My dentist's casual remark about jaw tension mirrored my clean grip issues

At my dentist's office, they mentioned my jaw tension during cleanings. It dawned on me that I carry the same stiffness into my clean setup, messing with my bar path. Take this with a grain of salt, but has anyone found that relaxing one muscle group improved another lift?

3 comments

3 Comments

jakep241mo ago

Never considered that until a coach pointed it out last year.

alexbrown1mo ago

Noticed how clenching my teeth during heavy pulls totally throws off my shoulder positioning. Tbh, I started doing jaw stretches before bench press, and it helped me keep my scapula retracted. Honestly, the mind-muscle connection for relaxation is as crucial as for contraction in compound lifts. Found that consciously relaxing my face during setup prevents that early elbow flare in the clean.

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nguyen.iris1mo ago

Isn't some jaw tension natural during maximal efforts? I've seen lifters perform better when they embrace that clenched feeling as part of their bracing sequence, tbh. Overemphasizing relaxation might just introduce another overthought variable into an already complex movement.