Power Cleans worth it?

[jj42]

i know their are a lot of power clean threads...so another one shouldnt hurt to bad. my question is are they worth doing? i've been doing them going on 2 years now and my vertical has increased but it hasnt helped with my explosiveness when it comes to running. i think my start's have gotten slower since i started doing them. So are they really worth the hype when it comes to running?

[mworrel1989]

I actually can second your post because I find it hard to in cooperate cleans into my work out because of the massive amount of Muscle groups it works.

I don't Mix upper and lower body on the same day, I generally do Day 1( Chest, Triceps, Biceps) Day 2 (Lower Body) Day 3 (Shoulders back) I Rotate stomach every other day.

Power Cleans= Shoulders, stomach, Lower Body. It doesn't seem efficient to do a lower body work out then turn around and just work my shoulders.

I could be wrong though, I would love to be enlightened. Thanks!

[jj42]

we do a few olympic lifts when we do powercleans....like an example for one of our speed days is...power cleans,hang snatch,clean pulls,then auxillary lifts...our Strength and Conditioning Coach loves olympic lifts so we do them twice a week with a different variation between the two days

[NeedPerfection]

i know their are a lot of power clean threads...so another one shouldnt hurt to bad. my question is are they worth doing? i've been doing them going on 2 years now and my vertical has increased but it hasnt helped with my explosiveness when it comes to running. i think my start's have gotten slower since i started doing them. So are they really worth the hype when it comes to running?

I don't really think that they are crucial to help your running. Unless you're doing Olympic style weightlifting or Powerlifting, I don't think they are that necessary. Are you doing the long jump for outdoor track or something? Are you talking about your vertical jump? If so, I don't see how it directly affects your running.

[dolphinsfan270]

kid are you retarded? srs. There is a thread right next to yours discussing olympic lifts vs weighted jumps.

[jdelarod]

you mean the thread that every other poster is slamming you? lol!

[dolphinsfan270]

you mean the thread that every other poster is slamming you? lol!

yea I know bc I have a reputation of following Joe DeFranco's methods

[jj42]

yea i seen it but i felt like making my own...
@NeedPerfection i've noticed how it help'd my vertical yet when it comes to my starts out of the blocks or durring the forty i dont feel that same explosiveness

[CM003]

OP do you do squats or deadlifts?

[Bantropic]

i know their are a lot of power clean threads...so another one shouldnt hurt to bad. my question is are they worth doing? i've been doing them going on 2 years now and my vertical has increased but it hasnt helped with my explosiveness when it comes to running. i think my start's have gotten slower since i started doing them. So are they really worth the hype when it comes to running?

Power Cleans are a fantastic way to improve initial accelaration during sprinting. Once you're at max speed; they'll have limited transference, though that's where technique in running helps.

You must remember that in most circumstances; the principle of specificity itself governs that mechanical similarities in training will have greater transference to sporting performance.

Therefore if you're wanting to capitalise on your new explosive capabilities from your power cleans; then add single-leg bounding to your plyometric routine (as an example); which is a mechanically similar activity to running.

[Pakman52]

Do cleans on leg day, it isn't really a huge shoulder lift. Also, why are you doing a plit with a shoulder day as an athlete?

[jgood]

i know their are a lot of power clean threads...so another one shouldnt hurt to bad. my question is are they worth doing? i've been doing them going on 2 years now and my vertical has increased but it hasnt helped with my explosiveness when it comes to running. i think my start's have gotten slower since i started doing them. So are they really worth the hype when it comes to running?

Ok, two of the best tests to test your explosiveness are vertical jump and standing long jump. You say your vertical has increased but speed has gone down? Chances are it is a technique issue otherwise your vertical would NOT be going up.

If you see results keep doing them if not ditch them .... just like with any exercise. Are they the only explosive exercise? No there is plenty out there to choose from that will give you some good results as well. The key is using a variety of things and keep on truckin.

[jj42]

Ok, two of the best tests to test your explosiveness are vertical jump and standing long jump. You say your vertical has increased but speed has gone down? Chances are it is a technique issue otherwise your vertical would NOT be going up.

