PRESS MOVEMENT ERRORS

Priority Level Error How to Indentify Potential Cause Common Fix

Lifter doesn't drive hips forward

Primary far enough or hard enough Hips barely move forward, or move slowly Lifter error, not being aggressive with hip drive Cue "Fast hips", "Aggressive", "Big Hips"

Lifter pulls the hips back before Cue "Hips forward first"
Primary driving forward Hips move back slightly before moving forward Lifter error, not suffciently tight Cue tightness on the setup
Cue tightness on the setup.
Cue proper timing of the hip drive and press, "wait for
Lifter not sufficiently tight. the rebound" or "Hips forward - then rebound and
Primary No rebound of the hips Lifter drives the hips forward and they stay there Lifter starts the press too early press"

Go slow - "hips then rebound and press". Have them do

Lifter presses the bar before or at the same time they thrust several reps with the bar and just the hip motion
the hips. without pressing so they can feel how the bar dips down.
No downward movement of bar is observed before they Cue them to press the bar up immediately after the dip.
press. Timing error, lifter is trying to start the press too Verbally cue an ealier press is the lifter is waiting too
Primary Incorrect timing of hips and press Lifter waits until after rebound to start the press. early or too late. long

Quads not tight during the setup, or allowed to relax

Primary Knees unlock during hip thrust
Thigh segment and knees lead
Primary forward instead of hips
Primary Bar tracks forward of midfoot
Primary Bar tracks behind midfoot
Knees will visually bend or dip as they are driven forward. as hips drive forward. Cue "quads tight!"
Cue the lifter to not actively contract the glutes during
Visually the knees will be further forward than the Lifter is squeezing the glutes during the hip drive, the hip drive. Abs and quads should be as tight as
waistline. causing the pelvis to tilt and knees to bend. possible. Glutes will contract slightly during the setup as
Pelivs will often tilt posteriorly and glutes are contracted Lifter is driving forward with the legs instead of the well.
during the hip drive hips. Cue "Drive waistline or beltline forward"
Excessive space between the face and bar Cue "aim for your nose"
Bar visibly tracks forward of mid foot Lifter pushing the bar forward "Close to your face"
Weight may shift to toes Incorrect hip/press timing Cue "Wait for the rebound"
Lifter driving the bar behind the head once it passes
Back track back over the lifters head, visibly behind mid- the forehead, OR
foot Driving the elbows out to the sides excessively, or Cue "Drive it straight up"
Weight may shift to heels too early Cue "Drive the elbows forward"

Cue "SHRUG!!"
Primary Lifter doesn't shrug at lockout Visual check , shoulders do not shrug Lifter error, inadequte shrug "Touch your shoulders to your earlobes"

From the side, the bar is in front of or behind the Physically move the bar to the correct position
Bar is not locked out over the glenohumeral joint, and likely also in front of or behind Incorrect bar path Say "get the bar back/forward" at lockout
Primary glenohumeral joint midfoot. Weight shift at the foot evident Lifter error "Cover your ears with your biceps"

Lifter drives elbows out instead of Lifter error, not keeping elbows in during initial drive
Primary forward Elbows push out to the sides excessively on the ascent up Cue "drive your elbows forward"

Lifter is starting the press before hips rebound. Cue "hips, then press" or "wait for the rebound"
Lifter driving the bar forward of midfoot. Cue "Keep it close!"
Primary Lifter gets onto toes during ascent Heels will visually lift on the ascent Active plantarflexion "Feet flat!"
 Lifter gets onto heels during
Primary ascent Elbows may flare out to the side, bar is behind midfoot Lifter pushes bar back behind mid foot. Cue "stay midfoot"

Elbows drop behind bar between Visual check, elbows drop too low and behind bar between Lifter relaxing between reps, or not resetting to
Secondary reps reps proper position "Elbows up and tight!"

Lifter doesn't reset elbows tight Lifter allows elbows to flare between reps, not "Tight armpits"
Secondary to sides between reps Visual check, elbows are allowed to flare out between reps resetting to proper position "Elbows In!"

Lifter throws head back as hips Visual check, observe head movement as hips drive forward Lifter does not keep neck neutral, eyes not focused
Secondary drive forward and bar is pressed up on target directly in front Cue "Eyes Straight Ahead" or "Head still!"
Visual check, the lifter will leave torso behind the bar, or Cue "Drive your chest forward under the bar."
Lifter doesn't get torso back lockout in front of the shoulder. Low back often over- Lifter is not pushing the chest/torso back under the Lifter should get under the bar proportionally to the bar
Secondary under bar at lockout exteded. bar as the bar travels toward lockout. traveling up, but not any faster.
Bar is notably behind midfoot at the lockout. Torso will be
Lifter error, pushes chest too far forward at the
Lifter drives chest forward too pushed well forward under the bar. Weight shift may be
lockout
Secondary much at lockout evident at the feet. Cue "Stand up tall, bar above your shoudlers"