Help with starting strength

[Terzo]

I've read the book, and while I believe I've picked up the other exercises, the power clean continues to give me trouble. I've been trying to learn it top down as the book suggests, but I'm not "getting it". Right now I'm starting with the hang followed by the jump. But when I jump it doesn't feel right. I think what's giving me difficulty is properly using the arms. I try not to use them but then I can only explode the bar to the bottom of my chest.
I've viewed videos of it but trying to learn this is driving me crazy. Can you guys help me out with this? Second, would it be worthwhile to ask the gym for a trainer to help me with the cleans? I'm a bit wary about this because I don't know what (if any certifications) they have, and would prefer to avoid it if possible.

Second, I feel like my right side leans forward more than the left. I notice this with the squats (where the bar doesn't rest symmetrically) and bench press (my right shoulder seems to rest higher than the left). Is this something that is a personal quirk, or something I can work to even out?

 

[gramboh]

Try to focus on keeping your arms straight, turn your elbows out (so they point away from you). Do not jump until the bar is at your upper thigh and focus on keeping the bar close to your body, this will make it harder to arm pull, then focus on whipping your elbows around fast to rack the bar. Coaching is the best option for sure, where do you live? 99.9% of trainers in the US don't even know what olympic weightlifting is. Just walk up to him and ask if he knows how to train the olympic lifts or the clean, if he has a clue you will be able to tell.

Not sure on the shoulders. I had a problem with coming up faster with one side of my body that the other (so the bar would be twisting). I just kept training and it went away. You can try unilateral work (one arm DB shoulder press, pistol squats etc).

 

[mchammer187]

I found it was easier to learn doing it with more weight than just the bar. So instead of trying with just the bar try with like 95 pounds. I wouldn't go higher than what you can MP because you don't really want to hurt your wrists if it is not landing on your deltoids properly and you are lacking wrist flexibility.

 

[brikis98]

The power clean is definitely the toughest lift to learn in SS. Here are some things that might help:

1. Your best option is to find an o-lifting coach. It is very unlikely that a random trainer at a gym will know anything about o-lifts, but it never hurts to ask.

2. Read and watch as much material about it as you can. Re-read the chapter in SS. Watch the power clean section in the Starting Strength DVD. Consider picking up a copy of Greg Everett's Olympic Weightlifting and follow the great o-lift progressions described. Read the Stronglifts Power Clean Tutorial. Watch the numerous o-lifting videos on the Crossfit Exercises page (just search the page for "clean").

3. Post a video of yourself doing a power clean on this messageboard or on the Crossfit Exercises Forum (the latter has a decent number of o-lifting coaches). You might have some simple form problem that an experienced eye could easily pick up on.

4. Practice, practice, practice. O-lifting takes a very long time to learn.

 

[Terzo]

Thanks for the input. Today I'll ask if any of the trainers at my gym can teach olympic lifts.
And thanks for the links brikis. The stronglifts seems to give the same basics as starting strength, but it's nice to have a video to accompany the pictures.

 

[BeauJangles]

Originally posted by: mchammer187
I found it was easier to learn doing it with more weight than just the bar. So instead of trying with just the bar try with like 95 pounds. I wouldn't go higher than what you can MP because you don't really want to hurt your wrists if it is not landing on your deltoids properly and you are lacking wrist flexibility.

:thumbsup: The added weight makes it more difficult to screw up.