The catch/rack

[Shaba65]

Wuttup, I am just starting to get into olympic lifting. I am takin this summer to learn the olympic lifts better. I have been doing hang cleans/snatches for about 2 years now for my sport (shot put/discus/hammer/weight) and with straps because the main reason that we do them is for the explosive power.

I am really intersted in learning the full lifts now. I have a friend who helped me set up a program for them. My problem is racking the clean. I have a hard time catching/racking the bar on my clavicles because I do not have very much flexibility at all in my shoulders/arms. Are there any exercises in particular that olympic lifters do to work on flexibility in this area?

Thanks

[PrivateBaldrick]

Practice front squats with your elbows up as high as they'll go, and keep trying to get them higher. This will stretch them out pretty quickly. Or just stretch by lifting one elbow up while pulling your fingers down to your shoulders with your other hand.

[crankedup]

^^^ second that plus do some other upper body strecthes look through a yoga book to find some it will help greatly

[raffiki]

Hold the bar on your shoulders and have your buddy lift your elbows up.

If you are a loner, you can set the bar in the squat rack, with your arms in the clean rack position put your elbows on the bar and hold 10lb plates in your hands.

[rogan181]

im suprised your not flezxile after cleaning for 2 years? after 2 months my arms were suddenly bam it was easy as hell, but i know at first it seems youll never be able to stretch liek that...

[Shaba65]

well I always did my cleans from the hang with straps...being a thrower the main purpose of the lift is to get the bar up to my neck as quickly as possible. I just found an interest in olympic lifting this year and would like to learn the tradional lifts as a hobby. I am thinking about doing two days of olympic lifts a week combined with some bodybuilding stuff for the summer.