Power clean form check

[repoman0]

Hey all -

I know these aren't quite there yet. Just trying to get some tips on what to improve and how. This is with 160lbs, about what I weigh at 5'9". I have more videos, one from the side of two reps and another from the same angle with two reps and a failed third; I'll upload them if it'll help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFwgkWnDBNs&feature=youtu.be

Thanks!

 

[Pantlegz]

A view from the side would be helpful. It doesn't look bad from what I can see. The bar should remain in contact with your legs until you get to the crease in your hip. At which point your hips should come forward to move the bar.

 

[Koing]

Looks good mate! And I've seen a lot of OLifting over the past 14yrs!

Very minor criticisms
-early arm bend, once past the knees you bend your arm a tad too much, keep on using your *lats* to bring the bar in to your upper thighs, KEEP YOUR ARMS STRAIGHT, do not follow the cal strength guys who bend their arm early, it isn't good technique, use your lats,
-faster drive up with your hips
-faster rack but to be honest your rack (act of whipping elbows forwards) is fast

You keep the bar in throughout the whole lift close to your body = good.

Start position is good.

Post up more videos and put more weight on the bar

Koing

 

[repoman0]

Wow I suck at checking my threads.

Thanks guys - makes me feel a little better about them! I'll keep those tips in mind and see if I can get them any better.

Trying to put more weight on the bar - I got a 1RM at 185 (no video) that felt like it was pretty decent, but who knows. Back at 145 now doing sets of 5 instead of 3 in an attempt to mix it up - makes my hamstrings feel like jelly after each set and I almost have to collapse immediately after rep #5. Also replaced one of my back squat days with front squats to get some confidence in catching the bar a little lower, since that's gonna have to happen once I get past 185ish.

 

[HN]

-faster rack but to be honest your rack (act of whipping elbows forwards) is fast

Koing, Do you have suggestions / tips on how to improve this?

 

[Koing]

Koing, Do you have suggestions / tips on how to improve this?

Practice with the bar. Make sure you can do it VERY FAST with the empty bar. If you can't with an empty bar you will never do it fast with a loaded bar.

Make sure your flexibility is good so you can do it. Swing your arms (straight) backwards at the start and end of your sessions. You windmill your arms.

Rack the bar in a front squat position, then move one elbows up and then the other. Repeat, and aim to increase the how high you can get your elbows each time. Do this at the start and at the end of your sessions.

Koing

 

[Koing]

Wow I suck at checking my threads.

Thanks guys - makes me feel a little better about them! I'll keep those tips in mind and see if I can get them any better.

Trying to put more weight on the bar - I got a 1RM at 185 (no video) that felt like it was pretty decent, but who knows. Back at 145 now doing sets of 5 instead of 3 in an attempt to mix it up - makes my hamstrings feel like jelly after each set and I almost have to collapse immediately after rep #5. Also replaced one of my back squat days with front squats to get some confidence in catching the bar a little lower, since that's gonna have to happen once I get past 185ish.

I don't recommend doing reps on the OLifts. 3's at a push. Better to do more sets or have shorter rests inbetween sets if you want more of a metcon thing.

Yes back squats are important for OLifts.

Practice full cleans as well mate. Again work on this with the empty bar and then build up the weights.

Koing

 

[repoman0]

Awesome, I like the advice about not doing sets of five because it sucks even at weights that I'm capable of doing all day with sets of three. Next time I feel like I need to mix it up I'll go to heavier sets of two or one.

Haven't ever tried any full cleans yet but introducing them is part of the reason I'm adding front squats to the routine. I'm looking to start snatch too but it'll need to wait a couple weeks because it puts a nasty strain on my left wrist, which I hurt catching myself after going over the handlebars on my bike a couple weeks ago .....

Interesting about the "fast rack" thing also. I've never consciously thought about it or practiced it. Maybe it's one of those things that separates my good reps from bad, which still happen too often. I can tell when they suck obviously because I don't land with total stability, or don't catch the bar with my arms parallel to the floor, or whatever other reason, but it's hard to tell what about my movement changes. Probably just needs more practice and more "correct" reps to get the movement down.

 

[Koing]

Yes OLIfts are not the best idea to do metcon stuff.

Post up a video and I'll take a look.

Racking fast is important. Most beginners pull the bar up with their arms and then they can't rack as their arm is *loaded* with the bar. Racking fast is a function of not pulling the bar up and thus loading the arms. It's using your hips to *sling shot the bar up* and then the bar is coming up already and then you drive your elbows forwards to rack it. Arms aren't loaded, arms can move FAST. Simples

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread, doing PCs this afternoon I paid attention to my arms and made sure they weren't pulling the bar. I had to work a lot harder with my lower body to get the bar moving fast enough and I had to dip a little more with my legs to catch it.

 

[Koing]

Wow, I'm glad I read this thread, doing PCs this afternoon I paid attention to my arms and made sure they weren't pulling the bar. I had to work a lot harder with my lower body to get the bar moving fast enough and I had to dip a little more with my legs to catch it.

Don't dip, pull yourself down in to a 1/4 squat position to receive it. Be active. Don't pull the bar up, pull yourself down so you are READY FOR THE BAR.

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

I'll have to keep that in mind. Too bad I don't train the lift again until Friday :\

 

[Koing]

Nothing to stop you doing 10-15sets with the bar mate

Koing

 

[Blackjack200]

Just a lack of time, but now I'm making excuses.

 

[Koing]

Just a lack of time, but now I'm making excuses.

If you have a bar you can do 10-15sets within 20minutes and that includes your warm up.

Koing