power clean bruises

[hamworld05]

So I just started doing power cleans(I officially love them). It's like magic. The bar just feels like nothing on the second pull. But they hurt! I'm always hitting my clavicle racking the bar on my shoulders. I need some more meat on my bones but that's not the issue.

The weird thing is that my lower chest/upper ab on my left hurts. Is this normal? Is it because the bar is touching my shirt on the way up(I'm not adding any weight or anything, maybe the bar is too light?).

[Regin Smidur]

If the bar is racking on your clavicles then your probably not whipping your elbows up fast enough.

[The Emancipated Freak]

If the bar is racking on your clavicles then your probably not whipping your elbows up fast enough.

And if you're not whipping the elbows fast enough it may be that you're not pushing hard enough with your hips.

[Greg C]

The bar needs to land on your deltoids. Regin is right. Slow elbow. Also, meet the bar. Don't let it crash.

[hamworld05]

'Cause I'm tired.... I'm busting my butt trying to master the technique because I keep doing too many reps. I'll do shorter sets today but why is the bar smacking my rib area hard enough to bruise it a little?

[Greg C]

Because your elbows are too low when the bar reaches the rack position. Here's an experiment for proof:

1. Rack the bar with 135# on it in the normal FS position. Lift your elbows as high as you can with fingers in contact with the bar. Note that the only points of contact are your shoulders and your throat. You probably feel like you are almost choking yourself in this position. This is the proper rack for any clean variation. You should receive the bar as close to this as possible every rep.

2. Now lower your elbows slowly without dumping the bar. Notice the increase in contact area as your elbows lower. Eventually, you contact the clavicle. Now think about eccentric motion (this means the bar is accelerating in the downward direction). Since it doesn't just stop when it contacts you, unless your elbows are high enough to prevent incidental contact, you will hit your clavicles and bruise.

I can't make it any clearer than this. Hope it helps.

[Moving_Target]

Plus, try to shrug your shoulders slightly on the rack. It will help. Been there, done that.

[shaddix]

Because your elbows are too low when the bar reaches the rack position. Here's an experiment for proof:

1. Rack the bar with 135# on it in the normal FS position. Lift your elbows as high as you can with fingers in contact with the bar. Note that the only points of contact are your shoulders and your throat. You probably feel like you are almost choking yourself in this position. This is the proper rack for any clean variation. You should receive the bar as close to this as possible every rep.

2. Now lower your elbows slowly without dumping the bar. Notice the increase in contact area as your elbows lower. Eventually, you contact the clavicle. Now think about eccentric motion (this means the bar is accelerating in the downward direction). Since it doesn't just stop when it contacts you, unless your elbows are high enough to prevent incidental contact, you will hit your clavicles and bruise.

I can't make it any clearer than this. Hope it helps.

Hey thanks a lot for this post, I wasn't racking the bar close enough to my neck.

[Greg C]

Glad it helped.