Is My Skeleton Sabotaging My Press Gainz?

[mouse]

Looking for some input/opinions on an issue I'm dealing with/been dealing with. As my press fatigues, or reaches a limit set/max attempt... I will get a pretty nasty shift that is definately costing me pounds.

So far the major adjustment has been to stagger my grip as I seem to have some structural nonsense going on. Left hand is about an inch or so further out than my right. On this set my left hand is roughly centered between the ring and the end of the knurl. Right hand is about an inch or so away from the end of the knurl.

Not exactly sure if my left arm is actually longer, or if it's because my left shoulder sits lower than my right. I've also noticed that my right foot tends to be about an inch or so in front of my left... I've noticed this is true for squats as well and it just seems to be where I find "balance". The shift is ALWAYS towards the left. My left starts to feel like it lags and my hips kick to the right. I can consciously control it for a while, if I'm doing 5x5s like I am here, it will only really start showing up on the fourth of fifth set... and at max attempts usually.

My coach and I have kinda been working on it with experimentation here and there... but this is one of those things where I like getting multiple eyes/opinions on it.

Thoughts on what I might do to help correct this?

For what it's worth, I haven't been to a doc over any of this... my insurance kinda sucks but I've been toying with the idea of going to a chiro to see if there is anything that might be able to help correct any of this...

It's a touch off center (sorry) but enjoy my voluntary grindage, I'm going to bed so I'll chat with you peeps in the morning...

[michael]

Looks like one side is stronger and you hit technical failure before failure.

[ohlol]

Yeah my uneducated opinion is in agreement with Michael. Your foot is forward because that's what feels comfortable due to your adaptation to it. Put your foot even with the other foot every time you set up and eventually it will feel comfortable.

Everything else, to me, sounds like excuses, and I don't mean that in a mean way. You can't change your limb lengths but you can keep training hard. I don't know that you need to adjust anything (except your stance lol).

[mgil]

My left side will start to lag on presses. What I’ve done to counteract this is twofold:

1. Mentally focus on the weaker arm pressing faster.

2. Not going too deep into sets if I can avoid it.

My opinion is doing those things and making sure your setup is as symmetric as possible should have you in good order. Even then, you’ll still have some issues pop up on occasion.

[Wilhelm]

Before you unrack, your left elbow is at a much different angle than your right.

With my issue with uneven bar rise with heavy deadlifts (right lags) and an issue from cycling where my right shoulder would dip when riding over the bars, (noticed by riding partners) i would not be so quick to dismiss the structural as a possible cause.
Could be usage patterns have altered things as well over a lifetime. (pulling that out of my ass)
Any injuries on that side, like in childhood maybe?
Are you right handed? If so, it should be the stronger arm, right?

On kind of heavy deadlifts, i can counteract my issue by pulling in "extra"with my right. But for max reps, i finally just broke down and widened my grip and foot placement wide right. I guess that would be opposite for press, and i'm not saying it's a solution for press.

These are clearly different lifts , and i just saw @mgil, post, and he is much more the press guy than me, so...

[mouse]

So @mgil and @Wilhelm let me thicken the plot if I may now that I have a bit more time to elaborate as to why I'm suspicious this might be a structural thing...

Something similar happens on my bench as well. Also seemingly related to fatigue or max attempts, what I initially thought was an arm "lagging" turns out to be the bar TWISTING. My left side will twist forward and when viewed from an angle kind of creates the illusion that the bar is dipping or lagging. I started making the same adjustments (staggered grip) and it seems noticeable at lockout (bar will dip left) and when I rack the bar (left side hits the j-cup first). The only way I've been able to counteract this so far is by consciously shrugging my left shoulder up and trying like hell to keep it there through the set. That at least early on will do a pretty good job of minimizing the twist and cleaning up my bar path.

I almost posted that in the "Bench Press Anomaly" thread but couldn't decide if it was relative there. Seems sorta relevant now since we're having this discussion...

No injuries, right handed, probably have just always been built this way but never noticed...

As for the staggered feet thing I notice I do it a lot... even just standing, though not AS noticeable. Left is a bit behind the right. How the hell I correct that under load is a bit beyond me at the moment... I'm wondering if I don't need to start "trying" to put my left forward and see if it evens out some...

[mgil]

Worth getting some limb measurements and checked for scoliosis just for fun.

[mouse]

Worth getting some limb measurements and checked for scoliosis just for fun.

Sounds like an awesome way to spend the weekend!

I really may have to though just to see...