Dear All,
I would like to talk you through an exercise which is very commonly done erroneously and, what is even worse, is many times described and depicted with wrong technique. My name is Rogelio and I am the author of the recent yet increasingly popular blog www.manlycurls.com
I want to write this power clean tutorial because I am personally tired of seeing people giving bad advice on the power clean or seeing videos on Youtube of the exercise performed incorrectly. I am not writing this because I feel like I am the ultimate online reference for the power clean or because I think I have accumulated enough broscience to talk about something I don't have a clue about. I am a former competitive Olympic weightlifter, having easily power cleaned 285lbs at a bodyweight of 180lbs and, most recently, got back into doing power cleans after almost a year of no lifting and did 275lbs at 180lbs body weight after only 4 weeks of re-learning the lift on my own with my knowledge (with video proof on my Youtube channel). Suffice to say, I know a thing or two about this lift and owe much of my knowledge to my past Olympic coaches, reading from the greatest strength coaching authorities as well as plenty of my own experimenting and years under the belt.
The lift is simple in appearance but requires a few pointers that are a bit tricky to learn. Namely, you take the barbell, rested on the floor, to your shoulders in one single and fast motion. The barbell is caught with the upper thighs at or above parallel to the floor (below parallel is known as a clean instead). The lift develops a sense of explosiveness, teaching the body to work as a single piece in utilizing all of its muscles. All muscles in the powerful posterior chain region (hamstrings, glutes, lower & upper back and shoulders) are utilized while concomitantly developing great power and strength transferable to any area outside the gym, most commonly the gridiron or fighting ring.
Alright, now that I have introduced the lift to you, we will now be looking at how to perform it. I will use myself in the pics, I don't look pretty and I am covered in chalk. If you worry about how you look when you're lifting, you should not be even reading about how to perform a power clean. Full stop.
Let's get on with the program:
THE APPROACH
Approach the rested barbell on the floor. Place your feet, shoulder width apart, at the center of the barbell's length (most barbells have a knurled mark in the center). Your mid-feet should be positioned just below the barbell.
THE SET UP
Now squat down and grab the barbell at about shoulder width while keeping the elbows flared out. Straighten your back as you raise your buttocks slightly and at the same time move your shoulders over the barbell. You should FEEL a nice stretch in the hamstrings when you hit the right position. Play with the set up but you want to have your shoulders just over the barbell or slightly in front which will automatically position your upper thighs above parallel to the floor (the degree differs depending on your flexibility and leverages). You are set now, take in a big gulp of air 'cos you are about to move that damn barbell off the floor.
THE PULL
The pull has two phases: first and second pull. I will make it easy for you, the phases are distinguished by the vertical distance travelled. The first pull conveys the pull up to knee height while the second pull is the pull from knee height and up. They are NOT two paused lifts, they transition smoothly from first to second, it is only that different muscles are actively called upon during each phase as the barbell goes up. In essence, the power clean is a one massive smooth and snappy pull that can be divided, for learning's sake, in two phases. That's all, stop reading any garbage that armchair experts like argue about while merely being able to power clean their body weight.
First pull
Raise the barbell with the SOLE and ONLY power of your thighs, thus your back shall remain at the same angle as the initial set up. Don't do anything with your back, just push up with your thighs while keeping the same angle in the back. Simple. This is imperative and many people go wrong here. Keep the barbell very close to the lower legs as it travels up to knee height and watch those elbows, try to keep them flared. Think of your arms as ropes, don't use them to pull here!
