Dropping the bar from the rack position

[AFI82]

I'm slowly getting better at getting under the bar quickly on Power Cleans. This means that I'm slowly adding more weight with each workout. My problem though, is that I don't have bumper plates.

I can pull and catch the bar pretty well. But now what do I do? I've only got a few fingertips on the bar. I can't grab it and set it down. I can't just dump it and let it bounce. That's sure to bend my bar, crack a weight, or cause some other unforeseen event.

So what are my options? The weight has gotten too heavy for me to safely control it down. I end up popping it off my chest and grabbing the bar in mid-air to slow it's descent. But I know this is going to mess up my shoulders if it keeps getting heavier.

[testblogedc]

Originally Posted by AFI82

I'm slowly getting better at getting under the bar quickly on Power Cleans. This means that I'm slowly adding more weight with each workout. My problem though, is that I don't have bumper plates.

I can pull and catch the bar pretty well. But now what do I do? I've only got a few fingertips on the bar. I can't grab it and set it down. I can't just dump it and let it bounce. That's sure to bend my bar, crack a weight, or cause some other unforeseen event.

So what are my options? The weight has gotten too heavy for me to safely control it down. I end up popping it off my chest and grabbing the bar in mid-air to slow it's descent. But I know this is going to mess up my shoulders if it keeps getting heavier.

You probably need to develop some more flexibility so that you can grab the bar while it's racked. That's what I do, followed by a controlled (yet still uncomfortable) drop onto my thighs, essentially a reverse clean. I've never cleaned more than 165, though.

[dmw]

I'll echo testblogedc- I can't drop the weights where I am either (although I do have bumber plates, just no platform so I guess if I had to...). Anyway, I just drop it back down to the thighs. Look up that famous Dimas training vid- he does that same thing when he does more than one rep of a powerclean or powersnatch.

[Aoife]

Can you manage this in a cage where the rack hooks will go up to near clean position? re-rack from there, then be able to grab the weight with better grip to lower it to the floor?

[Matthew]

Are you at home or in a gym?

If at home, you could rig some kind of thick thick padding where the plates will land. Pull it with the plates on the regular ground, then once it's racked take a couple steps forward and drop it on the padding. It'll absorb the force so your bar won't bend and the plates/ground won't crack.

[atltrainer]

You never want to try and save a lift. If you can not dump it use a weight that you handle safely.

If you want to work on your o lifts then you will need to go to a gym with bumpers. Cleans is one thing but if yo do snatches you will have to drop it at some time.

I am willing to bet that if there are not any bumpers than the bar is not all that good either. A nice bar will make a big difference.

[Carl Chia]

First of all, you have to develop the flexibility to grab the bar in the racking position.

Some ways to do so are simply stretch your wrist and make it go through as big a range of motion as you can by rotating it in both directions. Check this out http://stronglifts.com/how-to-stretc...at-experience/

Stretch your triceps as well. One way to do so is to lift your arm overhead and bend the elbow. Use the other arm to pull the elbow downwards and inwards to stretch the tricep.

Another way is get into the racking position with a loaded bar and grab it with your hands(might not be possible in your case so just use the fingers) and have someone push your elbows up slowly. Try to get the elbows as high as possible gradually and of course, grabbing it with the palms. An alternative for this is put the bar on the back instead; on the traps. Do the same thing.. Get those elbows up.

Do these a few times daily for a few sets of 20-30sec and you will gain the flexibility quickly.

For sub-maximal lifts, you will be able to drop the bar from the racking position to the thighs by doing this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0qUIn4BwWM Forward to 2:33

For max lifts, you are going to need a proper platform which means a weightlifting club/facility.