Clean - flexibility

**mutex8** · Posted On: 6/07/2007 7:16pm

Just learned this lift. I cannot catch the bar so that my elbows are pointing forward rather than down. It seems to be flexibility problem in the upper back / shoulders. Advice on exercises / stretches to fix this?

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 6/08/2007 7:16am

I had the same problem. I didn't do anything specific, just let the lift strech me out.

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 6/08/2007 8:23am

As PJ said, let the lift stretch you out. I have the same problem when lifting above a certain weight btw. It's the triceps, forearms, wrists and shoulders. What I do is I warm up with an unloaded bar, and I let it stretch me (as PJ suggested).

Also, you can stretch yourself. Take one arm and position it just as it would be at the end of the clean, and use the other arm to bring the back of your hand as close as possible to your shoulder, palm facing up and with the elbow pointing forward. Same with the other arm, rinse and repeat.

**PirateJon** · Posted On: 6/08/2007 12:21pm

Oh and wwhile I was getting the form right I wasn't using heavy weights. just like the bar + 20lbs. Didn't take long - maybe 3 weeks.

**LI GUY 1** · Posted On: 6/09/2007 3:29am

Is the problem in your wrists? Anyways I would just do front squats using the clean grip with light weight and add more weight to stretch everything. My wrists were initially not flexible enough to front squat using the clean grip, so I just kept front squatting and now they re fine.

**mutex8** · Posted On: 6/10/2007 9:14am

Did a couple of sessions after I posted with an unloaded bar just to work on technique. I'm getting there; El Macho and Pirate Jon were right: the lift is stretching me out.

**Sh0t** · Posted On: 6/10/2007 5:52pm

It comes pretty quickly.

My teacher had me do fingers-rearward planche type pushups to help.

**death pig** · Posted On: 6/15/2007 7:41am

I find I get better form if I concentrate on the fact that it's an explosive "whip" type lift in which the bar will arc away from your body. It just seems to land in a better position that way.