Second pull
When the barbell reaches knee height, you then PUSH your for hips forward hence the angle of the back is opened. Think of standing up with the barbell and throwing the barbell up to the roof. As soon as your hips have been pushed forward (which happens in a split of a second!), shrug your shoulders up and pull with the arms. The thrust of the hips is so powerful that you will be unintentionally raising yourself on your toes which is known as the triple extension. Effectively, the transition from first to second looks like this:
Dont worry about standing on toes, going up in the air or "third pulls" as the armchair experts like to argue about. Just worry about inflicting the most power you can to the forward hip thrust described and then shrugging those shoulders up. The barbell will fly up like peanuts, it is time to catch it. Your triple extension should look like this:
THE CATCH
As soon as you have triple extended (up on your toes having finalized the forward hip thrust and shrugging of the shoulders), the barbell is flying up and you drop down in a squat to catch the barbell on your shoulders. This needs to be fast and furious, you have to move your feet from up on your toes to a solid plantar stance (feet solid on the ground). The power clean is not for the pretty gym boys, it is used by the toughest of sportsmen for a reason, so go under that damn barbell like you mean it. To catch the barbell, rotate your elbows up so they are about parallel to the floor and squat down so that your upper thighs are at or above parallel to the floor. Tense your torso (including abdominal wall) right before before catching it. You can tell straight away who knows his power cleans and who doesn't by the way they catch their power cleans. Trust me, once you get to 250lbs and above, that thing will crush you if you don't grow some toughness and actually spend time under the barbell instead of reading and armchairing.
THE ALPHA MALE VICTORIOUS STANDING UP
Simply, squat up with your elbows still at about parallel to the floor. Once you have stood up, drop the barbell or lower it under control back to the floor. Be proud, you have just performed the most explosive movement any gym-goer can do.
You can incorporate power cleans into any bodybuilding split. I'd recommend you to incorporate them on either back or leg day and always leave at least a day apart between power cleans and doing either back or legs. So if on Day 3 you do Back day with power cleans, do Leg day on Day 5 or 6. Do 5 sets of 5 reps on them or 8 sets of 3 with the same weight, aim for about 25 total reps. Go heavy and hard and always do power cleans as the FIRST exercise of the day as they require a skill component which is affected by fatigue.
In terms of what weights to shoot for, you should be able to power clean your body weight soon if you work hard at it. You goal is to do at least 1.5x your body weight for which other reputable strength coaches and myself agree, so if you weight 180lbs you should go for 270lbs or if you weight 200lbs, you should go for 300lbs. This number should be long-term and one that will give you enough power and strength to own pretty much anyone wherever physical conditioning is required.
Don't forget to check out my blog as I write about fitness, health, lifestyle and have covered the power clean even more as I love strength sports. You can also find my videos, experiments and other 21st century male stuff there. Also, if you liked this tutorial, please feel free to like my ******** page (Manly Curls) as I frequently update through my ******** and Twitter pages.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
All the best.
Rogelio
http://www.manlycurls.com/2011/09/ma...e-power-clean/
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11-26-2011, 06:22 AM #1
The Power Clean - The ultimate tutorial to learning it fast!
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12-02-2011, 05:44 AM #2
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12-02-2011, 06:48 AM #3
What percentage weight do you recommend for 5x5 and 8x3 in terms of a 1RM? Also, I prefer to do 20x1 with a 10-30sec rest period so as to minimize fatigue. Should I use the same percentage of my 1RM.
The reason I'm asking is that I'm having a difficult time progressing. Stuck at about 200lb clean for a 180lb body weight.
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12-02-2011, 06:58 AM #4
Hi,
For 5x5 I'd recommend to use your 7 rep max (RM). Once you can do 5x5 with this weight, add 10lbs more and shoot for completing 5 sets of 5 reps in two or three weeks.
For 8x3, use your 5 RM. Follow the same progression as above.
20x1 is a great way to go about this. I do 10x2 with minimal rest too (I was using 10x2 in the videos above with 255lbs). In your instance, I would recommend you to stick to 1 min strict rest periods and use your 3RM. 10-30 secs is a bit too little, you want to be fresh for every rep so you must ensure you satisfy a minimal rest time. Be strict with it though.
