Problem with the push press "dip"

[Spencer Durland]

In the past few weeks, I've been trying to go back over all the lifts and tighten up any form faults that I have. In reviewing videos on push press technique, I noticed that the dip-drive that is reccommended is much faster than mine.

I began trying to speed up my dip-drive on the push press and it felt fine with light weights, but as soon as I began to load up the bar, the fast dip-drive became a problem. It felt like the the bar was sort of bouncing off my collar bone and the result was a fragmented movement. Essentially, it seemed like the bar was going down when I was coming back up. I tried to really grip the bar and hold it tight in the rack position as I went through the movement, but to no avail. I'd love to hear people's thoughts on what's going on and how to fix it. Thanks

[Steven Low]

You're probably going a bit too fast. When you dip, you obviously can't go faster than gravity is going to allow your body (and the barbell) to fall. The barbell should stay in contact with your shoulders the whole time.

At the bottom, as the weight comes down and then pauses along with the rest of your body, let the stretch reflexin your muscles start the acceleration of the bar upwards.

Post up a vid if you can't get it.

[Brian DeGennaro]

I don't think you want to e moving it as fast as you can. The only fast part of the dip-drive is the drive. The dip should be nice and controlled.

Regarding the "bar was going down when I was coming back up" part, that means you were going against the whip of the bar. So as the bar began to bend you started to drive up on it. This makes things a whole lot more difficult on jerks, PP, and squats. Instead, you should pause briefly at the bottom of your dip and drive as the bar begins to unload. The time you pause at the bottom of your dip varies from the weight you're lifting and the type of bar you're using.

[Keith Miller]

The other thing to think about, like everybody else has said, is to control the dip and change directions as quickly as you can. Changing directions and driving hard will put the snappines into the drive part.

[Spencer Durland]

I'm gonna try a more controlled dip before my next workout and see how it goes. In regards to the flex on the bar, that all makes a lot of sense. I'm not sure what type of bar is in the gym, but it seems to have some flex to it that I notice the most when doing sub-maximal back squats. Thanks so much for the advice.