Official Clean and Jerk Thread

[SurfOnSilver]

Well, the snatch has one, so the C&J deserves one too =) I prefer it anyway...

Feel free to post vids of record breaking C&J's, your own ones, tips on form, purpose of the exercise etc. Basically so anyone wanting to know anything about the lift can come here.

[athenafootball]

haha dont hate on my snatch thread

[laxster]

for newbies, use your legs more than your arms

[athenafootball]

true

[PrivateBaldrick]

Don't bend your arms in the clean and keep an arched back.

[athenafootball]

keep the bar as close to your body as possible on the way up

[PrivateBaldrick]

Keep your elbows pointed straight ahead when you start the jerk. This will keep you from pushing it out in front.

[SurfOnSilver]

Keep your elbows pointed straight ahead when you start the jerk. This will keep you from pushing it out in front.

I always did this because I knew it was correct form, but up until now never knew why =p nice one...

[shotkong]

for the clean - start as if you were doing a conventional deadlift.. legs bent, back arched, head up, clean grip. Then in a controlled motion, not too fast not too slow, lift to the bar until it reaches your upper thighs then explode it up. It should feel like you're jumping and shrugging at the same time, then the bar should feel weightless after this explosion. At which point you pull yourself underneath the bar, rack it with your elbows pointed out, and front squat it to the top (and make sure you breath).

for the jerk - keep the elbows pointed out (remember there is no pressing in this movement, so you shouldn't feel like you're about to press it). Do a very limited ROM front squat with as much explosion as possible. After you do this split your legs so that you get as low as possible (in order to reduce the amount of upward motion of the bar necessary) and lock out the weight overhead (if you press it out at all, the lift is red flagged). Once the weight is securely overhead, bring your feet together, and voila.

[athenafootball]

for the clean - start as if you were doing a conventional deadlift.. legs bent, back arched, head up, clean grip. Then in a controlled motion, not too fast not too slow, lift to the bar until it reaches your upper thighs then explode it up. It should feel like you're jumping and shrugging at the same time, then the bar should feel weightless after this explosion. At which point you pull yourself underneath the bar, rack it with your elbows pointed out, and front squat it to the top (and make sure you breath).

for the jerk - keep the elbows pointed out (remember there is no pressing in this movement, so you shouldn't feel like you're about to press it). Do a very limited ROM front squat with as much explosion as possible. After you do this split your legs so that you get as low as possible (in order to reduce the amount of upward motion of the bar necessary) and lock out the weight overhead (if you press it out at all, the lift is red flagged). Once the weight is securely overhead, bring your feet together, and voila.

good explanation.

[athenafootball]

hey when you are doing a tough set of powercleans does anyone ever do a jerk on the last rep just to feel like a bamf lol

[rogan181]

hey when you are doing a tough set of powercleans does anyone ever do a jerk on the last rep just to feel like a bamf lol

yes haha

[PrivateBaldrick]

for the clean - start as if you were doing a conventional deadlift.. legs bent, back arched, head up, clean grip. Then in a controlled motion, not too fast not too slow, lift to the bar until it reaches your upper thighs then explode it up. It should feel like you're jumping and shrugging at the same time, then the bar should feel weightless after this explosion. At which point you pull yourself underneath the bar, rack it with your elbows pointed out, and front squat it to the top (and make sure you breath).

for the jerk - keep the elbows pointed out (remember there is no pressing in this movement, so you shouldn't feel like you're about to press it). Do a very limited ROM front squat with as much explosion as possible. After you do this split your legs so that you get as low as possible (in order to reduce the amount of upward motion of the bar necessary) and lock out the weight overhead (if you press it out at all, the lift is red flagged). Once the weight is securely overhead, bring your feet together, and voila.

Actually you want to be as explosive as possible off the floor in order to build momentum. You have to pull as hard as you can.

[rogan181]

Actually you want to be as explosive as possible off the floor in order to build momentum. You have to pull as hard as you can.

actually no you dont, watch any olympic lifter... you dont need explosion until it hits your knees, thats where you lock otu all the jkoints and use your bodys momentum to virtually toss it up into the air

[rogan181]

Instructions
Preparation

Stand over the barbell with the balls of the feet positioned under the bar slightly wider apart than hip width. Squat down and grip the bar with an over hand grip slightly wider than shoulder width. Position the shoulders over the bar with the back arched tightly. Arms are straight with elbows pointed along the bar.
Execution (Clean)

