The Power Clean - The ultimate tutorial to learning it fast!

[ManWithCurls]

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.

Hi,

If you see the height at which you pull the bar, it is actually quite high which tells me you are not that fatigued. You can do with narrowing your landing stance when you catch the barbell; you are splitting the legs too wide for the height of the barbell.

Work on catching the barbell as soon as it stops which will mean you have to go narrow. You are pulling the barbell high so that's good. You are also not finishing the pull (too early arm activation and not full forward hip thrust). Do many sets of 2 reps at least 2x week to encourage greasing the groove.

All the best.

[tanikR32]

Going to start doing these more and work with the tips you've posted. I tried powercleans the other day for my first time and the form needed work. I know that there is a lot of power in me that just needs the right form to be unleashed. Does deadlift strength play a big role in the powerclean? I can get 450-500 up off the ground any day so I am hoping to work up to powercleans of at least 250.

Thanks!

[ManWithCurls]

Going to start doing these more and work with the tips you've posted. I tried powercleans the other day for my first time and the form needed work. I know that there is a lot of power in me that just needs the right form to be unleashed. Does deadlift strength play a big role in the powerclean? I can get 450-500 up off the ground any day so I am hoping to work up to powercleans of at least 250.

Thanks!

Be careful in extrapolating deadlift numbers to power clean numbers. They both strengthen the same body groups but getting stronger in one doesn't mean that the other lift will go up. For example, I was sharing the platform the other day with a guy who was doing deadlifts. He was doing singles with 480 and I was doing sets of 2 reps with 275lbs in the power clean. He asked me if I could teach him the basic to the power clean after I finished my workout and I had him in about 20 minutes being able to perform an OK power clean. He failed with 185lbs in the power clean though with better technique I think he'd be good for 200lbs.

With the power clean, I recommend you to leave the ego at the gym door. You need more technique emphasis in this lift than with the deadlift so I recommend you to keep getting strong in the deadlift and to give yourself a month or two to get yourself good technique on the power clean with light weights.

All the best.

[MyronLatsBrah]

Awesome post, i just started doing power cleans 1 week ago and they are my new favourite exercise. There is nothing else like them.

[Ronners]

Great tips, thank you!

[InExileVt]

Without bumper plates howdo you recommend unloading after the lift?

[EarlSweatshirt]

Great article thanks, will be showing to a few friends!

[ironcide]

great post! thank you

I've wanted to work cleans into my routine for a while now, however I lacked the shoulder flexibility to catch a clean...I've been doing front squats with a clean grip for a while now to get used to it. Might be time to give them a try. What sets and reps would you recommend for someone just learning and really working on form? the same 5x5 or 8x3?

[ManWithCurls]

Awesome post, i just started doing power cleans 1 week ago and they are my new favourite exercise. There is nothing else like them.

Yeah, they are great once you get a good hold of them. Keep at it, they take some time to get good at them but are worth the effort.

Great tips, thank you!

Glad you enjoyed them.

Without bumper plates howdo you recommend unloading after the lift?

Allow the barbell to drop down (under control!) as you go into a 1/8 squat at the same time so that the barbell lands on top of your upper thighs, then reverse RDL the barbell.

Great article thanks, will be showing to a few friends!

Glad you enjoyed it. I have a more in-depth article on the power clean on my site as well as some more stuff on explosive lifting. Keep an eye on my youtube channel too for more power clean vids.

http://www.youtube.com/user/manlycurlsDOTcom

great post! thank you

I've wanted to work cleans into my routine for a while now, however I lacked the shoulder flexibility to catch a clean...I've been doing front squats with a clean grip for a while now to get used to it. Might be time to give them a try. What sets and reps would you recommend for someone just learning and really working on form? the same 5x5 or 8x3?

I'd recommend you to do a bucketload of doubles (sets of 2 reps). The first rep wakes you up and the 2nd rep allows you to do what you didn't do on the first rep. Anywhere from 10 to 20 sets in a given session, keep the rest periods short and always aim for as perfect as possible technique as my article shows.

