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Thread: Will someone please help me correct my girlfriend's powerclean

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
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    Default Will someone please help me correct my girlfriend's powerclean

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    Hello. Before I begin with a message relating to the subject title, I would like to thank Mr Rippetoe for writing starting strength and practical programming. I began lifting at the age of 21 and wasted 11 years, getting frustrated at not progressing past half decent. Once I read starting strength at 32 years of age, everything just suddenly became clear. I did novice LP with 5s, two runs of Texas method with 5s, then rotating 3s doubles and singles, 4 day split with 8s, heavy light medium with 5s and 3s and back on Texas method with 5s. Those two books have got me the strongest I have ever been (strongest man on my ship (750 personnel)) and as a side effect I also look the best I ever have. So very happy indeed.

    Anyway, my problem. My girlfriend had been training long before we got together, always a sort of circuit training with weights kind of thing. But decided she'd like to try the method I was doing as she is intelligent and could see it worked. I was doing Texas method at the time but I put her onto novice LP and sure enough it worked. She did heavy light medium with me after that (reason is we both have military fitness tests to pass annually and this setup seemed best to get some running in) and now we're both on Texas method with her doing the recommended female approach with 3s detailed towards the end of the book.

    The problem is, she is not the most coordinated person. It took a while longer than I thought to get her technique right on all exercises. But she now has squat, deadlift, bench and overhead spot on. Powersnatch is beginning to finally look pretty good, but my god her powerclean just looks clumsy. I have read the description in the book over and over and watched the starting strength YouTube videos. But I just cannot get her to stop arm pulling and I can't get her to get elbows up on the catch. She won't leave loose of her grip either as I thought maybe the elbows would not go up because of wrist flexibility?

    So I'm hoping someone with a good coaching eye might look at her powerclean at this link and give me some ideas what I can say to her to help her get it: Cheryl powerclean - YouTube

    As a slightly amusing side anecdote, it took a while for the chest up cue to suddenly click into place during her deadlift set up. She says she finally got it when she reached into her handbag on the floor while sat on the loo while trying not to lose her sunglasses balanced on top of her head. Apparantly the spinal position required to not lose sunglasses while leaning forward on the toilet is the same as that achieved by chest up in the deadlift!

    Thank you

  2. #2
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    Welcome to the forums!

    I agree with you that the two biggest issues are: she's pulling with her arms and she is racking the bar in her hands.

    For the arm pull, watch this: In Depth on the Arm Pull | On the Platform - YouTube
    Don't make your girlfriend watch it, you may not have one afterward (it's 30 min long!!).

    As in the video, have her start in the jumping position, and have her jump with completely locked arms, making no effort to rack the bar. If done correctly, she should feel the bar slam up into her palms. This will help her to learn the "feel" of a straight arm power clean.

    As for the rack position, can she get into a proper front squat rack position, without cleaning the bar? She may have to widen her grip to achieve a proper rack. Make sure she open her hand, letting the bar roll into the fingers onto the anterior delts.

    If she can do this, then she has to decide to "jump and catch" by slamming the elbows up. Fixing the arm pull will help with this.

    If she can't get into a proper front squat rack position even without the clean, there are stretches in the book and on youtube that will help with this, over time. I assume she's just not letting go of the bar.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Franklin View Post
    Welcome to the forums!
    Thank you and thanks for your reply.

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Franklin View Post
    I agree with you that the two biggest issues are: she's pulling with her arms and she is racking the bar in her hands.
    She will be pleased to know I was correct! Haha

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Franklin View Post
    For the arm pull, watch this: In Depth on the Arm Pull | On the Platform - YouTube
    Don't make your girlfriend watch it, you may not have one afterward (it's 30 min long!!).

    As in the video, have her start in the jumping position, and have her jump with completely locked arms, making no effort to rack the bar. If done correctly, she should feel the bar slam up into her palms. This will help her to learn the "feel" of a straight arm power clean.
    I remember watching this one. I'll give it a good watch again and get her to do those drills. Maybe addding those drills in on non powercleaning days will be worthwhile too? Without actually doing any powerccleans.

    I think I will make her watch it too though. The number of times I've had to sit through Scottish Premiership football with her (I hate Football (Soccer)), she can sit through a weightlifting technique video with me, haha.

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Franklin View Post
    As for the rack position, can she get into a proper front squat rack position, without cleaning the bar? She may have to widen her grip to achieve a proper rack. Make sure she open her hand, letting the bar roll into the fingers onto the anterior delts.
    Yes, after some shuffling around, but it does look very awkward for her and it must cause her discomfort because she can't hold the position long.

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Franklin View Post
    If she can do this, then she has to decide to "jump and catch" by slamming the elbows up. Fixing the arm pull will help with this.
    Thanks, I didn't know the two problems were related.

    Quote Originally Posted by Adam Franklin View Post
    If she can't get into a proper front squat rack position even without the clean, there are stretches in the book and on youtube that will help with this, over time. I assume she's just not letting go of the bar.
    I think it may be a confidence thing when she doesn't let her grip come away to get the bar on the finger tips, or maybe it's because we haven't corrected the problem quick enough and now the wrong way is so embedded.

    I've notice myself that once I get to 100 kg (220 lb) on powerclean that I end up fully gripping the bar at the rack, I just can't seem to let go at that weight for some reason. It annoys me, but I just about have the wrist flexibility to get away with it.

    Again, thanks for your reply. I appreciate you having taken the time.

  4. #4
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    Two things I notice that Adam didn't mention:

    The elbows are pointing back. Rotating them outwards (rotating the arms internally) should help.

    Use a hook grip, this will help her relax her arms.

  5. #5
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    Thanks Gallon, she doesn't use a hook grip at the moment. I'll try that. She was doing internal arm rotation a while back. Must have let that drift off.

  6. #6
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    The hook grip also makes it way easier to open the hands in the rack position as the thumb won't be in the way of unwrapping the fingers around the bar.

  7. #7
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    All points made are fine and I agree with all of them.

    That being said, the weight also is simply too high.

    And far more fundamental: If your girlfriend wishes to learn the power clean - great. But she doesnt have to if her goals are general strength, let alone physique related or even sports. For power production, simply show her weighted trap bar (or dumbbell or barbell) jumps. If she for some reason wants to have another Olympic exercise apart from power snatches that has more hip extension than jumps - show her pulls. Simple technique (but not easy!), very rewarding, perfect for non-Oly-lifters or trainees like your girlfriend.
    Last edited by Marenghi; 05-23-2017 at 07:30 AM.

  8. #8
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    ^ "Weighted trap bar (or dumbbell or barbell) jumps" = terrible advice. Especially for someone who was described by the OP as one who "is not the most coordinated person".

  9. #9
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    I have good experiences with jumps and pulls for less coordinated persons as theyre technically much easier to perform correctly than power cleans. Especially the trap bar deadlift is great because it lowers the COG. Try it yourself!
    Last edited by Marenghi; 05-23-2017 at 08:53 AM.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by Chebass88 View Post
    ^ "Weighted trap bar (or dumbbell or barbell) jumps" = terrible advice. Especially for someone who was described by the OP as one who "is not the most coordinated person".
    Is the context of coordination, jumps of any sort are probably easier to get a person to do than power cleans. By far.

    Quote Originally Posted by Marenghi View Post
    I have good experiences with jumps and pulls for less coordinated persons as theyre technically much easier to perform correctly than power cleans. Especially the trap bar deadlift is great because it lowers the COG. Try it yourself!
    But I don't know if this person needs any extra weight at all, could probably just perform the "jumps".

    Clean pulls are good for this situation IMO, tho.

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