Collar Bone

[Stephen Pacheco]

Sorry for repeating this if someone else had the same problem. I'm having an issue lets just say when I'm pressing. The right side middle right inside of my collar bone seems to be sticking up more than the left which is preventing me from having a flat surface to allow the bar to sit on my anterior. Could have been something from when I was little, perhaps falling to the ground, running into something or contact sport (likely). I've tried countless times to switch the angles but everything else seemed to have get out of place. Just with the bar it seems to be putting quite abit of pressure.

Thank you if you can help! Really appreciate it. Loving the books and everything Aasgaard does for us!

[Mark Rippetoe]

When you broke your collarbone, you created some problems, definitely. They are not insurmountable. You'll just have to grow more deltoid. How much do you weigh?

[semiok45]

Stephen, I have always had this same issue. An orthopedic a few years back told me it appears that my clavicle was rotated upwards, probably due to the many falls as an active kid racing BMX, doing karate, playing soccer, etc. (But weights, are bad, right?) I don't remember it being from one particular incident. The only issues have been related to the painful bar to bone contact, although the doc says I may develop some arthritis in later years. Presses can be uncomfortable, and sometimes I get some bruising around the protruding collarbone the next day after power cleans.

Increasing my body weight from 185 to 220 has helped quite a bit - the increased shoulder mass has built a better platform around that bastard collarbone ridge. But during the process I've had to make some adjustments. This next statement hasn't been approved by Rip or anyone else, but what helps me is starting each set of presses with my elbows a little more forward and together than would be ideal for leverage in order to create a better shelf of muscle. Then, on reps two through five, I touch the bar to my sternum and don't reset to a dead press. It was uncomfortable and sometimes quite painful for a bit, but I just worked through it and after a while it ceased to be an issue. On cleans I just have to really concentrate on the timing of the catch so as to avoid any crash of the bar. Hope this helps, although I know it's a Rip Q and A. -Nate

[Stephen Pacheco]

Right about now I weigh around 180-185, about 5-6 months ago I was weighing a good 210-215 and decided to do some interval cardio training which would decline my weight down by 15-20 pounds within a month or two. I couldn't say if it hurt at the time when I was heavier wish I woulda known. Probably going to have to gain that weight back just to see if its a difference. I eat fantastic, once in awhile fast food like snack wraps. I have it in my mind that I want to be "lighter" lifting a tremendous amount of weight as I see olympic lifters on tv or powerlifters in weight categories. I'm going to be benching more hopefully that will build my anterior faster. Thank you for the replies!

[Stephen Pacheco]

Rip, I went to my brother in laws gym on a military base. They have bumper plates and all that nice olympic stuff. Now is the bar suppose to be thinner than the average bar in a public gym? I noticed that when Iused the bar that it actually sat perfectly on my shoulders and there is only a light touching on the skin of my collar. The bar had maybe 3-4 more line marks than a normal bar in my gym. Now its just a question if I can get accurate measurements. Get back to me!

[Mark Rippetoe]

An Olympic bar -- a real one -- is 28.5mm diameter. Shitty bars can be anything from there on up. I have seen 32mm bars bought from Gill that were bent under a 225 static load. Regulation Olympic bars will have 1 pair of score marks. If this bar you're talking about had 3 pairs, it's probably an Ivanko. Good bar, excellent steel, but poorly designed knurl.