You can find a good power clean routine on the first page of this thread. I created that routine for another member with the goal of bringing up his power clean (i.e. this is a specialization program).

All the best.

[Brofister]

Fantastic post. Just started getting into cleans. Can clean up to 50kg with no problem, start losing balance and struggling a bit when cleaning 60kgs, but it's all about putting the time in. Cheers mate

[titomuheedo]

1.How often can you do these? I train for BBing but I want to start to get into this. Along with my hypertrophy workouts how often? On the same day or seperate specific days?

2.I have a slight knee injury, I think I overstretched it atg'ing my squats. I can ext. and curl fine but deep squats and presses are a no go. Can/should I still do these?

[ManWithCurls]

Fantastic post. Just started getting into cleans. Can clean up to 50kg with no problem, start losing balance and struggling a bit when cleaning 60kgs, but it's all about putting the time in. Cheers mate

Absolutely. Keep at it but since you are just getting into the technique and playing with "light weights", do not forget to continue training your other compound lifts. Once you get to a decent mastery of the power clean, you can do lots of cool stuff with your program and even replace deadlifts with power cleans (but first you need to be good at power cleans).

1.How often can you do these? I train for BBing but I want to start to get into this. Along with my hypertrophy workouts how often? On the same day or seperate specific days?

It depends on how good you are with power cleans. To benefit from the hypertrophy and power development of the power clean, you need to be proficient in the lift. This means you should be able to power clean at least 60% of your back squat (full squat) for 1RM, so if you can squat 300lbs, you need to be doing 180lbs.

I have trained a few bodybuilders and I find that 2x is the perfect frequency for them. One day going heavy, the other light and working on technique. Heavy day goes with Back day, light day goes with Leg day (or Shoulders). Just make sure you leave 2 days rest between lifts. Remember, the power clean needs much better technique precision than the rest of lifts so you need to practice it often to become good at it. You can also do add in an extra light day but I find that this interferes a bit too much with a bodybuilding specialization program.

2.I have a slight knee injury, I think I overstretched it atg'ing my squats. I can ext. and curl fine but deep squats and presses are a no go. Can/should I still do these?

You will find that the knee injury is aggravated when you squat down to make the first pull, not when you catch the weight. I would suggest you do them from the hang (starting at 2nd pull), or even better, doing it from blocks or piled up plates so that you start the lift at knee height.

Guys, I have been getting a lot of PMs about the power clean. I don't have a problem addressing your questions but please, post your questions in this thread instead of sending them through PMs, so that the rest of the readers benefit from my replies too. You can also contact me through my blog http://www.manlycurls.com/ as I cover other fitness/strength topics.

All the best.

[SpitBlackwood]

Thanks for the vids, too

[mjd2012]

Great info thanks !

[joeylee56]

i love the power clean!!!

[ManWithCurls]

Thanks for the vids, too

Great info thanks !

i love the power clean!!!

You are all welcome!

Feel free to let know of any questions you have or progress made by using my tutorial.

All the best.

[Grifts]

Awesome, thanks. Have been doing rows so far as I was very uncertain how to do this, no one to coach me at all. Expression in pics is priceless.

I have standard barbells, is this recommended without the help of olympic weights and the ability to spin freely and easily?

[ManWithCurls]

Awesome, thanks. Have been doing rows so far as I was very uncertain how to do this, no one to coach me at all. Expression in pics is priceless.

I have standard barbells, is this recommended without the help of olympic weights and the ability to spin freely and easily?

The power clean is best done with a revolving (spinning) 7 foot barbell. With a standard barbell, you run the risk of injuring your wrists and elbows, which will happen for sure if you start doing power cleans with weights over 80% of your 1RM.

I would advise you to stay away from power cleans until you can secure yourself an oly barbell with revolving ends. While you can do power cleans with a standard barbell (temporarily), you will learn faulty technique if you are using a standard barbell for your power cleans: you don't want to do this because the power clean has an important technical aspect which is inherent to the lift.

