease the pain a little. Am I doing something wrong? Here's what I did today, and what I usually do:

Warmup sets:
45 lbs - 8 reps
75 lbs - 7 reps
95 lbs - 6 reps
115 lbs - 4 reps

Working sets:
135 lbs - 3x5

Bench Press 135 lbs 3x5



And just a quick squat video, started at 95 lbs, now at 165 lbs. I'm fairly confident about my squat though, but would like to be reassured if I'm doing it right or not.

Squat 165 lbs 3x5

Try to do some warm up first before you do the exercise. You sure are over trained, if you lift heavy be sure to have spotter at your side

[pyaarawala]

Try to do some warm up first before you do the exercise. You sure are over trained, if you lift heavy be sure to have spotter at your side

I did warmup before the exercise as I mentioned my warmup sets weight & reps...And I went on the elliptical for 5 min before starting as well.

What do you mean by over trained? And I always workout by myself at the gym. Sure there are other random people who can help spot but I rest 5 min between each set so it'd be a bit annoying to constantly bother people about it. Especially when the weight is so little anyway.

[GinjaNinja85]

I am, huh? The reason I'm kinda leaning forward is because I'm trying to make sure I'm using hip drive when I push up the weight. I am driving through my heels but my main focus is on using my hips to drive the weight, like Mark Rippetoe says to do.



Bench Press: I have my ring fingers around the rings and it feels comfortable when I hold the bar that way. If I narrow my grip to keep my shoulders in, won't that just mostly work my delts and triceps instead? How much more narrow should I go?

Squat: Yeah that's exactly what I'm trying to do. I've watched Rippetoe's squat video and he puts so much emphasis on hip drive. He said not to keep your chest up which would not activate the hip drive. So the people he's coached in the videos he constantly focuses on telling them to drive as if the bar was on their lower back, so that's why I'm kinda leaning forward like that to make sure hip drive is taking place.

For this, the bar needs to be lower? It seems quite comfortable on my traps like that, if the bar is under the scapula, what muscle would be holding it? It kinda seems dangerous like that, but I dunno I've never tried it. I'll check out the So you think you can squat/bench press videos now.

The way I grip the bar? In the bench or squat? I wrap my thumbs under the bar so that's it's safe. I've always heard the suicide grip (esp on the bench) is very dangerous.

Rippetoe puts so much emphasis on hip drive that I took his advice a little too far and started GMing on the way up so I know what you mean. The reason the bar is going too far forward is because your leaning forward as if in the low bar position while actually, like Bumpus said, being closer to the high bar position.

You may need to lower the height you unrack the bar from so you can get under the bar and unrack on the right part of your back. The bar should be just below the top of the shoulder and with your forward lean and tightened traps (bring your hands in as close to your head as possible) the bar won't go anywhere. It's worth studying a low bar position picture if you can find one.

[pyaarawala]

Rippetoe puts so much emphasis on hip drive that I took his advice a little too far and started GMing on the way up so I know what you mean. The reason the bar is going too far forward is because your leaning forward as if in the low bar position while actually, like Bumpus said, being closer to the high bar position.

You may need to lower the height you unrack the bar from so you can get under the bar and unrack on the right part of your back. The bar should be just below the top of the shoulder and with your forward lean and tightened traps (bring your hands in as close to your head as possible) the bar won't go anywhere. It's worth studying a low bar position picture if you can find one.

Okay I get it. I'll definitely do that on tomorrow's Squats. As for the grip, I've been using the regular overhand grip. The only exercise I've ever used the false grip on and felt it was necessary was the Overhead Press. Should I change to the false grip now for the Squats? Because people have said when it gets heavier it'll start hurting your wrists. Right now it doesn't hurt, but should I get into the habit of it now? As for Bench I'm still too afraid to use the false grip.

[pyaarawala]

I tried squatting using the low-bar position, but it was just awful. I felt so awkward, or maybe I'm just not flexible enough. So I just did the high-bar squats but made sure I kept my chest up. Goes against what Rippetoe teaches but I think it's better this way. I believe it's the Olympic Squat. I'll have another video again next time I do it.

[Bumpus]

I tried squatting using the low-bar position, but it was just awful. I felt so awkward, or maybe I'm just not flexible enough. So I just did the high-bar squats but made sure I kept my chest up. Goes against what Rippetoe teaches but I think it's better this way. I believe it's the Olympic Squat. I'll have another video again next time I do it.

If high-bar is the way you want to do it, then go for it.

Don't confuse squeezing the chest up as keeping a very vertical core. Squeezing the chest up tightens the back and sets a lower back arch but when squatting(low-bar) your chest will be facing the floor.

[pyaarawala]

If high-bar is the way you want to do it, then go for it.

Don't confuse squeezing the chest up as keeping a very vertical core. Squeezing the chest up tightens the back and sets a lower back arch but when squatting(low-bar) your chest will be facing the floor.

Hmm, I thought to do the hip drive like Rippetoe says I gotta keep my back more parallel to the ground (chest facing the floor, low-bar position). This way I felt like I could lift more weight. But maybe I was just using my back to help lift weight, which can't be good.

[screwedgenetics]

The SS third edition kindle book is awesome and worth buying, but I also like video visuals. These are some great free resources. Good luck!

So You Think You Can Bench (Parts1-7):
http://train.elitefts.com/instructio...ench-parts1-7/


So You Think You Can Squat (Parts 1-5):
http://train.elitefts.com/instructio...uat-parts-1-5/

[pyaarawala]

The SS third edition kindle book is awesome and worth buying, but I also like video visuals. These are some great free resources. Good luck!

So You Think You Can Bench (Parts1-7):
http://train.elitefts.com/instructio...ench-parts1-7/


So You Think You Can Squat (Parts 1-5):
http://train.elitefts.com/instructio...uat-parts-1-5/

Thanks! I've actually watched both of those. Rippetoe doesn't mention that powerlifting-style arch while benching, but I'm assuming that's because he was simply trying to teach the kids the basic benching technique and nothing too advanced. Since I am strength training after all I think I will try to use that arch. It will look embarassing at first with only 145 lbs but eventually it should get heavy, lol.

Squat - the instructor in the video emphasizes the high bar squat, and teaches the squat a bit differently than Rippetoe. Rippetoe doesn't want us to bring the chest up high (low-bar) as opposed to this guy wants the chest high (high-bar). At least that's what I picked up from watching both videos.

[pyaarawala]

Today's bench, 140 lbs x 3 reps. Is it still the same or better? Or can't tell?

[Hulkamania78]

I am following the Mass Machine programme and 4-6 heavy as I can go has really stopped muscle and bone injuries so far, I have repped out, superset bench but this way of training works and the results are there for me to see.