My Body's Version of a Clean & Jerk Hangover
After a nice WOD involving
Clean & Jerks my body is always left w/ a beautiful bruise on my chest. So, I have done a touch of research on the all knowing internet, and found a couple things.
- A lack of flexibility in the shoulders is a contributor causing the elbows not to get up to the appropriate catch level, and then the bar rests more on the chest=bruises.
- Yanking the bar into position, rather than having that nice fluid acceleration can jolt the bar to your chest=bruises.
Not even two weeks ago we were doing a MOB (Mobility stretch) at the box, and I was the LEAST flexible of ALL of my co-xfiters. It was slightly depressing, and I totally got called out since I am the YOGINI of the group. Since then I have vowed to work on my shoulder flexibility. Three times a week I am doing a MOB drill where you place the barbell on your shoulders as you would in a backsquat rack position, but this is an unloaded bar, and your goal is to bring your elbows up as high in the front as you possibly can. Man is it EVER tough. And yet, for all my Xfitting friends at the box that night it was a walk in the park. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Embrace your weakness. Make it your strength.