Heavy rows, deadlifts, shrugs and partial deadlifts are exercises which you can do to build a strong posterior chain for when you have access to an oly barbell and can learn the power clean in a safe setting.

All the best.

[Grifts]

Alrighty, I will hold off on them then. Been watching used sports store and garage sales for more equipment, so far no luck.

Still a great demonstration/instruction on how to do this. Appreciate it.

[GodMadeDirt]

Alrighty, I will hold off on them then. Been watching used sports store and garage sales for more equipment, so far no luck.

Still a great demonstration/instruction on how to do this. Appreciate it.

Craigslist is a good option.

This thread is proof how little the PC is done today. Thread is a year old and is on page 2.

[ManWithCurls]

Alrighty, I will hold off on them then. Been watching used sports store and garage sales for more equipment, so far no luck.

Still a great demonstration/instruction on how to do this. Appreciate it.

For what is worth, the barbell and discs you see me using in the pictures are ones I bought from a sports supplier. They weren't that expensive as I went to a wholesaler, Craiglist works good too, just make sure to inspect the equipment first. Also, buy some cushioning for the floor (foam mats will do and they are cheap).

Having your own barbell and discs at home is a great option. Get yourself two stands to support the barbell to do back squats and you can build a solid strength and hypertrophy program.

[Grifts]

Yeah, still searching for a good rack. I make do for now doing Zercher squats and squatting off the top of my bench posts.

Thanks again.

[AlexFields12]

Always had problems with the power clean, I actually find the snatch easier. Will try today at the gym with info from this thread

[kanis999]

Hi, great thread here. My biggest concern is that if you miss the catch while you're in a squat position, the knees will be directly under the bar. How do you avoid having the bar fall on your knees?

[Thomaspeter1590]

I had a question about the catch. I was just wondering if your supposed to push yourself under the bar or is that geared more toward the snatch.

[maxiimee05]

"THE ALPHA MALE VICTORIOUS STANDING UP" : made my day !

[Croftt]

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[ThatGalZoey]

Thanks for sharing. Your detailed tutorial and video is very informative. Do you have other tutorials on other exercises? I'd love to check them out. Thanks!

[ManWithCurls]

Yeah, still searching for a good rack. I make do for now doing Zercher squats and squatting off the top of my bench posts.

Thanks again.

Yep, that's fine. I have done Zercher squats and they are more than a core builder than leg builder. Excellent exercise which will have a carryover once you can have a rack to do squats.

Always had problems with the power clean, I actually find the snatch easier. Will try today at the gym with info from this thread

Let me know how it goes. In the Oly lifting circle we say that if you can snatch with good form, you will be able to do cleans with good form too.

Hi, great thread here. My biggest concern is that if you miss the catch while you're in a squat position, the knees will be directly under the bar. How do you avoid having the bar fall on your knees?

Don't worry about it, your brain will instinctively push the barbell forward if you fail the lift. I have never dropped a barbell on my knees from cleans (even when I was a beginner) although I have dropped failed snatches (230lbs) on my knees and it was absolute hellish pain. Power cleans/full cleans are good to go though.

I had a question about the catch. I was just wondering if your supposed to push yourself under the bar or is that geared more toward the snatch.

You drop under the barbell, do not push the barbell because doing so will deviate the barbell from the intended path. Just get down under the barbell: with enough practice, you'll be able to train yourself to drop to an optimal height to catch the barbell smoothly.

"THE ALPHA MALE VICTORIOUS STANDING UP" : made my day !

I used that term tongue in cheek in reference to a banned user who used to troll the Oly lifting section.

[ManWithCurls]

Thanks for sharing. Your detailed tutorial and video is very informative. Do you have other tutorials on other exercises? I'd love to check them out. Thanks!

Yes, I have written other popular tutorials on my site. Check out the "Get Strong" section of my site:

http://www.manlycurls.com/category/s...itness-muscle/

All the best.