Barbell Overhead Press Form Check

[scott1988]

So, I love shoulder day (dat burn) but the OHP always frustrates me. I would totally appreciate some pointers or help, please!

https://imgur.com/a/bYrSYdZ

For set up, I keep my thumbs at my armpits for the distance on the bar, turn my hands so the bar is laying along my thumb crease, keep my elbows tight into my lats (no underarm tickles allowed).

My weakest area is the ascent, I don't feel like I have strength to get the bar all the way up, it's 100% where I will fail the lift, when I fail. I also end up feeling a lot of tension/discomfort in my midback during the lift. I don't know well enough to know where my form is bad.. or what queues I should be considering to improve myself. Or even what isolation work should I be doing to help my problem here.

This is 27.5kg (~60.6lbs), it's the highest weight I can perform this lift at but I feel very weak and unstable in it. For reference on my other compounds to evaluate my strengths/unevenness: Bench is 37.5kg(~82.7lbs), Deadlift is 95kg(209lbs), Squat is 70kg(~154lbs)

 

[lucielou]

@scott1988 I'm by no means a lifting expert but it looks really good, I would just suggest 2 things. 1) grab the bar in such a way that it is angled more towards the forearm on the outside of your hands, and 2) push through a little bit more at the top, think of it as if your peeing your head out through your extended arms

 

[marilt]

@scott1988 Instead of bringing the bar around your face, chin up on the press. This will help keep the weight over your center of gravity. The further forward you get that bar off vertical, the less leverage you'll have under it.

Prior to loading the bar, take a deep breath the brace your spine. I find the after the initial breath in, I take a small breath to fill the cheeks. This adds a little extra compression in your core and will assist the lift.

My setup..
1: get under bar
2: get tension in calve and feet..
3: Tighten butt.. squeeze
4: deep breath..brace belly and spine
5: little extra breath fill the cheeks..
6: Grip bar like I'm trying to squeeze blood out of it
7: Squeeze air in cheeks down and lift.
8: I take a breath after two or 3 reps at the top of the lift

 

[scott1988]

@marilt That was a great walkthrough, thank you so much. Your explanation was great and really helpful.
The breath in the cheeks is interesting, that's a nifty trick.

 

[marilt]

@scott1988 I stumbled upon the extra air in cheek one day during squats. Immedietly the lift was noticably easier. Tried it with OHP ( my favorite and most obsessed over lift) and the extra tension in the core helped. NOTE: I could only get a couple maybe three reps in before needing to breath. I do get a little dizzier with the technique but it goes away.

Edit: it's not exactly the most attractive facial expression ever.. I use the "ok, looks goofy enough, I'm ready" queue

Edit 2: that lower back tension is sign you're not stacked vertically per your spine. Get the bar up, shoot your head thru the triangle and get the bar over your center of gravity