So I?m having difficulty with power clean, it seems like a very technical lift and there are a few things I?m doing wrong I believe. First is my grip which may be the shity old bar I have to use or that I have always had shity grip.
It seems the bar always slips to my fingers especially when I try to lift heavy which is necessary with 5x5 workout. Also my balance is CRAP I have always had bad balance since I was a kid. So what do you suggest that I do to help improve these weak points?
Learn the hook grip and buy some tape for your thumbs.
Use chalk if you aren’t already.
Keep deadlifting (or do so if you aren’t) but always use a pronated grip.
Keep pulling but maybe do some clean pulls, snatch pulls and and snatch grip deadlifts. Roatate these for 5x5 or 3x8 or other sensible set/rep scheme.
Hook Grip
I dont know about the snatch stuff, I think I will fuck myself up doing that. Im gona work on using those grips you told me and buy chalk. Any other suggestions for grip or balance would be helpfull.
The hook grip is very valuable; it’ll hurt like a bitch for a little bit while you get the hang of it. Pronated deadlifts and also snatch deads will help this.
Looking back, i think my biggest obstacle to improving my clean was psychological. That is, don’t be afraid to get under the bar. Learn to get your ass to the grass and your lift will be going up in no time.
A good way to develop the speed necessary to get under the bar is by doing cleans off some blocks or off the pins in a power rack (i place the bar about three inches above the knee). Explode the bar upward and get underneath it as it continues to generate momentum.
[quote]Joseph93 wrote:
Looking back, i think my biggest obstacle to improving my clean was psychological. That is, don’t be afraid to get under the bar. Learn to get your ass to the grass and your lift will be going up in no time.
[/quote]
This is so true, I am almost afraid of falling or something. The psychological aspect of this lift is pretty great. I mean your moving a lot of weight through your momentum, and if you fuck up it can be pretty painful fall. I haven?t had any fall from the power clean yet but also have not gone very heavy yet. I think once I can improve my grip and other weakness my fear will diminish.
Get an oly lifter to teach you how to power clean.
Use straps for reps, or pause briefly between reps, standing up again before re-setting the hook grip. Straps will also let you do reps from the hang, which are productive but irritating unless you know how to re-set the hook without lowering the weight.
Practice with power pulls, learning the explosion first. alternate with days of hang cleans working exclusively on your catch making it perfect.
then when both are down, then put it all together.
I prefer a 642 wave or 54321. or cluster training with singles.
5 by 5 not so much.
work on your brachialis reverse curls to strengthen your grip.
You also wanna whip your elbows forward as your actually “cleaning” the barbell up to your chest, while at the same time bending your knees.
You can do heavy shrugs or dumbell rows to build your grip up.