If you see results keep doing them if not ditch them .... just like with any exercise. Are they the only explosive exercise? No there is plenty out there to choose from that will give you some good results as well. The key is using a variety of things and keep on truckin.

its not something that i can just diss. We have a Strength and Conditioning coach at my school and we have to do the workout he design'd from us. He's been a S+C coach at D1 colleges for 20+years so i guess he knows what he is doing but with me i just dont see/feel the explosiveness when it comes to my forty or 100 or 400....idk im guessing it might be a technique issue
/Thread

[xxtwistedxx]

if ure running slower the problem is not the cleans. technique, body weight, overall strength, and muscular endurace are all a major factor. even in the 100.

could be your training. could be diet. could be lotsa things.

[jgood]

its not something that i can just diss. We have a Strength and Conditioning coach at my school and we have to do the workout he design'd from us. He's been a S+C coach at D1 colleges for 20+years so i guess he knows what he is doing but with me i just dont see/feel the explosiveness when it comes to my forty or 100 or 400....idk im guessing it might be a technique issue
/Thread

Ahh ... yeah, some coaches put the cleans on a platform and think they are the end all exercise .... doesn't make them right/wrong. If he has that kind of experience he has at least seen things work which is a major bonus .... nothing will ever trump experience. It could also be that now your stronger and more explosive it feels almost effortless to do the same thing. I feel similar with hitting a baseball but when I see the ball fly its very clear how my training helps.

if ure running slower the problem is not the cleans. technique, body weight, overall strength, and muscular endurace are all a major factor. even in the 100.

could be your training. could be diet. could be lotsa things.

Yeah those are other potential factors for sure.

[TheHitStick]

yea I know bc I have a reputation of following Joe DeFranco's methods

There's a difference between following and nut hugging.

[ibuildme]

Cleans are the most important when it comes to football....

[60_Days]

Many coaches love olympic lifts because they incorporate full body explosiveness. The strength gains you make in that life might not increase your speed directly, but the movement is very similar to a VJ so it will improve that.

Do what Nicolas_Hart said and start doing some single leg bounding movements to carry the strength gains into your sprinting.

[LILpainLILgain]

its one of those workouts i "just do" just so i can say i do them. i cant imagine it helping me in a wrestling match except for when im on bottom and try to hit a standup. i do squat cleans which i think would be more practical for a wrestler

[Da3v2id]

There's a difference between following and nut hugging.

Haha! +1

[thepatbrown]

In high school I felt like cleans and squats had the most important influence on my explosiveness. The thing with getting good gains from cleans in my opinion is to think of them as more of a speed and power drill and less of a lift.

You pull up on that bar with all your might. Drop your butt as fast as you can, and when you reach the point where your wrists and chest are under the bar, you explode to stabilize the weight beneath impending gravity. If your shoulders are the most sore afterwards, then it's a lift. If your hipflexors, quads and glutes are the most sore afterwards, it's a speed and power drill.

The secret to getting to the point where it's more about speed and power is to add so much weight you can't muscle it up with the upperbody. This forces you to get low quick and to drive with your hips.

Just my experience.

[jgood]

In high school I felt like cleans and squats had the most important influence on my explosiveness. The thing with getting good gains from cleans in my opinion is to think of them as more of a speed and power drill and less of a lift.

You pull up on that bar with all your might. Drop your butt as fast as you can, and when you reach the point where your wrists and chest are under the bar, you explode to stabilize the weight beneath impending gravity. If your shoulders are the most sore afterwards, then it's a lift. If your hipflexors, quads and glutes are the most sore afterwards, it's a speed and power drill.

The secret to getting to the point where it's more about speed and power is to add so much weight you can't muscle it up with the upperbody. This forces you to get low quick and to drive with your hips.

Just my experience.

Just make sure you keep your legs parallel with each other. Some people split their legs more in the last phase but when you hear of people not getting the full benefit of it, that is part of the reason ..... you should be in a front squat position because the last part is a front squat basically.

[thepatbrown]

Just make sure you keep your legs parallel with each other. Some people split their legs more in the last phase but when you hear of people not getting the full benefit of it, that is part of the reason ..... you should be in a front squat position because the last part is a front squat basically.

