Reply With QuoteLook up Craig Bears. I believe he is in Vancouver
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Form check Power clean (power ugly) and Deadlift
Hello
I'm 6ft, 247. I am 7 months into SS program. I am asking for a form check on a movement I call a power ugly. It is not a power clean because it does not hit my thighs on the way up. I took a month off of power cleans and replaced them with bent over rows. This I believe had a detrimental effect on my deadlift. On deadlift I got to 460 for 4 reps. It felt off. Next time I loaded 465 expecting to get 5 reps. I didn't get any reps and form felt way off. I reset the deadlift down to 435 x 5 adding 5lb a workout (I currently deadlift once per week). I am back up to 455 x 5 and form feels much better. Yet not perfect. The power clean I continued to add 5lbs to each time. My thinking was as long as my deadlift goes up it was better to have a bad power clean, then to drop weight off the bar or switch again for a bent over row.
Right now I have a deadlift I would like to improve and continue to drive up. I have a very ugly power clean which I need to change and I'm not sure the best way to proceed.
I live in Vancouver BC Canada otherwise I would hit up a camp for coaching. Thank you for your time.
May 9, 2024 - YouTube
May 9, 2024 - YouTube
Starting Strength Coach
TMPHBITEU
Yeah, this is a row, not a clean. Craig is your man. And read the book.
Member
I have both blue and grey books, read them and now I bought the audio versions to listen to. I have the knowledge and have watched videos. My brain is malfunctioning on this one lift. It is one area of ss that I have not picked up correctly. I should have messaged on here moths before when it first went off.
That's okay. This post is a win. I messaged Craig on IG and the gym he trains at is close to me. Now I know there is an ssc here I will go in person and get some lessons.
This is going to make things much easier I think. That was my big hesitation for not doing a form check sooner. Thinking I would not be able to apply advise or tips on it without a coach in person.
Thank you for the info I will let you know how it turns out.
Member
The PC needs an overhaul. Bent elbows. Not a great pulling position, no swift jump and stomp. Needs a lot of work.
For DL, I can't tell if you're naturally a little kyphotic or if you aren't squeezing your chest up hard enough to create extension. For reps 2-5 you're not resetting your back into position before the rep. Take the extra few moments and take your setup seriously between reps. Finally, the lockout shows some lean back and a little knee flexion. Try and see if this cue helps you: just stand up at the top. Find a weight that allows you to pull five reps with good form and restart there.
Member
He is kyphotic, but does have good control of his thoracic spine. It definitely looks like he can hold his back tight. He is dropping his hips thinking he’s getting his back into better extension, however.Originally Posted by BareSteel
Member
"Yeah, this is a row, not a clean. Craig is your man. And read the book".
You are correct Craig is the man. Just wanted to let you know I contacted him and have had 5 or 6 private sessions now. I was able to do an actual power clean on first session. I've learned that and the snatch.
My original plan was to do 5 or 10 sessions learn the power clean then continue on my own. Now I am seeing him once every two weeks. One session on squat day and the other on deadlift day. That way I have a coach with eyes on my squat and deadlift once a month.
I started at bw on 202, now at 251
press 95 x 5, now 220 x 2
bench 185 x 5, now 317.5 x 5
squat 225 x 5, now 430 x 5
deadlift 315 x 5, now 475 x 3
I have never been this strong. So I don't really know what challenges will be coming up. We have a local powerlifting meet in October I plan on attending, something again I have never done. Having a local SSC is great. I basically feel like anything I am going to go through or experience he has already done. Which is perfect.
So thank you Rip for the whole SS program. Thank you to all that looked at my lifts and for suggesting Craig Bears. Much appreciated.
Member
Craig WAS the man. He was good until he wasn't. I relearned the power clean, tried out power snatch, my deadlift got moving up again and I learned my weaknesses in deadlift position.
I had to fire him. Unfortunately he put me through a 15 min stretching of yoga posses, mobility and flexibility. It weakened me and made me less stable. I failed twice on squats (my only two failed squat sessions) first time was 435 x 5 I only got 3 reps and they were maxes. I told him I can not do that stretching before lifting. Next time I saw him I was soaked sweating piss wet through and I had deadlift for that day at 480 x 5 (a week prior I did 475 x 5 with last rep not very slow) but at just 5 lbs more I couldn't break it off the floor. Again I told him I can not do that warmup stretching routine. Last time I saw him I told him specifically before we started I can not do that stretching and lift heavy. Well he insisted I do the usually yoga possessing routine. Then he convinced me somehow to not do my scheduled 450 x 5 but to go to 465 for a single first. 445 was my pr. Granted 465 is only 20lbs more and for 1 but why am I doing singles? Why is he insisting on stretching? Why was he giving me mobility and flexibility exercises when my squat was regularly going up.
The irony of firing a starting strength coach for giving me to much mobility flexibility and yoga...
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