Power Clean Help

[Sean Plant]

Hi Caleb,
I dropped the weight to 55 today - how’s it looking?

Thanks.

Power Clean 55x3x5 on Vimeo

[JD Keip]

(I'm not Caleb.) The bar is still rolling forward a little at the bottom. See the plate labels move a bit as you get tight?

Two things during the lift: lock your triceps; you have a bit of an arm pull as you anticipate the jump. Also, think about having the bar skim your chest on the way up.

Stealing from the Coaches' Q&A FAQ:

...Also, for those that want to see what power cleans performed with a vertical bar path should look like, here are a few examples. Power Clean Technique - Starting Strength on Vimeo

[Sean Plant]

Thanks JD

[Sean Plant]

Power Clean 57.5x3x5 on Vimeo

Struggling with consistency on the technique of this lift.

Is it dropping under the bar that I need to focus on?

Whatever I do I don’t seem to be able to stop the bar from rolling before I pull.

[JD Keip]

Power Clean 57.5x3x5 on Vimeo

Struggling with consistency on the technique of this lift.

Is it dropping under the bar that I need to focus on?

Whatever I do I don’t seem to be able to stop the bar from rolling before I pull.

Hm, about the same, although yeah your rack is worse at 57.5. Quarter squat down to receive the bar. (My racking gets sloppy near max, too, and I chafe the inner proximal skin on my thumb.)

Again, focus on locked out arms. Rotate elbows forward, then triceps, triceps, triceps in the first part of the lift. In warmups next time, you could practice the jump with locked arms, i.e. no racking, arms still locked on the way down.

Your trigger point on the thigh seemed to move up as the set went on, although I admit I don't have time to look at it in this level of detail at the moment.

Not to overload you, but you'll start to think about shrugging at extension, and faster in the first part of the lift. Fix the arms first, though. Look for straight arms on the video frame where your heels leave the floor.

[Sean Plant]

Thanks again JD

[Sean Plant]

Power Clean 55x3x5 on Vimeo

Tried 60 today but felt too heavy. Dropped it to 55 and felt better. Seriously considering getting help from a coach on this lift!

[JD Keip]

Power Clean 55x3x5 on Vimeo

Tried 60 today but felt too heavy. Dropped it to 55 and felt better. Seriously considering getting help from a coach on this lift!

These are better, less arm pull, although I get that you're repeating the weight. Power clean is one of those lifts where adding just a smidge of weight can make things fall apart, so don't get frustrated. You did fix the bar rolling forward of mid-foot at the setup

Again, at the setup and first part of the lift, point your elbows forward. Think unkind thoughts towards that bar. Gradually increase the speed of the first pull so that you're hitting the trigger point with some bar momentum.

Your last rack was really good, commit to elbows forward though.

A good in person coach will certainly speed the process up. Coaching quality will vary highly.

[jdalmas]

I am a novice, so take this advice with a **large** grain of salt, but, for me, there was one simple change that took the power clean from shit to workable for me:look up.

In the start position, I look straight forward, as you do. But, as I pull, I look more and more upward. This made all the difference in the world for me by making it possible for me to jump straight up (rather than shooting my hips forward; I believe it also made it much more natural to slightly rebend my knees once the bar passed them), and pull my shoulders back behind my hips. This also made it easier for me to confidently get into the rack position vs catching the bar in my hands. When looking straight ahead, I simply was not able to do any this and none of my reps were consistent, or good.

YMMV, but for me, so far, this has worked wonders. I mention only because you appear to be looking straight ahead during the entire pull.

[Sean Plant]

Thanks for the input.

I think these were better and just need to jump a little earlier so I go straight up rather than back.

VimeUhOh