Pull the bar up off the floor by extending the hips and knees. As the bar reaches the knees vigorously raise the shoulders while keeping the barbell close to the thighs. When the barbell passes mid-thigh, allow it to contact the thighs. Jump upward extending the body. Shrug the shoulders and pull the barbell upward with the arms allowing the elbows to flex out to the sides, keeping the bar close to the body. Aggressively pull the body under the bar, rotating the elbows around the bar. Catch the bar on the shoulders while moving into a squat position. Hitting the bottom of the squat, stand up immediately.
Execution (Jerk)

Adjust the grip if necessary. Inhale and position chest high with torso tight. Keeping pressure on the heels, dip the body by bending the knees and ankles slightly. Explosively drive upward with the legs, driving the barbell up off the shoulders. Drop body downward and split one foot forward and the other backward as fast as possible while vigorously extending the arms overhead.
The split position places the front shin vertical to the floor with the front foot flat on the floor. The rear knee is slightly bent with the rear foot positioned on the toes. The bar should be positioned directly over the ears at arms length with the back straight.
Push up with both legs. Position feet side by side by bringing the front foot back part way and then the rear foot forward.
Return

Bend knees slightly and lower barbell to mid-thigh position. Slowly lower bar with taut lower back and trunk close to vertical. The advanced athlete may unload (drop) the bar from the completed position. This technique may be practiced to reduce the stress or fatigue involved in lowering the bar as prescribed. Use rubber weightlifting plates on a weightlifting platform if this unloading method is used (unless floor demolition is desired).

[rogan181]

With the bar on the platform, the athlete stands over the barbell, looks down and lines the bar over the balls of the feet. The feet should be about hip width apart. The lifter assumes the starting position by bending the knees, lowering the hips, and gripping the barbell with a grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width.
In the starting position, the shoulders should be over the bar and the back arched tightly.

To start the pull, the athlete pushes his feet though the floor. As the barbell reaches knee height, the back stays arched and maintains the same angle to the floor as in the starting position.

The back remains rigid throughout the lift. The angle of the back relative to the floor remains the same until the bar passes the knees.

When the barbell passes the knees the athlete vigorously raises the shoulders keeping the bar as close to the legs as possible.

When the body is extended the lifter shrugs their shoulders and starts pulling with the arms, still keeping the barbell close to the body. (This is accomplished by lifting the elbows out to the side, keeping them over the bar as long as possible.) From this position the lifter aggressively pulls the body under the bar.

The lifter quickly flips the elbows around to catch the bar on the shoulders as he descends to the front squat position.

The lifter stands up from the squat position, moves the feet back beneath him (slightly less than shoulder width), adjusts the grip as necessary, and ceases all motion.

The lifter bends his legs while keeping his back rigid, his shoulders directly over his hips, and his hips directly over his feet. He immediately extends his legs forcefully driving the bar straight overhead.

The lifter splits his legs (one in front, one behind) and pushes himself under the bar to arms length. The descent of the bar is halted.

The lifter carefully extends both legs, steps backward with the front leg and forward with the back leg to bring both feet parallel with the body.

[PrivateBaldrick]

actually no you dont, watch any olympic lifter... you dont need explosion until it hits your knees, thats where you lock otu all the jkoints and use your bodys momentum to virtually toss it up into the air

Think about it. The faster the bar is already moving when it reaches past you knees (which is called the second pull) the higher you will be able to pull the bar, and the more weight you will be able to lift. The initial pull from the floor just looks slow because you are pulling from a dead stop.

[SurfOnSilver]

Whenever Im doing powercleans, I always seem to catch the bar at about a quarter squat. What exactly am I doing wrong? Most pro guys I watch do DEEEEP squats when the catch the bar, am I just not quick enough yet? Should I lower the weight?

[J.L.C.]

actually no you dont, watch any olympic lifter... you dont need explosion until it hits your knees, thats where you lock otu all the jkoints and use your bodys momentum to virtually toss it up into the air

I disagree.

One of the most common mistakes (which I'm working on as well) is cutting the first pull short and exploding too soon. Exploding once you clear the knees is too early. You're likely to kick the bar forward and lose it out front when you go to catch it.

Maintaining that first pull until you get the bar to mid thigh, then accelerating and eventually exploding closer to the hips goes a long way and will get you a more explosive/violent pull and more height on the bar - IMO

Think about it. The faster the bar is already moving when it reaches past you knees (which is called the second pull) the higher you will be able to pull the bar, and the more weight you will be able to lift. The initial pull from the floor just looks slow because you are pulling from a dead stop.

