Topic: Collarbone Bruises

[Brian Bies]

Quick question on racking the bar for front squats and cleans.  I've heard from most people that you want to rack the bar on your shoulders during both lifts, but after a heavy workout I always have big bruises on my collarbones, as though the weight were resting on them the whole time.

The pain isn't really an issue, but I hadn't heard of this before and thought it might be a sign that my form was off.  As an afterthought, should my shoulder blades be pulled together while the bar is racked (like during a back squat)?

Thanks!

[Andy Dick]

shoulder blades should be pushed apart and elbows pushed forward.  probably best to put a pic up so we can see where you have the bar placed.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Think doing a bodybuilder lat spread (spread those clavicles wide) - the motion raises the front delts and brings them forward.  As a result, the bar should not contact your clavicles.

As mentioned above, pictures do help so please attach when your respond.

All the best,
 Arden

[Dave Almeida]

Its just part of weightlifting. The chinese lifters can be seen with this all the time.

[Tom Weary]

This too shall pass.  Sometimes my wife points out collarbone bruises after front squats/cleans or delt bruises after back squats.  It happens.  No big deal.  Not a technique problem.  Don't worry about it.

On cleans, focus on meeting the bar.  Never let it crash down on you - then you've overpulled and miss-timed the lift.

[Les Kernodle]

it happens , used to have them often , ... if I recall correctly back in the 70s the great Russ Knipp had some type of rubber protection the fit over his head to protect his collarbone from just such a problem.
(not sure as it been over 30 years may have been someone else I saw with it). it was a small bit of thin rubber material with a hole cut out to fit the head thru and with a slightly longer part in front that went just beyond the collarbones
NOt sure if he fashioned it or had it made ...maybe one of Russ's old training buddies is out there .
after I saw it ... I did a similar thing as I had some 1/8 thick rubber from working at a "rubber stamp company" that came in big sheets , I made a very crude thing to slip on ,,, mainly when I did front squats, push jerks, jerk off rack , etc.. which was when it hurt the most.  I seldom used it when doing the complete C&J lift  itself as it was a little bothersome to the technique.
worked well on reps.
perhaps you could fashion something like that , maybe even leather would work .

[Mike Wittmer]

Probably nothing you are doing wrong, could be just the way you are built.  Some guys have high or low clavicles
and the angle between the S/C and A/C joints dictate whether you have a one, two, or three point rack.  I'm not sure, but this may be addressed in Artie's book.  Ideally, the bar will sit across the top of your sternum and both deltoids (the three point rack).  It sounds as though you have a one point rack, with the bar sitting over the
sternal/clavicular area, and not so much laterally over the deltoids.  Regardless, it is no big deal unless it is uncomfortable and you have a poor platform from which to jerk.  You might have a coach check out your positioning just to be sure.