Checking in on my Power Clean

[Nick Klemetson]

Tom, Sully, and Stef really helped me out in this thread awhile ago, when I was agonizing to rack my power clean... http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=43583

Eventually, I started to get it, and this is where they are now...



I'm actually really pleased with the extension I'm getting.



The rack could still be faster, but it feels SO much better, and I don't hit my clavicle any more.

It looks like my jumping position is a little low, which could be causing an S-shaped bar path.

Any thoughts? Thank you all for your help.

[Nick D'Agostino]

Its time for you to start pulling from the floor. Rack looks much better then the previous thread videos. You need to keep your chest over the bar longer. The bold is what you will be cueing your self when your pulling from the floor the next time you train power cleans. Post another video after that session.

[Nick Klemetson]

You need to keep your chest over the bar longer.

Hi Nick,

Thanks for checking in. I've seen you give this advice several times to power clean checks, and it's confused me a bit in the past.

So I perused the Power Clean chapter in our favorite book. The first thing that caught my eye was the back angle at the jumping position of the person in Figure 6-13 (pg. 188). I examined further, and from pp. 202-203, Rip offers this advice...

The effective lifter will see the moment arm of the back as a tool with which to accelerate the bar more effectively. The same way a pitcher throws a ball by using the moment arm provided by the length of his forearm (no one would argue that a short arm is an advantage to a pitcher), the lifter accelerates the bar through the middle of the pull by using the length of the moment arm along the back as a tool.

So, by activating the triple extension too soon, I'm sacrificing the mechanical advantage provided by the moment arm between the hip and bar? I can definitely see how this would make a huge difference as max weights are approached. Is that what you're referring to with your cue?

And yes, I will definitely pull from the floor next time, since I'll FINALLY be using the big boy plates. Video to come next Friday.

[Nick D'Agostino]

Thats exactly what I'm referring to with that cue. You are raising your chest to soon and prematurely shortening a lever arm you could be using to accelerate the bar. I apologize for the plate comment. At first glance I assumed what you were using were 45's. Keep up the good work.

[Nick Klemetson]

It's all good. I really appreciate the help and the clarification on the cue.

[Nick D'Agostino]

No prob man.

[Nick Klemetson]

Here's a set from today... 135x3.

I tried to really focus on keeping myself out over the bar longer, and one of two things happened. Either I went back to the old way, or I didn't get fully extended on the jump and caught the bar in my hands.

I understand the concept of the moment arm along the back, but I'm not fully executing it yet. Are there any other cues that might be helpful? It might just be that I need to work on it more. It's taken me months just to get to this point, but progress is being made.

As per the forum rules, I'll post 1 set, but I have four more available upon request. The one I posted here is the one I deemed the best, but I have others where I physically laugh at how much I'm struggling on each rep. The final set in particular is quite humorous.

This is set 2, I believe...

[Nick D'Agostino]

These are not that bad, just keep practicing. Post the final set when you get a chance.

[Nick Klemetson]

Here's the 5th set, complete with me looking spastic trying to practice "chest over" without the bar, laughing at how slow the first rep was, and just giving up completely and barely catching the last rep, saying "Jeez..." as I catch it.

Will this cue come naturally as the bar gets heavier, since I'm going to eventually need that extra "whip" of the moment arm to get the bar up?

[Nick D'Agostino]

No, unfortunately this is not something that will just go away as you get stronger. When your doing that little drill before your set just jump straight up from that position. Try to get you head to touch the ceiling. Right now do not think about doing an imaginary rack, just exploding from that position.