Clean and Press?

[MashedTaters]

From Bill Starr, The Press Part 1:

"When learning how to press, clean the weights rather than taking a bar off the racks. Believe it or not, that makes the lift easier. And if your primary goal is a solid fitness base, clean and press each rep. It's a perfect push-pull exercise."

I don't care about making the lift easier, but I am very interested in the idea of a "solid fitness base." As I see it, that dovetails perfectly with SS, especially for me, since I don't do any of the "cleaning" lifts. Also, before learning about SS, I actually used to do this very thing for 45x25x3. Kicked my ass, but I felt I was giving myself a total body workout, sorta. So, I guess that's why Starr's statement piqued my interest.

Have any of you ever thought about this, or do this, or discussed it with any of the SS coaches?

[carson]

I think Starr is right. It's quite logical. However, I can't clean. I lack the flexibility. I tried the power snatch and passed out. Heck, I can't even do the LBBS, without a harness. I'm a physical wreck, but I guess that is what happens after 68 years. Still, if one can do the clean and press or clean and jerk it is a wonderful full body exercise.

Go for it, young man.

[bob g]

You may want to consider when to add the C&P to your routine. The clean is the most technical of the SS lifts and will have a learning curve. I wouldn't use these as substitutes for presses but treat them as a separate lift. If you are in the early stages of linear progression doing these, instead of presses taken from the rack, could really slow the gains normally found during LP.

On the other hand, as Carson said, the C&P is awesome. If you like them, go for it.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I did the clean (sort of) and jerk (sort of) for around 6 months. Like Carson, my flexibility to do cleans well sucks, but I still did them and do them because they are fun and a very complete movement in one. But now I split them up into the clean (still sort of) and the press into two distinct lifts during the same session. Also fun.

[BrooklynJerry]

Well due to the set up in my garage can't press from the squat rack so I clean before I press. I do the cleans from the hand position.since I am using less then 100 lbs this has not been a problem.

[John Janecek]

Love to clean+press.. sets of 5's will work everything. I mean everything....

I lower the bar to my shoulders then to the ground till I cant anymore then just drop each rep...

[John Janecek]

Love to clean+press..

Sets of 5's will work everything. I mean everything....

I lower the bar to my shoulders then to the ground till I cant anymore then just drop each rep...

For me this is also a GREAT warmup for squats...

Will turn 50 in Aug..

[MashedTaters]

Thanks for stoppin' by, guys.

Well, damn. Once again, I should've searched first. I found 2 nuggets from Rip (paraphrased):

1) it will get everything strong,

however,

2) the optimum grip for each exercise is different.

So, John J., if you're still out there, do you reset your grip before pressing, or do you just find a, uh, "compromise" grip? And, one more question: do you do a press per SSBBT or a push press?

I tried this yesterday. Holy shit; it's damned hard! My presses are at 115x5 and I tried to C&P 105. I was only able to get 3 sets of 2, and I'm sure my form was shit. Nevertheless, I want to incorporate this somehow into my schedule. I really like the idea of working as many muscle groups at once, but a little more research is in order, methinks.

[John Janecek]

I rarely move my grip from where I clean it off the ground. I am just a bit wider than a thumb length from the smooth part/middle..

I do a regular push press, I've done them for so long when I went to WF and had Rip teach me his new press version I had a hard time doing it that way. He said something like I'd done so much push pressing for my olympic lifting I'm more use to it..

After the clean the bar is racked on my shoulders with the edge of my fingers under it just like I'm going to jerk overhead. I start the drive with my legs to get the bar off my shoulders..

Hope that makes sense?

[Bestafter60]

I clean the bar to my shoulders and do a set of 5, rest, repeat. Due to a growth in my wrist joint I cannot fully extend my wrist for a proper clean. So I clean to a non-stationary point just above my shoulders and perform the set. The clean really is fun, andmI'm strong enough to do it, but its very painful if my wrist flexes back beyond 40 degrees. I currently press 110.
Are you guys talking about cleaning and pressing for one rep, the repeating? if so, hats off to ya!