Question for the weightlifters

terryhollands said:Been changing my front squat technique from arms crossed and been having flexibility issues, finally got to the point of getting the bar on my chest. I feel like it's my wrist and hand is causing the issue and tonight I have finished training and my hand is very swollen. Anyone suffered with this and also any stretches guys do to help stretch the wrists out?

slimsim said:How are you holding the bar? Is it resting on your shoulders with just your fingertips under it or are you trying to fully grip it?

The former requires less flexibility so doing this would be a good starting point if you aren't already.

OwenL said:
Theres people more qualified to comment than me, but i too found pain in my wrists, although my wrists werent the problem.
My lats, triceps, and posterior shoulder capsules prevented me from being able to rack the bar pain free for a while. Of course stretching wrists can help too. Its probably tight biceps and chest too!
Banded rack positions, banded wrists stretches, sleeper stretches, tricep smashes (rolling triceps over a barbell), and generic shoulder external rotation stretches. Foam rolling thoracic spine region too may help.
Id try them first, holding them stretches for 2 mins at least at a time.
Thats my 2p worth

EDIT: Perseverance helped me the most, i used to front squat with just 3 fingers on the bar helped me front squat more....but didnt really improve anything else. Taking it steady and maintaining all my hand on the bar whilst cleaning/front squatting helped the most.

kirkynick said:I'm not a weightlifter but I found this stretch good. But I did on myself.

OwenL said:^^

In ny experience, 2/3 fingers might help you in the short term if all you want to do is front squat more, but as a weightlifter I'd rather be able to clean the bar and keep 4 fingers under it, to prepare for the jerk. & I've snapped all kindsa s**t up in my fingers when the bar slipped down my delts and I had 2 fingers to try n hold 150+ up with lol

As for the thick bar, weightlifting bars are 28mm. If you rack em properly, behind the front delts & just before the collarbone, it shouldn't (& doesn't) hurt at all.

VanillaGorilla said:Owen touched on it Terry.

This is the most influential statement I have used, and passed on to others, regarding rack position:

'If your upper back and shoulder flexibility is greater, your elbows will be higher and there will be less extension at the wrist.'

It sounds obvious but many people fail to take it on board. The wrist isn't designed to be extended to 90 degrees or more with a load, so elbows higher will reduce that angle.

Simple