Front Rack Strength for Bigger Cleans

A strong front rack position can be the difference between a missed or completed heavy clean or front squat. Improving your endurance in the front rack can help decrease time with barbell cycling by allowing you to keep a stable shelf and improve Bar path efficiency. While many factors can go into a successful lift let’s assume you have the following:

1. Full lower body mobility to maintain an upright torso in the bottom of a front squat or clean

2. Appropriate quad strength to eliminate early hip rise out of the bottom

3. A good front rack position. If not check HERE for how to improve your front rack position

For many lifters, cleans are won or lost by the dropping of the elbows. Once the elbows drop the efficiency of your leg drive is reduced making your legs functionally weaker. This results in a longer time under the weight of the bar increasing the chances that you’ll miss the lift. Dropped Elbows is the result of a weakness in the thoracic spine extensors. 

These muscles as a group work to keep the chest up and the elbows high. Consistently, the weakest point for most athletes based on muscle size compared to all other primary movers (ie your legs). When the above mentioned assumptions have been met; use the below exercises for accessory strength to help you develop the strength and endurance of these muscles to keep a solid upper back position. 

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Squat with Elbow Push Throughs

Use assistance as required at the ankle to achieve your ideal bottom position to allow you to spend increased time working on isolating the upper back muscles. Move in and out of good elbow position to develop improved awareness and endurance for repetitive tasks like thrusters.

Anderson Squat

A favorite of mine because it corrects for so many issues in the front squat/clean. This lift emphasizes your ability to generate raw power out of the bottom of a front squat targeting deficits in the upper back and quads. Really focus on hips and shoulders rising at the same rate.

Supra-Maximal Load Front Rack Iso Holds

Load these up 110-120%. Set the rack at or just below your regular height and stand up. Hold for time to improve pillar strength in the core for upright torso endurance.

Upper Back Extensions

Moving into true hypertrophy training of the upper back with these. You can use a bench as I have or substitute a GHD for more support. Work to move segmentally from the shoulders to the start of the lower back. Keep the lower back flat.

Seated Kettlebell Deadlifts

Again more hypertrophy training for the thoracic extensors. Emphasize a controlled lower to minimize movement at the lower back.

Stop neglecting your upper back strength! Need help getting out of pain in the front rack position or personalized accessory programming to target weak areas? Click below to schedule a free phone consultation to see how I can help you.

Maximize Your Front Rack Position

The front rack position can be a proud position for lifters or one of frustration. Developing a good front rack position improves the efficiency of the front squat, clean, jerk, and thrusters. This can reduce the number of missed lifts and improved barbell cycling, as a result of the elbows dropping and loss of a stable shelf to receive the barbell. 

There can be variability in each person’s front rack position but in general the front rack position demonstrates:

• Full Palm grip on the bar

• Hands just outside shoulder width

• Bar resting on deltoids not throat

• Upper arm parallel to ground

To meet this criteria mobility demands at the wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, and thoracic spine are required. Below is a breakdown of the mobility needs at each of these joints and how to address any restrictions. 

Wrist

WRIST EXTENSION.

With your hand fixed to the ground/box with fingers flat. Keep your elbow straight and rock your body forward. Look to see how far past your wrist your shoulder can reach before the heel of your hand lifts from the floor. The shoulder should pass the wrist and the forearm should be just past vertical.

WRIST PRONATION

The ability to get your palms facing the correction direction under the bar. Upper arms resting at your sides with elbows bent to 90 degrees. Turn your palms to face the floor keeping your elbows tucked at your side. Palms should comfortably face the floor. 

Elbow

ELBOW FLEXION

Arm at shoulder height. Bend the elbow and assess if you can touch your knuckles to the front of your shoulder, using some overpressure if needed. 

Note: if you can’t because of biceps or forearm muscle bulk this is where you will require greater mobility of the shoulder.

Shoulder

EXTERNAL ROTATION

Upper arm parallel to the floor and fingertips facing the ceiling. Assess how far you can rotate your forearm. Should be able to achieve at least 5 degrees of external rotation. 

LAT MOBILITY

Lie on your back with legs out straight and flat on the floor. Reach your arms up overhead and try to reach the floor. Assess if your lower back is already arching high off the floor. To further test the lats, bring your knees up to your chest. If your hands no longer touch the floor, lat restrictions are present. 

Hitting these mobilizations and achieving those benchmarks will help build comfort and efficiency into your front rack positions.

Need more specific mobility programming? Contact us for a personalized prescription!