Remember, the power clean is a FAST and EXPLOSIVE movement. This means you should not be grinding your pulls, they should be fast and fluid. If you see the failed second rep in my second video, my pull was still powerful, I missed it because I was slow under. I then re-did the set (first video) and both reps were caught even higher because the pull was still very fluid and explosive. I did have to grind the catching of the barbell on the second rep but the catch is not the dynamic explosive part of the lift so it can be grinded as the number of sets advance.
All the best.
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12-02-2011, 08:31 AM #5
Great write!
I have some difficulties with the starting position. I did deadlift for over a year before giving power clean a try. In the beginning, I thought the starting position of these lifts were the same.
there is nobody in my gym who could teach me how to power clean correctly. So I have to learn it by my self. I will post a video soon to get some critics.
I have some questions :
1-When you approach the bar, just before you squat down into position, where is your feet under the bar? I mean, when I dead lift, I set my feet under the bar in a way that the distal part of my metatarse are under the bar. That way, my back isnt paralelle with the ground. Where do you place your feet to be able to squat down and to keep your shoulders in front of the bar?
2-Does it change something to have an explosive first pull? Does the speed of the bar in the first pull have an impact during the second pull? Or do I just break my form by pulling off to fast?☆ ☆ QUEBEC CREW ☆ ☆
OW log :
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149575693&p=977696913#post977696913
Competition lift : 212 kg total (95/117) @ 77 kg
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12-02-2011, 08:37 AM #6
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12-02-2011, 09:48 AM #7
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12-02-2011, 09:54 AM #8
Just make sure you keep at it. It is a bit trickier to learn than squatting or deadlifting but you don't need to have perfect technique. I have taught the power clean to many people, including teaching it online, with much success. You need enough technique to be able to transfer optimal power to the barbell and avoid injury (namely the wrists and elbows when catching the barbell). Try to get feedback on your power cleans by other competent lifters or online by posting recorded videos.
I have also written even more in depth on the power clean here:
http://www.manlycurls.com/2011/09/ma...e-power-clean/
All the best.
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12-12-2011, 06:59 PM #9
Can you critique my power clean form plz?
175 x 3
I see many flaws in my form but I dont know how to fix them. My ass goes up too quick, I dont explode enought "through" my hips, I think I start the second pull too early the bar doesnt travel perfectly vertical, etc, etc, etc.
What can I do?
Also, can you suggest me a power clean routine? I cant back squat heavy or deadlift heavy(medical issue)....so the only thing I can focus on to increase my strength and be proud of is the powerclean. Unless, I dont know how to train to increase it. Actually, I power clean twice a week with a Ripptoe's kind of progression. I add 5 lbs every time and when I fail I reset. Is there any supplement lift I can do to help? Other set/rep scheme?
I have another question. Is it normal that powerclean tear my palms skin so cruely? I mean, Iv been able to pull 365 x 1 with no straps/chalks and my hand was okay. Now, when I powerclean (i use chalk), my skin ripped off. I had to take a week off cuz it was bleeding and i didnt want to infect it. I guess Ill get use to it.☆ ☆ QUEBEC CREW ☆ ☆
OW log :
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149575693&p=977696913#post977696913
Competition lift : 212 kg total (95/117) @ 77 kg
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12-14-2011, 12:13 PM #10
Hi,
Your technique is not bad. The main problem I see is that you are doing the powerclean like Rippetoe says, which is the NOT the way to do it, at least in the Olympic weightlifting circles (which are the guys you should be learning from). Last I recall Rippetoe has powercleaned 275lbs (he hasn't competed in oly lifting), I did that 4 weeks into doing powercleans at a lower body weight using the technique taught in Olympic weightlifting. Basically, don't actively jump! That is the main mistake you are doing.
Let me give you my feedback:
- Initial positioning is good. Just make sure the elbows are OUT. Before pulling, rotate your elbows out.
- You are making a good first pull (up to knee height) then you do the stupid "jumping up" thing which Rippetoe says thus you are not triple extending correctly. What you have to do is push your hips fast forward and shrug your shoulders up. Simple said than done, but it really is that simple.
