Figures 6-1 and 6-2, elbow position in clean

[Paul1]

I've been getting discouraged because there is simply no prayer of me racking a clean with the high elbows pointing straight forward (as in figure 6-10). I put my elbows that high and my fingertips are 2 inches behind my shoulders.

But then I was reading through the power clean chapter, and Bill Starr in 6-1 has his elbows pointing decidedly downward by comparison; and even Pflugfelder in 6-2 has his elbows considerably farther down than the guy in 6-10.

Starr's rack position is actually something I could achieve, or maybe could get too just from improving wrist flexibility. Is his arm position within the range of what you'd consider an acceptable rack for teaching purposes?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Post a picture of your grip width.

[Paul1]

So, I've played with several grip widths to try and get a decent rack. Just to get the weight up I've mainly used a wider grip, a little narrower than bench press width -- that is the photo on the left. I think tricep and / or lat flexibility limits my ability to get my elbows up with that width.

The middle and the right-hand picture are with a width similar to the one I use for the press. This allows me to get my elbows up a lot more, but in this case it is my wrist flexibility that limits it -- this may be getting a little better over time, but it is really hard to transfer the weight from my hand to the rack position mid-clean with this wrist flexibility problem.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It appears that all three positions have the bar firmly on your deltoids, despite long forearms. So it boils down to the one that lets you rack the bar the fastest. I'll bet the wide one.

[Paul1]

So the more vertical arm position with the wider grip is ok? It's definitely faster. I'm not sure how securely I can bear weight on the deltoids with that wider grip though, I think the bar is on my clavicles as much as it is on my deltoids.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You have to rack a clean fast. You may also have to learn to hold it there without dropping it. The wider grip is definitely the one you want to use.

[Paul1]

I've been practicing some light, highish rep front squats (~10-12) at the end of workouts both as an assistance lift and to get some comfort handling weight in that position. I've also started working on Greg Everett's drill of holding the bar sort of in an upright row position and sort of flipping it up to the rack position. I'm basically doing that one with an empty bar or with 10 lb bumpers just to learn the speed. Between that and wrist stretches hopefully I can make some progress. I've cleaned 185 up onto my shoulders a few times but my working weight is a lot lower (usually 165) just because of racking issues -- probably as much coordination and comfort as it is anthropometry.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It's coming along, but don't be afraid to challenge the 3RM as often as possible.