ny more than two or three steps back is a waste of time and energy. Be efficient.

I
mentally count, “One, Two” when taking the bar out to make sure that I take only two
steps out of the rack.
• Squeeze the bar hard during the lift. This will keep your entire body tight.
• Before the descent, take another breath and go. Keep this air in until you’re about 2/3 of
the way back up. Then you can let it out. I’ve taught myself to hold my breath for 3 reps,
but this is very difficult and I wouldn’t recommend it for everyone.
• Bouncing out of the bottom position (the “hole”) is not a bad thing. Losing your air and
tightness when you do so is. Don’t do that.
• Your descent should be slow enough to permit you to maintain good form, but it should
be fast enough to not waste energy or kill the stretch reflex at the bottom. Many lifters
will “dive bomb” their squats. This is a fancy term for dropping very quickly and almost
catching the bar in the bottom position before squatting back up. This is okay for
advanced lifters who know their bodies and have great technique, but it’s probably
unacceptable for about 99% of the rest of the population.
• Your toes should be pointed out at about a 30-45 degree angle. This will allow your
knees to track correctly.
The Military Press
• Most lifters like taking a grip just outside the shoulders. I grip about an inch and a half
outside the knurling of a power bar – which puts my grip about thumb’s length from the
smooth part of the bar. This will ensure shoulder safety and stability.
• I always use a false grip where my thumbs aren’t wrapped around the bar. This is
personal preference, but it seems like the bar path tracks better overhead when I do this.
This grip can be dangerous, however, so use caution.
• I begin the press by lifting my chin up, and I try to just miss it when the bar goes up. I
don’t want the bar bowing out any more than it has to.