bar position

[LudiWithKnives]

wheres the bar relative to your collar bone? on top? or infront?

ive been catching the bar infront and it feels fine but i keep smashing my left collar bone and now its bruised as hell. making it even bigger which makes me hit it even more lol.

i also tried racking just the bar on my collar bone and its allowed me to move my elbows down a bit to get ready for the jerk and doesnt hit the bruised area, BUT i have a feeling if i catch it ON my collar bone with weight it's gonna snap my collarbones lol. i know you should be holding it up with your delts and not really have all the pressure on your collar bones but i also have small delts so that doesnt help either.

the fact that i rack it infront probably causes me to fold over more too when i FS back up

[pfffft]

[pfffft]

[LudiWithKnives]

wheres the bar relative to your collar bone? on top? or infront?

ive been catching the bar infront and it feels fine but i keep smashing my left collar bone and now its bruised as hell. making it even bigger which makes me hit it even more lol.

i also tried racking just the bar on my collar bone and its allowed me to move my elbows down a bit to get ready for the jerk and doesnt hit the bruised area, BUT i have a feeling if i catch it ON my collar bone with weight it's gonna snap my collarbones lol. i know you should be holding it up with your delts and not really have all the pressure on your collar bones but i also have small delts so that doesnt help either.

the fact that i rack it infront probably causes me to fold over more too when i FS back up

im asking with respect to your collar bones. so even if you have the bar on your delts, the bar itself could be above or infront of your collar bone. i have the bar on my delts but the bars still infront.

[nova6868]

Honestly, I don't even think about it in terms of my collar bone. You want the bar in the crease of your shoulders.

Try this... Hold the bar in a "zombie" front squat position, where you don't even use your hands to balance the weight. That's where it needs to be.

[matjusm]

When I first started cleaning I was also catching the bar quite low, on my upper chest/clavicles and being supported by my hands. Wasn't very comfortable. I have since corrected my ways and catch it now firmly up on my deltoids.

[gbg]

Why don't you guys try and help a fellow Ol'er instead of being wise asses. There aren't enough of them out there to begin with so try and help instead of ridiculing.


I used to hit my right color bone all the time and it was from over pulling the bar. Control the bar more as you pull under, just keep practicing it will take time to learn exactly where you want the bar to be before you pull under.

[Iberian80]

Given that the bar should always be on your deltoids, how far in front or above your collar bone will be determined by your body and where you grip.


If you have a narrow grip it should be out in front in most cases. If you grip is a little wider it will move towards being above the collar bone. In the pull and catch you should try to keep your hands just outside shoulder width and if need be readjust it before you jerk.

As always this varies from person to person but in general it would be near impossible to use a narrow grip, have the bar on your deltoids, and above the collar bone.

[LudiWithKnives]

Honestly, I don't even think about it in terms of my collar bone. You want the bar in the crease of your shoulders.

Try this... Hold the bar in a "zombie" front squat position, where you don't even use your hands to balance the weight. That's where it needs to be.

ill try that thanks, are you supposed to protract/push your shoulders forward so you have a bigger base?

When I first started cleaning I was also catching the bar quite low, on my upper chest/clavicles and being supported by my hands. Wasn't very comfortable. I have since corrected my ways and catch it now firmly up on my deltoids.

how did you correct your ways lol? would like tips thanks

Why don't you guys try and help a fellow Ol'er instead of being wise asses. There aren't enough of them out there to begin with so try and help instead of ridiculing.


I used to hit my right color bone all the time and it was from over pulling the bar. Control the bar more as you pull under, just keep practicing it will take time to learn exactly where you want the bar to be before you pull under.

thanks ill practice controlling my catch more

Given that the bar should always be on your deltoids, how far in front or above your collar bone will be determined by your body and where you grip.


If you have a narrow grip it should be out in front in most cases. If you grip is a little wider it will move towards being above the collar bone. In the pull and catch you should try to keep your hands just outside shoulder width and if need be readjust it before you jerk.

As always this varies from person to person but in general it would be near impossible to use a narrow grip, have the bar on your deltoids, and above the collar bone.

thanks

[sammers62]

in front of collar on delts

[olyw8lifter]

I used to catch mine on my delts in front of collar bone, but after watching a ton of video of elite athletes cleaning, they rack the barbell mostly on top of their collarbone on their delts. I have since changed and my clean is easier, and front squats started shooting up in weight again (after having stalled b/c my back would round).

But, I agree that it will probably depend on your particular body. gbg also pointed out that you should be controlling yourself getting under the bar, YES!!!