I disagree here as well. Based on what Zatsiorsky says about the force velocity relationship (it's an inverse). You can exert the most force on a stationary object, and the least on an object that's moving quickly (high velocity). I'm always working on slowing my first pull speed down as much as possible to I can really 'attack' the bar when it's time for the 2nd pull. Like the above, I find it easier to get a more explosive/violent 2nd pull with a slower 1st pull.

Whenever Im doing powercleans, I always seem to catch the bar at about a quarter squat. What exactly am I doing wrong? Most pro guys I watch do DEEEEP squats when the catch the bar, am I just not quick enough yet? Should I lower the weight?

It's a timing/comfort thing. Really drill your front squats and take them allllll the way to the bottom, get used to being down there. Work with lighter loads and take those cleans to rock bottom. At first it will be a power clean ridden down to the bottom. Over time you will get smoother and with more weight you just won't be able to pull it as high.

Power cleans and squat cleans are separate exercises IMO. Some coaches recommend not doing ANY power versions until the full lifts are consistent, because the power versions can ingrain some bad habbits (pulling too high, using the arms, etc).

[scott_donald]

I disagree.

One of the most common mistakes (which I'm working on as well) is cutting the first pull short and exploding too soon. Exploding once you clear the knees is too early. You're likely to kick the bar forward and lose it out front when you go to catch it.

Maintaining that first pull until you get the bar to mid thigh, then accelerating and eventually exploding closer to the hips goes a long way and will get you a more explosive/violent pull and more height on the bar - IMO



I disagree here as well. Based on what Zatsiorsky says about the force velocity relationship (it's an inverse). You can exert the most force on a stationary object, and the least on an object that's moving quickly (high velocity). I'm always working on slowing my first pull speed down as much as possible to I can really 'attack' the bar when it's time for the 2nd pull. Like the above, I find it easier to get a more explosive/violent 2nd pull with a slower 1st pull.



It's a timing/comfort thing. Really drill your front squats and take them allllll the way to the bottom, get used to being down there. Work with lighter loads and take those cleans to rock bottom. At first it will be a power clean ridden down to the bottom. Over time you will get smoother and with more weight you just won't be able to pull it as high.

Power cleans and squat cleans are separate exercises IMO. Some coaches recommend not doing ANY power versions until the full lifts are consistent, because the power versions can ingrain some bad habbits (pulling too high, using the arms, etc).

awesome post...

[raffiki]

I personally agree with the private, though there is not one best way for everybody. Some like to wait for the second pull, while I start full throttle and use all the momentum I can get. Textbooks are guidelines. Dimas uses a massive, exagerated shrug with very little ankle extention. He did pretty well. Start with the textbooks and adapt from there.

[J.L.C.]

I personally agree with the private, though there is not one best way for everybody. Some like to wait for the second pull, while I start full throttle and use all the momentum I can get. Textbooks are guidelines. Dimas uses a massive, exagerated shrug with very little ankle extention. He did pretty well. Start with the textbooks and adapt from there.

Agreed

There are a ton of variations out there. Some countries/coaches favour the faster 1st pull (China?)

I just find if I go to fast I'm out of position. But that's more due to me sucking than a faster 1st pull being 'bad'.

Dimas is just insane. He gets a HUGE shrug before he even hits the 2nd pull....I tried that with some romanian pulls and just cannot do it at all!!!

[shotkong]

correct me if I'm wrong, but the slow 1st pull is more for the purpose of accelerating the bar rather than keeping the bar at an initial high, but constant velocity. I'm sure a few of you have thrown a shot put before, you start out slow from the back in order to make the shot accelerate, you don't rush the beginning.. same applies to Olympic lifting.

[rogan181]

Whenever Im doing powercleans, I always seem to catch the bar at about a quarter squat. What exactly am I doing wrong? Most pro guys I watch do DEEEEP squats when the catch the bar, am I just not quick enough yet? Should I lower the weight?

once you get some heavier weights, youll HAVE to drop low...so i wouldntworry abotu it if you dont need to, its not like youre doign anyhting wrong

the question relaly is, if you need to can you go low?

if that asnwer is no then you need to work on front squats ATG, but if its yes then why worry?

[Thaigga]

yea if explode from the floor, you cant explode on the 2nd pull as hard. Sounds complicated but thats just the way it is. I also always catch the bar at quarter sqaut, cramming my tallness into such a small space by going full squat doesnt work well for me, so i just go quarter squat. thats just an excuse i guess lol thats just the way i like doing it