That's a very important point I forgot to mention. You can also get a good idea of what it is all about by watching world class powerlifters on youtube.

[dolphinsfan270]

In high school I felt like cleans and squats had the most important influence on my explosiveness. The thing with getting good gains from cleans in my opinion is to think of them as more of a speed and power drill and less of a lift.

You pull up on that bar with all your might. Drop your butt as fast as you can, and when you reach the point where your wrists and chest are under the bar, you explode to stabilize the weight beneath impending gravity. If your shoulders are the most sore afterwards, then it's a lift. If your hipflexors, quads and glutes are the most sore afterwards, it's a speed and power drill.

The secret to getting to the point where it's more about speed and power is to add so much weight you can't muscle it up with the upperbody. This forces you to get low quick and to drive with your hips.

Just my experience.

you didnt mention anything about triple extension... so basically you have no idea what you're talking about

[TheHitStick]

you didnt mention anything about triple extension... so basically you have no idea what you're talking about

You've never been taught how to clean properly... so basically you have no idea what you're talking about

[DocHollidy]

I feel cleans are a huge advantage if you do them correctly, I started cleaning heavy, and now I'm to the point where I am making a pancake rather than just latching on to a defender, they help a lot for me atleast I attribute them to my explosion

[labradarep]

If you feel that you are performing Power Cleans incorrectly then learn how to perform Vertical Kettle Bell/ Dumbell Swings.

[dolphinsfan270]

You've never been taught how to clean properly... so basically you have no idea what you're talking about

Yea I do... I know how its performed but I cant because I just dont want to spend the time looking up dozens of videos and waste 2-3 valuable training weeks with a broom stick perfecting it before I even start with a barbell, then I still gotta take another 2-3 weeks till I even get to 100 lbs. I would rather be doing box jumps or trap bar jumps or many many other variations that I dont have to spend weeks perfecting the techniques.

[thepatbrown]

Yea I do... I know how its performed but I cant because I just dont want to spend the time looking up dozens of videos and waste 2-3 valuable training weeks with a broom stick perfecting it before I even start with a barbell, then I still gotta take another 2-3 weeks till I even get to 100 lbs. I would rather be doing box jumps or trap bar jumps or many many other variations that I dont have to spend weeks perfecting the techniques.

I can't tell how old or strong you are. Maybe power cleans aren't for you, but then again if you need 2-3 valuable training weeks to get the hang of the motion with a broomstick... maybe athletics aren't a good use of your valuable time.

That was just a little sarcasm. The truth is that it's not that difficult and you will get the hang of it in no time, if you want. As for perfect technique... my opinion is that great technique is easy. Perfect technique is near impossible. Don't worry about being perfect. Just get better. I wish you the best of luck in your athletic pursuits.

BTW. what are triple extensions?

[jgood]

I can't tell how old or strong you are. Maybe power cleans aren't for you, but then again if you need 2-3 valuable training weeks to get the hang of the motion with a broomstick... maybe athletics aren't a good use of your valuable time.

That was just a little sarcasm. The truth is that it's not that difficult and you will get the hang of it in no time, if you want. As for perfect technique... my opinion is that great technique is easy. Perfect technique is near impossible. Don't worry about being perfect. Just get better. I wish you the best of luck in your athletic pursuits.

BTW. what are triple extensions?

Triple extension is extension of the: knee, ankle and hip.

Think about in a clean up until you actually flip the bar into a front squat, the idea is to fully extend all these joints and that's where most of the effectiveness of the lift comes from. A good non-weighted example is doing a squat jump .... fully straighten in the jump and you are triple extended.

The main problem I have with people saying olympic lifts aren't worth the time most likely have never tried them or at least with good form. You don't always have to take other people's advice .... you can try things and see what works for YOU. The only lifts that I will straight up say need to be in a routine are squats and deadlifts ..... but the powerclean is just another flavor you can use in getting towards a goal. Some people try and use the same exercises over and over again .... why not throw it in there for at least a 3-4 week cycle?