First Power Clean check-up + Squat revisited

[BarbellSissy]

Here’s my squat and power clean videos for critique and comments. I’ve been working on my squat technique for a while now (since I got my shoes few weeks ago). This time 105 kg felt a lot lighter than last week. Hopefully that means there’s not horrible errors in my form… Here’s the last time I filmed myself squatting 95 kg.

New Squat video

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This was actually third time I did Cleans from the floor and not from the hang position. I think they actually look better than they felt. I guess there’s not enough “power” in them. What do you guys and gals think about them? One set with 40 kg is there for comparison.

Power Clean video


Thank you all in advance for all comments and advices. Any comments are welcome.

[RobCor]

Regarding the clean, your hips should be a bit lower before your pull. Your back is parallel to the floor. You aren't really squeezing your chest up enough, I don't think. Also, you pause before you jump. That pause needs to go away.

Your squats look ok, though I can't see if you're properly extending your back. It would also be ideal if your knees did not travel forward as you hit the bottom of each rep, either. Your knees should stay pretty still after about 1/3 of the way down.

[BarbellSissy]

Regarding the clean, your hips should be a bit lower before your pull. Your back is parallel to the floor. You aren't really squeezing your chest up enough, I don't think. Also, you pause before you jump. That pause needs to go away.

Your squats look ok, though I can't see if you're properly extending your back. It would also be ideal if your knees did not travel forward as you hit the bottom of each rep, either. Your knees should stay pretty still after about 1/3 of the way down.

RobCor, thanks for your helpful comments.

I've tried raising the chest up hard, will try harder from now on. I thought Clean started with the deadlift and in deadlift you are not supposed to drop your hips after shins hit the bar? But now I see that some reps I did start with better back angle (not parallel) so there should be room for more chest squeezing, as you said.

Sorry about the squat video, the cage in my gym is pretty small and it really blocks the view, should have taped one set from different angle. I've been working on the knees for a while now, and I guess I'll work on them some more Is it a bad problem if the knees come that much/fast backwards on the way up?

[Kje_simen]

Regarding the starting position on the clean. If you follow Rips recipe and still end up with your back parallell to the floor, chances are you have set the bar too close to you initially. Be sure that it is over the middle of your foot.

[Bloodninja666]

Those squats look really good. I also like the fact that you apparantly lift in a cave.

[BarbellSissy]

Those squats look really good. I also like the fact that you apparantly lift in a cave.

Heh, It's a good-ol-bomb-shelter-gym... Makes you feel manly.