Long arms and form problems

[jaebsprings]

I've been doing the beginner routine for about six weeks now, although I just got Starting Strength a week ago. I have disproportionately long arms, especially forearms. My simian build makes it difficult to find a suit that fits, and now it seems to be getting in the way of good form.

Me: 25 years old, 5'11, 170lbs
Most Recent Lifts: 165 squat, 245 deadlift, 150 bench press, 90 Press, 85 Power Clean

1. Low bar squats
I have a hard time getting a good grip on the bar. When I push my shoulders back and chest up, the bar bends my wrists back like in figure 2-21 in SS. I think my wrist is buckling from trying to fit too much forearm in too short of a line. I can just barely force everything into place, which is borderline painful, but after a couple of reps my wrists are bent back again. I can feel my shoulder blades touching, so I don't think this is a flexibility issue. I've tried taking a wider grip, but then the bar doesn't feel stable and starts to slip. I can do high bar just fine, but low bar definitely feels better on my lower back and I'd like to keep doing them this way.

2. Power Cleans
I just started cleaning this week.The book says to jump when the bar is between 1/3 and 1/2 down the thigh. When I have the bar in the hang position, it's already nearly halfway down my thigh. Is there another cue for determining the jump point?

3. Press
I'm confused about shoulder position at the bottom of the press. Am I supposed to bring the shoulders forward to make a shelf out of the delts, like you do in a clean, or tighten the upper back, bringing the shoulder blades together and pushing the delts back? The latter feels more natural when bringing the chest "up," but then there's no platform to push off of.

Thanks,
Andrew

[Mark Rippetoe]

Some of the following problems are fixed when you gain enough weight -- 5' 11" is very tall for a 175lb guy. All the support stuff gets easier when your shoulders are bigger.

1. Long forearms make a wider grip necessary, whether it is comfortable or not. You just have to keep your elbows up and stay tight.

2. Likewise, long arms make the jumping position lower as well. It will be the point on the thighs where the bar touches when the knees and hips are just unlocked. The jump has to occur here, because this is the position where the back, hips, and knees make the best explosion happen. It doesn't matter where this is on the thigh, since that is a function of arm length and arms are only doing the job of connecting the bar to the torso; you're not lifting it with your arms anyway, so all you have to do with your arms is make sure they're straight when you jump.

And the rack position with long forearms will be a problem, since the long ulna will place the elbows lower unless the grip is widened to compensate.

3. The press must be done from the "shelf" you describe, and the only thing you do with your upper back muscles is raise your chest. if you adduct your shoulder blades, you pull the bar back into your throat and make it necessary to drive out around your chin in a circular bar path. The top of the press is where the shoulder blades adduct and shrug up to support the bar, which is being held up in that position by the traps; the arms connect to the scapulas, and the scapulas hang from the spine by the traps.