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Thread: power clean or row

  1. #1
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    Default power clean or row

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    hi.
    i'm following SS which means performing PC's every other workout. however, i did pc's today and realised my form is crap. i've arranged to spend some time with a lifting coach to sort this out. the question is, should i replace pc's with bb rows and practice pc's with light weights until i get the form down. or, reset pc's to a lighter weight and continue with them? My pc's are not that heavy at 68kg.
    thanks
    Last edited by stef; 01-13-2010 at 01:13 PM. Reason: fixed title

  2. #2
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    I say practice with light weights, or just the bar until you feel comfortable with it. Read the chapter on power cleans again. It teaches it from the top/rack position down. The best way to learn IMO.

    I still have a ways to go with my power clean, but its getting better and better. and I find that it's a very fun exercise.

  3. #3
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    whats your D/L like? I've found my pcs closely follow my D/L at about 50%. If your form is suffering you may just be getting ahead of yourself in terms of weight. Dont worry about rows - focus on getting ur D/L up and your pcs should follow

  4. #4
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    I would do the PC's for a while. There's a lot of discussion on whether or not cleans are important for strength/the average joe in a gym, but in addition to the power component, they're just fun to do, and it's a nice skill to have if you want to be a well rounded lifter.

    As far as rowing, I'm at the point where I alternate my deadlifts with barbell rows, so I do my cleans but still get rows into my training.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by lesburn View Post
    hi.
    i'm following SS which means performing PC's every other workout. however, i did pc's today and realised my form is crap. i've arranged to spend some time with a lifting coach to sort this out. the question is, should i replace pc's with bb rows and practice pc's with light weights until i get the form down. or, reset pc's to a lighter weight and continue with them? My pc's are not that heavy at 68kg.
    thanks
    If you replace them with rows you'll practice them even less. Keep doing the PC's. I wouldn't drop the weights too light, either, as it's easier to get away with some technique quirks that won't work when they're heavier.

    Maybe try dropping the weight a bit (10 or 20%?), and working back up. Keep using your camera to spot your technique. Do you have the SS DVD?

  6. #6
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    Do the power cleans.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Testiclaw View Post
    I would do the PC's for a while. There's a lot of discussion on whether or not cleans are important for strength/the average joe in a gym, but in addition to the power component, they're just fun to do, and it's a nice skill to have if you want to be a well rounded lifter.
    Seconded.

    I'm one of those who firmly believe that cleans have zero carryover to most other athletic endeavors. Getting good at cleans makes you good at cleans. They won't help you swing a tennis racket or baseball bat or golf club any better or help you run faster or tackle anyone harder (they may help you jump a little higher because they essentially have you practicing weighted jumping...or toss a keg a little higher).

    BUT cleans are friggin' cool. They are a classic and highly respected barbell movement. I do them because I like being able to do cool stuff with a barbell. Cleans don't build strength and the power you learn to generate in them is specific to pulling about half your deadlift really fast off the floor and the carryover is only to very similar movements like snatches or tossing a keg overhead (carryover is a depressingly narrow, limited phenomenon). But cleans and snatches are just plain bad ass. I want very much to get good at them even though I believe that the strength built with squats and deadlifts is far more important.

    Keep working on the form with a weight you can handle properly (Back when I wanted to learn the full competition versions of the lift, I literally practiced all day whenever I could with a broomstick and then a couple times a day with a barbell). You'll get the form down soon enough and then you'll be adding weight till you're working with 40-60% of your deadlift. How cool will that be?

  8. #8
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    there's no question i'm going to continue with p.cleans. the thing is my form feels good when light (which probably masks the poor form). should i add rows until my cleans get heavier as p.cleans won't be taxing enough at light weights?
    As for my deadlifts. i am currently up to 3x5x155kg. my deads feel strong with lots left in the tank. am aiming for 200kg this year, which feels doable. i have deadlifted 185x1 before. going by my deads, i should be cleaning quite a bit more. which makes me think it's a techique related problem.

  9. #9
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    Are you really doing 3 sets of deads, or was that a typo?

    And I would still do power cleans with the lighter weight and add a bit each time (as you shoudl be). One good thing with PC's is that they help build your upper back which will have some carryover to press/bench. Don't fear it!

    Edit - Or are you saying you'll keep doing power cleans, but want to do rows in addition to them? I don't think that's necessary, but if you want to try it and can recover from it, give it a shot.
    Last edited by Paul Sousa; 01-13-2010 at 12:38 PM.

  10. #10
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    starting strength coach development program
    ha. typo. 1x155. going up 2.5kg each dead session. deading every other workout.

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