- You are jumping back as a result of not doing the second pull correctly. Just do what I said above and it will auto-correct on its own.
A power clean routine I would suggest, assuming no squats as in your case:
Work out how much you can power clean for 5 reps, this is now your 5RM. Do the following routine:
Day 1: 10 sets of 3 with your 5RM (use same weight).
Day 3: 10 sets of 2 with your 5RM (use same weight)
Day 5: Work up to a 3RM in 6 sets. Then do 5 sets of 2 with your 5RM (use same weight)
Everyday, you warm up with 3-5 sets ramping up to the work sets. If your 5RM is 150lbs, on Day 1 you'd do:
Barbell x3, 90x5, 110x3, 135x3, then 10 sets of 3 reps with 150lbs. You have used 4 warm ups sets and do 10 work sets.
Once you can do 10 sets of 3 reps on Day 1, throw in 10lbs more and repeat. Then take a few weeks to complete 10 sets of 3 reps.
Do them fast and furious. You can get very strong on my routine. You have good motor patterns from what I see in the video, you just need to stop doing the jumping thing and do a lot of power cleans as my routine suggests.
About the skin issue, use tape and tape your thumbs. Use chalk too but it is imperative to tape your finger in callous-prone areas (e.g thumbs).
All the best.
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12-14-2011, 02:08 PM #11
Thanks man!
This help me a lot! I cant wait to start working on that. I still have more questions though
On day 5, what do you mean I work up to a 3RM in 6 sets? I try to set a new 3RM PR in 6 sets?
Is there any supplement lift I can do? What day can I do legs work out? Could I add some front squat, lunges and leg press on day 3?
Where can I find the finger's tape? I guess I cant buy and use dock tape
Why should I add 10 lbs to the bar? Wouldnt be easier to add 5 lbs?
By working out fast and furious, I assume you mean I have to take short rest time?
Last question, what is your PR?Last edited by Saintsqc; 12-14-2011 at 02:28 PM.
☆ ☆ QUEBEC CREW ☆ ☆
OW log :
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=149575693&p=977696913#post977696913
Competition lift : 212 kg total (95/117) @ 77 kg
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12-17-2011, 06:12 AM #12
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12-17-2011, 07:10 AM #13
i really do not understand why so many people have a hard time doing this lift. But i must add that if your a more fit guy it will be so much easier because it's all about speed. I'm weighing in at about 150-156 lbs and powercleaning 210+ i actually have tried to do 215 yesterday but i kept moving a bit to much forward and that caused me to fail. It is one of my favorite lifts, seeing these huge dudes in my gym class that weigh around 170+ and can't even put up 185 lbs for powercleans.
Bench: 205 x1
Squat: 315 x 1
Deadlift: 420 x 1
Powerclean: 240 x 1
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01-03-2012, 12:17 PM #14
I took the time to elaborate on your questions and you can find your email questions posted on my Ask Rogelio section of my blog too!
Here it goes:
With regards to your first question (working up to a 3RM), on Day 3 you will work up to a max set of 3 reps on the power clean. This means you will take 5 sets to build up to a final sixth set with a weight that allows you to perform 3 complete reps. If you can do 3 reps with 200lbs, a good progression would be:
95×3, 115×3, 135,3, 150×3, 175×3, 200×3
Remember to do a fet sets with the barbell alone and to stretch your upper arms and forearms prior to starting your sets.
On Day 1, you will increase the weight by 10lbs once you can do 10 sets with 3 reps because this will be your new weight with which to achieve, in a few weeks, a new 10 sets of 3. Even if you can only get 10 sets of 1 repetition on the first day with the newly added 10lbs, you will be able to add reps fast as the weeks go by and you get stronger, thus achieving 10 sets of 3 reps with an extra 10lbs will be a goal to achieve in a few weeks (anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks). Five pounds is too little for an increase with this purpose.
