Help Learning the Power Clean

[r_graz]

I don't see anything terribly wrong with those.

[/JV/]

So there's nothing to improve?

[SquatzAndPuke]

Looks pretty good to me.

[dcamnc]

Look good to me too. If you really want to hear any critique at all, I'd say just work on making them slightly crisper/sharper/more explosive, and you could try extending slightly more at the end of your second pull. But even that's stretching it, they look good.

[madaozeki]

It looks like you're dragging the bar up your shins, essentially moving it AROUND them. It might just be the camera angle, so it'd be nice to get a side-on view. It looks like your torso is too upright at the beginning of the movement and after the bar breaks from the ground. You're performing the 1st pull with your shoulders behind the bar the whole time (it looks like). Keep a tighter arch and start with the shoulders slightly ahead of the bar. You'll have a steeper back angle (leaned forward more), with the hips at a similar height or SLIGHTLY higher. Then when you break the bar from the floor, you'll push through your feet, and your knees will straighten, so the bar path will be straighter up. You'll keep your back angle the same until the bar reaches your knees, and THEN accelerate by straightening out your upper torso.

Looks like you're on the right track, and your receiving position is decent, so making this one change should help quite a bit.

What happens when you try to add more weight?

Do you end up with scraped-up shins after powercleans?

[dcamnc]

It looks like you're dragging the bar up your shins, essentially moving it AROUND them. It might just be the camera angle, so it'd be nice to get a side-on view. It looks like your torso is too upright at the beginning of the movement and after the bar breaks from the ground. You're performing the 1st pull with your shoulders behind the bar the whole time (it looks like). Keep a tighter arch and start with the shoulders slightly ahead of the bar. You'll have a steeper back angle (leaned forward more), with the hips at a similar height or SLIGHTLY higher. Then when you break the bar from the floor, you'll push through your feet, and your knees will straighten, so the bar path will be straighter up. You'll keep your back angle the same until the bar reaches your knees, and THEN accelerate by straightening out your upper torso.

Looks like you're on the right track, and your receiving position is decent, so making this one change should help quite a bit.

What happens when you try to add more weight?

Do you end up with scraped-up shins after powercleans?

Mezzie has the magic eye. I thought the bar was started too close to the shins, and that there wasn't a definite seperation between the first and second pulls. He seems to start the second pull while still doing the first pull (changing back angle early). All of this is probably a result of what mezzie said.

[/JV/]

Thanks for the critique. I will work on those comments next time.

I haven't tried to add more weight yet. That's all I've done so far. I learned from the hang position for so long that starting from the floor is not yet comfortable. I'm still thinking too much about it as I do it. And I've been hesitant to add weight if things still need fixing.

Shins aren't scraped up from power cleans yet. Should the bar not be touching until my thighs?

Is there a preferable height at which to catch the bar? I thought going lower might help, but then I see in JLC's videos above there's not much leg bend to receive the bar.

[madaozeki]

Thanks for the critique. I will work on those comments next time.

I haven't tried to add more weight yet. That's all I've done so far. I learned from the hang position for so long that starting from the floor is not yet comfortable. I'm still thinking too much about it as I do it. And I've been hesitant to add weight if things still need fixing.

Shins aren't scraped up from power cleans yet. Should the bar not be touching until my thighs?

Is there a preferable height at which to catch the bar? I thought going lower might help, but then I see in JLC's videos above there's not much leg bend to receive the bar.

That explains the awkwardness off the floor. That's one of the tough things about learning from the hang first, but you're definitely not in bad shape!!

Good plan not to add weight til it's fixed.

The bar should definitely not be touching until your thighs. It's quite different from a deadlift. In effect, a 1st pull is in a slightly mechanically-disadvantaged position, whereas a deadlift is in the best possible mechanically-advantaged (?) position. The reason is that a 1st pull (from the floor to the knees) has a different purpose than a deadlift. A 1st pull's purpose is to get the bar from the floor to the "power position" in a controlled manner, leaving you in the best possible position to apply power to the bar once the leverages are more favorable; namely just past your knee. If you're already upright by that point, you'll lose out on a lot of the benefits of shoulders over the bar and a more pronounced back angle.

As for receiving position, a comfortable knee bend is fine. A power clean can be received anywhere from parallel to knees practically straight. Depends how heavy the weight is!!!

