Some questions about clean (form and grip)

[Virus4762]

When doing the clean where do you, personally, place your hands in relation to the silver ring on the barbell？


I used to place my pinky finger just inside the ring but a few days ago I started placing my middle finger on the ring itself. I know it's a personal preference thing but I was just wondering what works best with you guys/most people.


My other question is about how the bar should travel. When I clean, the bar travels in more or less of a vertical straight line. In a few of the videos I've watched though, the lifters almost seem to be pulling the bar in to their hips when they jump. This actually leads to another question of mine about the bending of your elbow. I always kept my elbows straight until the moment the bar reached my hips but I've seen many videos of lifters starting to bend their elbows way before the bar reaches their hips (perhaps because they are pulling the bar in to their hips). The picture below is a perfect example:




It almost seems as if he's doing a partial bent over row before he cleans. This guy also jumps a bit back as he cleans. Is this normal?


Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

[olyw8lifter]

I put my hands a thumbs width away from where the outside knurl starts. I like a slightly narrower grip for the clean and pop my hands out at the top of the clean recovery in preparation for the jerk. I don't base it on where the rings are. On the snatch, I put my hands about a fingers width outside the rings.

As to bending your elbows intentionally, if you're new, keep them straight. The picture above is for shorter armed lifters who are trying to keep the bar closer and just happen to bend the elbows due to contracting the lats hard.

Jumping back is preferable to jumping forward, but staying in the same place is preferable to both.

[kaebow]

When doing the clean where do you, personally, place your hands in relation to the silver ring on the barbell？


I used to place my pinky finger just inside the ring but a few days ago I started placing my middle finger on the ring itself. I know it's a personal preference thing but I was just wondering what works best with you guys/most people.


My other question is about how the bar should travel. When I clean, the bar travels in more or less of a vertical straight line. In a few of the videos I've watched though, the lifters almost seem to be pulling the bar in to their hips when they jump. This actually leads to another question of mine about the bending of your elbow. I always kept my elbows straight until the moment the bar reached my hips but I've seen many videos of lifters starting to bend their elbows way before the bar reaches their hips (perhaps because they are pulling the bar in to their hips). The picture below is a perfect example:




It almost seems as if he's doing a partial bent over row before he cleans. This guy also jumps a bit back as he cleans. Is this normal?


Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

Don't look at american weightlifters for analyzing how your form is supposed to look lol. Go to this hookgrip page and see how all these world class weightlifters clean in slow mo.

*****://www.youtube.com/user/hookgrip

[FNG37]

Don't look at american weightlifters for analyzing how your form is supposed to look lol. Go to this hookgrip page and see how all these world class weightlifters clean in slow mo.

*****://www.youtube.com/user/hookgrip

Especially the Cal Strength guys post Pendlay. I'm not sure who the current coach is but arm bend seems to be theme with a lot of their lifters, be it because of injury or form.

[kneesleeve]

A little arm bend is usually alright, if Lu Xiaojun does it etc etc, but that whole "hip clean" thing is just nasty.

Grip width is based on proportions and preference, you'll find over time what works best for you. I like it narrow.

[GoJu]

The Cal Strength guys bend their arms on purpose, they call it the hip clean, the arm bend is used to keep the bar higher on the way up the leg so it hits a higher power position before the 2nd pull.

[BadSnatch]

Please for the love of all that is weightlifting don't early arm pull. Lu doesn't bend his arms early, he keeps them relaxed. Try forcing your arm straight, now relax it. If you pull early you lose range of motion for when you actually need to use your arms and shoulders to pull.

For the grip width it's completely personal. Just gotta experiment till you find whats best for you. Try experimenting with different grips with a different stance.

[PantheraTS]

I put my hands a thumbs width away from where the outside knurl starts. I like a slightly narrower grip for the clean and pop my hands out at the top of the clean recovery in preparation for the jerk. I don't base it on where the rings are. On the snatch, I put my hands about a fingers width outside the rings.

As to bending your elbows intentionally, if you're new, keep them straight. The picture above is for shorter armed lifters who are trying to keep the bar closer and just happen to bend the elbows due to contracting the lats hard.

Jumping back is preferable to jumping forward, but staying in the same place is preferable to both.

Everything he said is good. For Snatch its completely segmental length dependant and without you measuring and providing me with that data would be tough to give you the "best" grip on snatch. However a good rule of "thumb" is to start with index on the ring and slowly move out, if you are not pushing hips through at the crease you need to adjust.