About your ability to do lower body exercises, I don’t know what your medical issue is but if you can do front squats, you would generally too be able to do back squats. Having said that, if you can solely do those three lower body exercises (front squats, leg presses and lunges), you can still do some great work.
I would recommend you to do front squats two days and leg press once. So, do front squats on Day 1 and Day 3, while leaving leg presses for the lighter Day 2. On Day 1, I want you to work up to a heavy set of 3 reps in 6 sets, with the same set progression as I have mentioned earlier for Day 3′s power cleans. The other front squat day, Day 3, will see you doing 5 sets of 3 with your 5RM, so if you can do front squats with 200lbs for 5 reps, use that weight to do your 5 sets of 3 reps. On Day 2, you will do leg presses, 3 sets of 15 reps. Do them nice and deep and anywhere from 1 to 2 mins between sets. Lunges will be your finishing exercise on Day 3 and you will do a set of 20 reps, grab a pair of dumbbells and use good form; this exercise will be very humbling as a light weight will work your legs plenty.
Lastly, by fast and furious, I am talking about doing your power cleans explosively and like you mean business. Many times you see people doing power cleans like they are doing bicep curls, slow and casually. If you want to hoist big weights on the power clean, you need to attack the weight and be aggresive: when your hands grip that barbell, your brain should switch on your “beast mode” and explode that freaking weight up like you were throwing a bag of peanuts. See the video below for how to catch a power clean.
Rest anywhere from 2 to 3 minutes on your powercleans for Day 1 and 3 while 1 to 2 minutes is enough for Day 2. The power clean has an added benefit of working your cardiovascular system as it calls for all your body’s muscles to contract in some way or another, thus making your heart work harder and also burn a ton of calories. With the rep/set protocols I have designed, those rest periods are optimal so do them as outlined.
Incidentally, in our exchange of replies I saw your new power clean videos after having studied and applied my power clean tutorial. I have to say that the difference between your power cleans prior to reading my tutorial when compared to how you are currently doing them is mind blowing. You have truly grasped the concepts of exploding up and, as you continue to practise the lift with the advice I have given you, I am 100% sure you will be lifting some big numbers soon enough.
All the best.
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01-09-2012, 11:46 AM #15
Massively interesting. I have a million questions about this exercise as I have always considered adding it into weight training routine and have no idea where to start. Hope you don't mind all my questions here:
- Where do you start on this for weight?
- Would it be best to start with just trying to manouver the bar and then work up to adding a bit more weight or do you need it weighted (minimally) from the beginning?
- Do you think this is also an exercise that could be incorporated into a bodybuilding routine? In otherwords, is it of benefit for bodybuilding?
Thanks for the info and great videos.Brandy
Kicking the @*%$ out of fat, one day at a time!
Competition Thread 2009 - 2011: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117554221&p=808044511#post808044511
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01-10-2012, 07:23 AM #16
Hiya BrandyTKO, let me go by parts!
Not a problem, I also answer questions here for bb.com readers, apart from in my blog.
I would suggest you to start with the empty barbell first. Once you have the barbell flying up fluidly (as shown in the videos) and you feel comfortable, go up in 10lbs increments.
My suggestion is to start with the barbell alone. Make sure that you use an Olympic-type barbell (the 7ft ones with sleeves). If you don't have access to oneof these barbells, add 10-20lbs on each side of a conventional barbell. Keep practicing until you feel confident that you are closely emulating the technique in the videos.
Yep! The power clean is a great exercise for fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders alike. Not only does it target the body's most explosive muscle fibers (which are difficult to target with conventional bodybuilding training) but it also allows for overloading the whole body with big enough weights once one becomes familiarized with the lift. The power clean is a great exercise to develop muscle mass in the upper back, shoulders, glutes and hamstrings, pretty much all of the Posterior Chain is stimulated and hypertrophied. It also has a precious athletic component which, in my opinion, should never be underestimated by a bodybuilder.