[FatWhiteKid]

I'm in the process of perfecting the powerclean myself, and I must say you're doing a HELL of a lot better than I am. My body just doesn't know how to work together, it's like "ok the bar is at my hips, upperbody can take over from here". Not to mention the hook grip is tearing my poor thumbs to shreds.

[madaozeki]

I'm in the process of perfecting the powerclean myself, and I must say you're doing a HELL of a lot better than I am. My body just doesn't know how to work together, it's like "ok the bar is at my hips, upperbody can take over from here". Not to mention the hook grip is tearing my poor thumbs to shreds.

Upperbody should NEVER "take over"!

Tape your thumbs! I do

[r_graz]

The bar should definitely not be touching until your thighs.

Wow, that's quite a different take than I've gotten from other sources. I've always been told "Bar starts up against the shins". Obviously the back angle and extension and shoulders over the bar need to be correct, but once that's in place the bar should be against the shins and slide up them. Or so I've been told (and read).

I have to say I like your version better, since then the divot in my left shin might actually heal

[madaozeki]

Wow, that's quite a different take than I've gotten from other sources. I've always been told "Bar starts up against the shins". Obviously the back angle and extension and shoulders over the bar need to be correct, but once that's in place the bar should be against the shins and slide up them. Or so I've been told (and read).

I have to say I like your version better, since then the divot in my left shin might actually heal

There seem to be 2 versions of getting into the start position. One is to roll the bar right up against the shins. That's fine, but as soon as the bar leaves the platform, the contact with the shins ends. It's more like a checkpoint to get the bar in a decent starting position.

The other is to start with the bar over mid-foot, regardless of whether it's up against the shins. Personally, I use a combination. I roll the bar up against my shins, and then back out over the mid-foot. Perhaps the individual limb-lengths and leverages of a lifter dictate which method is "better". In either case, the bar should end up over the mid-foot. If it's too close into the body, then you have to move it out and around the knees, which isn't ideal.

[dcamnc]

I'm not nearly as advanced as you two (mezzie and ron) but I've read in a few of my books (no coach around here, hence all my books/dvd's) that the bar should start over the midfoot/toe joint, and like mezzie said, it may or may not be touching the shins here, depending on how much of an angle your shins are at.

[r_graz]

The other is to start with the bar over mid-foot, regardless of whether it's up against the shins. Personally, I use a combination. I roll the bar up against my shins, and then back out over the mid-foot. Perhaps the individual limb-lengths and leverages of a lifter dictate which method is "better". In either case, the bar should end up over the mid-foot. If it's too close into the body, then you have to move it out and around the knees, which isn't ideal.

I definitely start with the bar over mid-foot, but from there to get my hips at the optimal starting height for my anthropometry, the resulting shin angle pretty much leaves the bar against my shins.

[madaozeki]

I definitely start with the bar over mid-foot, but from there to get my hips at the optimal starting height for my anthropometry, the resulting shin angle pretty much leaves the bar against my shins.

Then you're definitely a "shin-against-bar" guy I'm glad I'm not, though I still scrape 'em up occasionally because I pretty much suck Bar still shouldn't be scraping your shins on the way up though. Gary say anything about that ever?

[r_graz]

Then you're definitely a "shin-against-bar" guy I'm glad I'm not, though I still scrape 'em up occasionally because I pretty much suck Bar still shouldn't be scraping your shins on the way up though. Gary say anything about that ever?

He's said that people who try to bend their arms right off the ground scrape their shins sometimes. I know I'm not doing that.

I think my biggest problem is that long periods of poor start positions left me with such a big wound on one of my shins, I pretty much just touch it with the bar and it's bleeding again. Not too big a deal really, but if it's something I can eventually fix, I'd like to.

[guitarbecker]

He's said that people who try to bend their arms right off the ground scrape their shins sometimes. I know I'm not doing that.

I think my biggest problem is that long periods of poor start positions left me with such a big wound on one of my shins, I pretty much just touch it with the bar and it's bleeding again. Not too big a deal really, but if it's something I can eventually fix, I'd like to.

wow that has happened to me too ive started wearing tall socks when I workout now

[olyw8lifter]

Usually the reason you are scraping your shins is because you are pulling off the floor with your back instead of your legs. Try to think of pushing the floor away with your legs in the clean and snatch. As my coach often says, drive with the legs off the floor.

