Starting Strength, 3rd Edition - Mark Rippetoe [60]
Figure 3-24. Problem 3: Excessive layback is not the same as pushing the bar forward. Note the position of the bar over the mid-foot, except that the torso is too far behind the bar, contributing to moment arm length and an excessive horizontal distance to make up during lockout.
This problem usually occurs due to a loss of control over the lower back position, when the lean deteriorates into a lumbar overextension instead of being a hip movement. Since extreme loaded hyperextension of the lumbar spine is dangerous, it’s best to never lose control of the back at all. The problem here will be abdominal muscle control, and may simply be weak abs. The rectus abdominis acts directly against lumbar hyperextension by providing tension between the rib cage and the pubis, counteracting lumbar hyperextension and increasing intra-abdominal pressure to reinforce correct lumbar curvature from the anterior side of the trunk (Figure 3-25). Weighted sit-ups can be helpful to develop a strong set of abs.
Figure 3-25. Weak abdominal musculature can account for excessive layback. Very strong pressers have very thick sections of rectus abdominis.
Heavy weights tend to blur awareness of the fine points of technique and position, as anyone who has trained heavy knows. We depend on our training, which has embedded the correct motor pathways, and coaching – when we can get it – to keep our form correct and efficient. Most often, when you miss a heavy press in front, you won’t know why: a position error of a couple of inches is hard to feel under a heavy weight. Most often you didn’t get under the bar. You must drill this movement pattern during the warm-up sets, both in the drive up and when lowering the bar, so that you can do it without a lot of thought and conscious direction during the work sets.
There are two breathing patterns that can be used during the set. The first pattern, which seems to be more useful for novices using lighter weights, is to breathe at the top of the press, at lockout. It has to be a quick breath, taken without relaxing anything that is supposed to be tight. It has the advantage of allowing you to rebound the bar quickly off of your shoulders after the first rep, making the press analogous to the bench press with the stretch reflex at the bottom. This use of a stretch reflex is fine at first, but most lifters tend to outgrow this and adopt the pattern of breathing at the shoulders between reps. This second method requires that the lifter stay very tight, with chest up during the breath, a thing learned with experience. Breathing at the top allows a novice to handle heavier weights while learning the skills necessary to maintain control during the press, and it will work better for flexible people who can get in a good forward lockout position to catch a breath. Breathing at the shoulders allows the more experienced lifter the luxury of a second or two of rest between heavy reps and maintains the breathing pattern of the first rep throughout the set. Try both methods and see which works better for you.
As mentioned earlier, eye position is important for good body position. It is also the key to good neck positioning, and your cervical spine will appreciate the attention. If you are having problems of any kind, especially an unpredictable bar path or lockout position, always check to make sure your eyes are looking at the right place. Or get someone else to check you during a set; it is often hard to remind yourself to do this after the bar is out of the rack. Correct eyeballs solve lots of problems with all the lifts in this program.
Cheating with a push press
Another common problem is that when the weight gets heavy, most people try to turn the press into a push press, by starting the bar up with a push from the knees. This is a logical way to cheat – after all, the hips and legs are much stronger than the shoulders and arms, and a little sharp squat-like bounce generates