First novice workout involving power cleans - form critique please

[sgtmattbaker]

Coach, I have two videos of myself doing (or attempting to do) the power clean. I have done them before, although probably incorrect. This is the first time I have done them while following your novice program in SS:BBT. Also, when practicing the rack position, it always feels like I could slam the bar back into my adam's apple at any moment. Is that normal?

Here are the links to my videos.

Part 1:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...74879715086374

Part 2:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...15816674195732

To go ahead and warn you, the noise is rather loud. Absolutely nothing happens in the first 7 seconds of part 1. I was fiddling with the phone. Also, a question that is unrelated. I will eventually need a pair of wrist straps for heavier deadlifts. I was looking at these: http://www.prowriststraps.com/inc/sdetail/124733

Junk or not? I did not see any straps that were simply a long strap made out of seatbelt webbing like is shown in SS:BBT.

Thanks again.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Your cleans look fine. You'll only hit your pharynx once, and then you'll immediately figure out a way to not ever do it again while still racking the bar properly. It's just a matter of a fraction of an inch in position.

The straps you linked here are not the kind I like. If you read in BBT the paragraph on the seat belt straps, you also read why I don't like these. And you know all you need to know about making them yourself, so why are you asking me about buying the wrong kind? Laziness? A desire to get me in trouble with a bunch of ill-tempered equipment dealers?