[r_graz]

Usually the reason you are scraping your shins is because you are pulling off the floor with your back instead of your legs. Try to think of pushing the floor away with your legs in the clean and snatch. As my coach often says, drive with the legs off the floor.

As my coach also says. "It's a leg press off the floor".

Really the biggest issue I have now with bloody shins are old scabs that get re-opened every time the bar so much as touches them.

[/JV/]

It looks like you're dragging the bar up your shins, essentially moving it AROUND them. It might just be the camera angle, so it'd be nice to get a side-on view. It looks like your torso is too upright at the beginning of the movement and after the bar breaks from the ground. You're performing the 1st pull with your shoulders behind the bar the whole time (it looks like). Keep a tighter arch and start with the shoulders slightly ahead of the bar. You'll have a steeper back angle (leaned forward more), with the hips at a similar height or SLIGHTLY higher. Then when you break the bar from the floor, you'll push through your feet, and your knees will straighten, so the bar path will be straighter up. You'll keep your back angle the same until the bar reaches your knees, and THEN accelerate by straightening out your upper torso.

Looks like you're on the right track, and your receiving position is decent, so making this one change should help quite a bit.

What happens when you try to add more weight?

Do you end up with scraped-up shins after powercleans?

Reporting back...

I may have misinterpreted the comment. Wednesday I tried a more horizontal back angle, and it ended up looking more like my deadlift, but the bar was not riding up my shins. Even though it was just an inch or two, it felt far away from me and I was pulling with my arms to get the bar in and up because there was no power generated from the extension. My hips had already extended a lot by the time they were supposed to do their thing.

I then went back today to the closer bar position, and it felt much better. (I know that doesn't mean it's correct.) Everett's article on the start position has been helpful to read. My arms are pretty vertical. Maybe they could be just slightly more forward. The bar still goes out around my knees a little. And I still need to keep from starting the hip extension too early. It all happens so fast.

How does this look from the side? Same comments as before?

[RyHam]

Looks really good, but Mad's comments still apply. You need to get a bit more 'over' the bar in the starting position and in the movement.

[/JV/]

Looks really good, but Mad's comments still apply. You need to get a bit more 'over' the bar in the starting position and in the movement.

Oh, I see. When I do a hang clean, my shoulders start over the bar. But in my most recent video, by the time the bar gets to my knees, my shoulders are behind the bar. I guess I will try to practice working down in steps from the hang and feel where I'm supposed to be.

[olyw8lifter]

Also, don't think of pulling the bar up, such as deadlift, think of pushing the floor away from you. You seem to be pulling with your back, but the weight is light enough for you to pull it back into your shoulders at the top. As was said before, start with your shoulders over the bar and push with your legs.

[gewaltiger]

my coach said to put the bar over the bottom joint of your toes. before that i just put the bar against my shin to start off and my shins have scars on them. it doesnt really scrape anymore, except sometimes on snatches because i have my shoulders over the bar more

[DamianH83]

ive been stuck at a 335 power clean for well over a year now. does anyone know of any good assistance exercises? other then front squats and power shrugs. or any tips?

[madaozeki]

ive been stuck at a 335 power clean for well over a year now. does anyone know of any good assistance exercises? other then front squats and power shrugs. or any tips?

Post a video of your form.

Neither front squats nor power shrugs will have much, if any, carryover to your powerclean.

[DamianH83]

as of right now i do not have the ability to post a video. ill try in the future. i am not an expert in olympic lifting. i use power cleans to help develope explosive strength/speed. what exercises do have a good carryover to a powerclean?

[madaozeki]

as of right now i do not have the ability to post a video. ill try in the future. i am not an expert in olympic lifting. i use power cleans to help develope explosive strength/speed. what exercises do have a good carryover to a powerclean?

Powercleans, Hang powercleans from different starting heights. That's about it...

[J.L.C.]

I'd like to see the 150kg power clean @86kg bodyweight!

[madaozeki]

I'd like to see the 150kg power clean @86kg bodyweight!

I wasn't going to mention that

Makes me wonder what the heck "as of right now i do not have the ability to post a video" means. I can post online but can't click "Upload" on YouTube...