Power clean- fingertip slip

[tdwaffle15]

Typically my pinky fingers slip off during my rack, and I'm left holding the bar across my other 3 fingers. This is fine, of course, but my globo doesn't have bumper plates so I have to lower the weight. It's getting harder to lower the bar this way as the weight increases, as I'm essentially gripping the weight between my pinky and ring fingers. Has anyone else dealt with this problem, and how so? Does it remain manageable even as the weights scale up?

A separate, less important issue- by the end of 5 sets of cleans, the skin on the back of my thumb knuckles become torn from the knurling on the bar scraping there during my rack. I can eliminate this by taking a closer grip at the edge of the knurling, but this is closer than my natural grip. I'd prefer not to leave my DNA on the bar- could this be a technique issue, or is it more likely my anthropometry and I should just tape the area?

[Charles Staley]

HOW are the back of your thumb knuckles getting torn up from cleans? I cannot picture this at all

Typically my pinky fingers slip off during my rack, and I'm left holding the bar across my other 3 fingers. This is fine, of course, but my globo doesn't have bumper plates so I have to lower the weight. It's getting harder to lower the bar this way as the weight increases, as I'm essentially gripping the weight between my pinky and ring fingers. Has anyone else dealt with this problem, and how so? Does it remain manageable even as the weights scale up?

A separate, less important issue- by the end of 5 sets of cleans, the skin on the back of my thumb knuckles become torn from the knurling on the bar scraping there during my rack. I can eliminate this by taking a closer grip at the edge of the knurling, but this is closer than my natural grip. I'd prefer not to leave my DNA on the bar- could this be a technique issue, or is it more likely my anthropometry and I should just tape the area?

[tdwaffle15]

Huh, I had imagined this might be fairly common, but apparently not if you haven't seen this, Charles.

It happens as I'm driving my elbows up and through to rack; the back of my thumb (first knuckle) scrapes against the knurling before i reach the rack. It starts to blister with accumulation of reps, and usually one or both ends up bleeding freely.

Could this perhaps be a function of wrist angle, dictated by grip width? I know a video would make this much easier to understand, but it's unlikely I'll be able to procure one in the short run, and I don't want to waste your time with conjecture.

Any insight you can offer on my first question?

[Greg C]

Typically my pinky fingers slip off during my rack, and I'm left holding the bar across my other 3 fingers. This is fine, of course, but my globo doesn't have bumper plates so I have to lower the weight. It's getting harder to lower the bar this way as the weight increases, as I'm essentially gripping the weight between my pinky and ring fingers. Has anyone else dealt with this problem, and how so? Does it remain manageable even as the weights scale up?

A separate, less important issue- by the end of 5 sets of cleans, the skin on the back of my thumb knuckles become torn from the knurling on the bar scraping there during my rack. I can eliminate this by taking a closer grip at the edge of the knurling, but this is closer than my natural grip. I'd prefer not to leave my DNA on the bar- could this be a technique issue, or is it more likely my anthropometry and I should just tape the area?

Pinky - I've done this, and had it get scrapped up on the knurling as I lower the weight. This alone caused me to train myself to stop doing it.

Thumb - I assume you are hook gripping - I've had some abrasion of the thumb as I release the grip (not on the back though, not sure how the heck that happens), but the cure is simple - tape.

[tdwaffle15]

Thanks Greg.

Wasn't worried about scraping of the pinky (I'd just pop a few midol if that was my problem), I'm just finding it increasingly difficult to lower the weight under control with only three fingers. I guess I was looking at it as this 3 fingered rack was natural for me so I shouldn't try to change that, but I'll see if I can break the habit without choking myself out in the rack.

Yeah, tape has been the solution so far, and I guess it's not that great of an inconvenience. And yes to hook grip.

[Bergie]

I almost always lose grip with my pinkie fingers. Like you I am using iron plates for my cleans and have to lower the bar with just three fingers of each hand. So far I have gotten up to 150# with too much difficulties.

Although I have lost the grip of two fingers a few times and twice I have lost contact with the bar entirely except for it resting on my delts. In those cases I sort rolled the bar down my arms and caught it with my forearms at the elbow then a quick yet controlled roll to my hands.

I have not had the issue with the scrapping of the thumb. Do you use chalk?

[MazdaMatt]

Can you try just popping the weight up a little before you drop it down so you can regain your grip when the bar is light?

[isis]

I use a two-fingered rack. When I want to lower the bar, I let it out of my hands just far enough that my fingers are clear, then catch it on the way down with a whole hand grip.

[stronger]

you could pop the bar up after you have racked it. Watch a few videos of olympic lifters coming out of the clean in the clean and jerk. The bar jumps off their shoulders from the force of the clean, so you could probably pop it up a little and manage to get a better grip that way. Works for me when setting up for the jerk

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Hi,

I've had the scrape you describe, and it bled. I taped it, but only for the time it took to heal. After that, no more scraping. I suspect the skin got used to it, and just grew thicker.
But if it's a problem for you, I think taping is fine.

IPB