Critique my Squat + Deadlift + Press + Power Clean

[rivo]

I've been working hard on my technique but I still feel I could use some criticism:



Here are my comments:

Squat: I have trouble keeping the bar path straight, especially during the last few reps. My hips seem to go up faster than my upper back does. Don't really know what to do about that. (Advice?)

Deadlift: Should my back be more horizontal than this?

Press: Most problems with this one. I have trouble keeping the bar close to the face, probably because I'm scared to hit my skull with the bar on the way down or up. (I actually slammed it into my chin once trying to get closer.) Any advice is appreciated.

Power Clean: Not too many problems. Do my elbows need to point forward more? Is my grip too wide?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Tom Campitelli]

Squat - you are going a little too deep and relaxing to get there. Drive up with hips and avoid lifting the chest mid way through the movement. Otherwise, it looks fine.

Press - you are trying to move the bar around your head. Reach forward with your hips, thereby getting your head out of the way, and drive the bar straight up. As soon as it passes your head, bring your hips back.

Others can discuss your deadlift and clean.

You need to find yourself a 7-foot long rotating sleeve barbell. Cleans are going to get difficult with the equipment you are using.

[Dastardly]

LOL

I am really sorry but I couldnt take this seriously. Just looks too funny. Were you actually using dip bars as a squat stands?

For what its worth your lifts didnt look that bad. But I think you need a better gym.

[rivo]

Yes, I was. ;-) I train in two gyms and this one is not so well equipped so I have to be somewhat creative. The other one has proper racks (as well as the long rotating sleeve barbells) but their smallest plates are 1.25kg, forcing me to increase by a minimum of 5.5lbs (which I find hard especially for the Press).

@TomC: Thanks for the feedback. I actually used to do ATG squats but I'm trying to unlearn them now. I don't recall consciously lifting the chest but I will watch that more closely. About the Press, I understand my mistake is in moving the bar when I should keep it straight and move my body (hips) instead. I'll try that, thanks!

[Chode]

With the pulls, you raise your hips really quickly to the point where halfway through the movement your knees are already locked out. In the PC you actually lock them out and then unlock them. I think this is something like a straight leg deadlift? Try not to power your hips up too quickly because how are you meant to jump in the PC if your knees are already straight?

Also yes, your back angle is too vertical.

[rivo]

My understanding was that the first part of the deadlift (and the power clean, for that matter) was mostly leg work because the bar needs to pass the knees first. But knee lockout needs to happen later in the deadlift and not before the jump in the power clean, is that what you're saying?

[Chode]

My understanding was that the first part of the deadlift (and the power clean, for that matter) was mostly leg work because the bar needs to pass the knees first. But knee lockout needs to happen later in the deadlift and not before the jump in the power clean, is that what you're saying?

Yes. By locking your knees out early on in the pull you are effectively removing leg work from the rest of the movement. I'll need some backup on this, but if you notice how you almost fell backwards on ur first DL rep you can see that by straightening your legs early you have moved the bar path behind the mid-foot, and have put yourself off balance. It's probably easy to fix.

[rivo]

Ok, so I'm doing them this way now, locking out the knees only at the end. It doesn't feel very different but I'll keep it that way if it's better.

It doesn't give me more jumping power during the PC, however. I've always found that the range of motion during the jump is fairly small if the bar has to start on my thighs. Jumping without a bar, I'd go way deeper but with a bar on my thighs and my arms straight and relaxed, I can only bend my knees so far. I guess a wider grip would allow me to go lower but that would interfere with the elbows-up at the end of the jump.

[Dastardly]

Try jumping from a 2nd pull position. Basically just very slightly bent at hips and knees. You will find that you can jump pretty much the same as with bent legs. The power comes from the hips/glutes. They provide a really explosive punch which is important in real life jumping and leaping as well as barbell quick lifts.

Dont stress too much on the sequence of the power clean/pulling. It will only confuse you and possibly make things worse. It is a very natural movement. Observe cue's like:

Rack: catch it in a grip in which you could comfortably front squat (your elbows need to be higher)

Finish Position: also land in a stance in which you could do a front squat if you wanted to. Finish in a quarter front squat position, practice the position and get into it every time. Your torso will be bent slightly forwards and you will be bend at the hip. Trying to stay vertical will cause you to slump back like you are currently doing.

I think these are the only things you need to focus on right now, if you observe them everything else will be automatic. Again I stress, do not worry about when to straighten legs and such for now. Fix this important stuff and the rest will most likely happen by itself.

[rivo]

Ok, I'm doing that now. I guess I took Rip's "it's not a squat clean" too seriously. Thanks.