Thanks to you too for passing by. Feel free to subscribe to my Youtube channel as I will be uploading more technique videos on other lifts and more strength related material. My background is in Olympic weightlifting so I teach all compound exercises.
If you still have questions, feel free to post them here so that others can too benefit from my replies.
All the best.
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01-21-2012, 01:47 PM #17
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01-21-2012, 04:59 PM #18
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01-23-2012, 06:05 AM #19
I think you are getting confused. The leg splitting width (what you refer as leg spread) is not of relevant concern during the power clean so long as you satisfy the following 3 factors:
- Feet are firmly planted on the floor when catching the barbell.
- Knees are tracking the direction of the toes and are flared out.
- The back remains almost vertical to the floor.
This width will be determined by leverages and leg lengths as well as flexibility and lifter's preference. In my case, the width that you see is the correct width and is actually not that wide (the angle of the camera makes it look wider). I satisfy all the aforementioned technique factors which ARE the cues to correct power clean technique.
Following on my case for the reader's benefit, my legs are long which means I have to split my legs relatively wide for power cleans, cleans, front squats, back squats, snatches and anything requiring squatting. I have trained with an international 77kg competing lifter who could power clean over 140kgs without splitting his feet, whereas I have trained with another international 85kg lifter who would power clean 160kgs splitting his feet wider than me and measuring 3 inches less in height than me; the leg split is that differing in preferences.
The width at which the legs split should be left to the lifter's preference and weightlifting coaches don't frown upon this. They frown upon not doing the three aforementioned technique factors, regardless of leg splitting width. The width of the leg split is a lifter's natural preference and is regarded the same as elevating/jumping off the toes in the triple extension; it is up to the lifter so long as the technique is good.
All the best.
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01-23-2012, 06:07 AM #20
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02-03-2012, 10:10 AM #21
Thanks for all the information. Will definately check out your website...like, NOW!
Is that the www.manlycurls.com site, or is there another link for the Youtube vids?Brandy
Kicking the @*%$ out of fat, one day at a time!
Competition Thread 2009 - 2011: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=117554221&p=808044511#post808044511
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02-03-2012, 11:35 PM #22
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02-09-2012, 03:04 AM #23
You are welcome.
Yes, if you go to www.manlycurls.com you will get all the stuff about the power clean. I get 5-6 emails from my readers every week on the power clean and sometimes answer them in my blog too so you can read through my answers and learn more. The videos and Youtube account can also be found at my site.
All the best.
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02-09-2012, 11:02 AM #24
Just read all of it and i just want to say thanks for coming in here and sharing! I'm going to start practicing the power cleans now that i have a better understanding of the lift since i have no coach or anyone to teach me. Going to record it to see my technique.
thanks again
edit: Do you have an insight on why sometimes people that "know how to do power cleans" say that someone is doing "reverse curls" instead of the Power clean? I have been reading up and watching videos on this and this comes up quiet often.reasons > excuses
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02-14-2012, 09:25 AM #25
Hi inforlawlz,
I am glad my advice was of help.
With regards to your question, doing a reverse curl is normally hinted at the individual using his arms to pull the weight up. So when he initiates the lift, his arms engage actively and, instead of extending with a hip thrust (second pull), the lifter pulls the weight up as if it were an upright row.
I have more videos on my YT channel and more tips and advice on the power clean in my blog. I have recently even written an article on Rippetoe's (wrong) power clean technique. Feel free to read my blog so as to learn more about the power clean and strength training in general.
All the best.
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02-20-2012, 10:57 AM #26
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02-22-2012, 01:15 PM #27
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02-29-2012, 12:33 PM #28
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03-07-2012, 11:53 AM #29
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03-10-2012, 11:20 AM #30
I notice that for the latter reps of a set when I'm fatigued, my legs split quite far apart when I receive the bar in the rack position [quite similar to this video].
Surely receiving a weight like that can't be too good? What's the best way to rectify this problem?
Thanks for the article btw, great post.
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