Let's all laugh at the clown trying to do powercleans

[confuzzl3don3]

Yup, heres a vid of me trying to do powercleans for the first time. I read through the SS section on it, and watched the bit on the DVD. Started with some hang cleans with the empty bar, then tried some power cleans with the empty bar before loading like 2.5kg at a time. Stopped at 35kg and called it a workout

Here's a set of 3 at 35kg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NBVeiH-Lbg

Thing's i noticed:
1) i don't think i rack high enough, as in elbows not pointing straight ahead when i rack it.
2) I don't seem to want to bend my legs much for the catch. I saw in the vid that most of the people were racking the bar with their legs bent a fair bit, then they stand up with it - not so extreme that it's a squat clean but still more than what i have. How could i work on this bending, it doesn't come natural to me, i just want to rack the bar standing up.

Sure there's tons of other things wrong so plz give me constructive criticism

Btw thought i'd chuck in a set of my squats to check that it's still ok.
Squats at 90kg.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYZBcwOiBh0
One thing i want to add about the squats is that my 3rd set is usually a lot worse than my first. Especially the last 2 or so reps. If this is the case, should i be slowing down my increase on the weight? or is it a function of just fatigue setting it and it is normal.

[nisora33]

Power clean:

You need to place at least another 45 lb. weight plate beneath each side of the barbell for your start: the barbell should be touching higher on your shins, probably another 2 inches higher. Place 45 pounders on the barbell on the floor as if you're going to lift, see where the barbell touches you on the shins, then stack enough plates underneath it for your work weight so that it touches roughly the same place.

Okay, now for your technique. Stomp your feet harder after you finish the jump. Slam your elbows up toward the ceiling aggressively for the rack. Do those two things, and you'll be doing much better.

You're also catching the barbell in the rack position with your hips thrust forward instead of with your hips more or less plumb with your midfoot and shoulders, like the picture on the right: http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/PPIssues1.jpg

Back squat:

Actually these aren't terrible, confuzzled. Some good hip drive here, but on the last couple of reps or so you're borderline shooting your hips, so you've got to fight like hell to squeeze your chest "UP, UP, UP!" as you start getting tired.

All around, not a bad job on either of your lifts, especially with the power clean, which you've only just started to learn, and especially considering that you've been learning them all by yourself. But you've got to practice the power cleans a lot more, and since the weight isn't all that heavy for you yet, you can probably get away with practicing them two times a week until you feel more confident at them.

Oh yeah, and gain some weight, NOW!!!.

-Stacey

[stronger]

On the powerclean you need to think more about a violent explosion. That was more like a puff of feathers. I thought the squat looked pretty good.


watch how this guy explodes it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tXcS0Xp1aE

It will be necessary to figure out how to do that if you intend to move heavy weights

[confuzzl3don3]

Thanks all for the great advice. Should i try to add some more weight to the bar for the cleans so i don't use my arms as much to lift them? Also how do you cue your forearms not to tighten so much when you grip the bar. I find that if my grip is too tight then my forearms tighten and i end up pulling the bar up with my arms rather than cleaning the weight up.

[stronger]

Thanks all for the great advice. Should i try to add some more weight to the bar for the cleans so i don't use my arms as much to lift them? Also how do you cue your forearms not to tighten so much when you grip the bar. I find that if my grip is too tight then my forearms tighten and i end up pulling the bar up with my arms rather than cleaning the weight up.

are you using chalk? This might not be the solution to your problem, but chalking up is extremely helpful on this lift the heavier it gets.

[confuzzl3don3]

Good advice. I'll try that. I currently just chalk for deads and sometimes bench when my hands get too sweaty

[nisora33]

Also how do you cue your forearms not to tighten so much when you grip the bar. I find that if my grip is too tight then my forearms tighten and i end up pulling the bar up with my arms rather than cleaning the weight up.

Use a hook grip (it's in the book for pete's sake). Also, hook grip or not, it's still possible to end up pulling with the arms. The cue for not pulling with the arms is also in the book.

I think its time you reread Starting Strength, confuzzled. We're getting into spoon-feeding territory here.

[confuzzl3don3]

Sure thing boss

[tescott]

One thing that's not explicitly in SS, but is really emphasised in a Bill Starr article I read on the PC, is that you need to rack the bar in a position such that you aren't leaning back. Stacey already mentioned this, but just to add a que: a good way to think about racking it is as if it's the top of a front squat, with the your butt pushed back a little and a tiny bit of forward lean.