What is the best way to do power cleans? I have always started them from a deadlift position. Would it better to do them from the waist level in order to eliminate momentum?
There are different schools of thought on this. I’ve seen trainers use them from both positions, but I prefer to start them from the hang because starting from the floor can limit the acceleration of the second, explosive pull. Exploding straight off the ground is also too dangerous in my opinion unless technique and abdominal control is absolutely perfect.
it depends on what ur goals are, if u are athelte power cleans is the way to go, because it teaches the whole body to be explosive, (plus you can use more weight) if u are a body builder i would go with from the hang…
Trick Nick, A power clean is by definition from the deadlift position, from the waist would constitute a hang clean, and I always do power cleans, I figure I am more likely to need the entire movement rather than just jerking a bar up to my neck, the explosion from the ground is of utmost importance.
As mentioned before it all depends on your goals. As a exercise physiologist, if your an athlete, it depends on your sport and certain weaknesses. A discus or javalin thrower type athlete, hang cleans all the way (You never go into full squat position in those events). For Rugby, American Football, or shotputter, power cleans, and squat cleans (Olympic style clean).
Both methods will utilize the triple extension of ankle, knee and hip. The power clean may have a slight advantage due to the greater range of motion, but nonetheless they are both highly effective hip explosion exercises.
I just wanted to make a brief comment to support virtually all the prior posts. In fact you should learn the lift as a true Power Clean (from floor) and a Hang Clean (from knees). Further considerations are whether you need to use a full front squat or performing with other mediums, ie non-conforming objects/kettlebells. I would personally recommend you learn all elements of this tremendous lift. In faith, Coach Davies
i like PCs better but powercleans from the hang (thats the real technically and pollitically correct way of saying it) really seemed to help me get my grove and feeling for jumping and doing layups in Basketball.
Go from the floor. It helps to elimonate a reverse curl motion. Make sure that you catch into a full squat position.
For the longest time, I have done the clean as one complete movement from the deadlift position. Recently, I broke it up into two parts-deadlift pause and then clean. Your thoughts?
i don’t think there is a reason to pause since it is a explosive movenment, plus you should be able to deadlift much more then you clean so you are better off either using Power Cleans as a whole movement, or Hang cleans and Deadlifts…what are your goals anyway?
Trick, pausing will just turn it into a power clean from the hang position. My opinion is that they should be done from the hang. The first pull is just to get the bar off the ground… acceleration occurs once the bar is past the knees. So for an athlete I can’t see any advantage in picking the weight up off of the floor (except to get the bar into position) - if you want to get strong at doing this, do DL’s, not PC’s. Here’s a thought - ever try power snatches? These require you to generate more power than a power clean. PC’s are great, just wanted to throw out the PS idea to give you something else to try.
absolutely agreement Spanky - Power Snatch are tremendous. Why not take a hybrid of all these suggestions. In faith, Coach Davies
the good thing about the (power) hang clean is i am sure that i am a lot more biomechanically sound on it than the power clean from the floor, since i have never had a qualified coach teach me the ins and outs. I try and pretend i am Alexyev when i pull but i realize my form is no where near as good. The hang clean, since it is just the second pull is simpler and therefore you are more likely to be doing it correctly.
Power cleans are done from a dead lift position, hang cleans are done from waste level. and cleans and snatches are all about momentum. thats what power lifting is.
dman - you raise a good point about having a qualified coach. I was lucky as I was taught by an extraordinary coach when I was 13. Unfortunately the coaching profession and media have not done a great job at teaching this lift. One of the great manners to learn these lifts is through kettlebell training - do you think we need to address this in a short article? In faith, Coach Davies
Coach Davies, glad to hear you agree with me on the power snatch. The snatch and variations of the snatch are quickly becoming some of my favorite lifts. I’d love trying to snatch a kettlebell, a short article would be awesome if you have the time.
PlatinumP, Powerlifting is actually the squat, bench press and deadlift, not the power clean - maybe I'm just misinterpereting you when you say "power lifting". Technically speaking you're right when you say a power clean must start from the floor... The terminology can get a little tricky but it's good to know. Any Olympic-type movement can start from the floor, the low hang (below the knees), the high hang (above the knees), or from full extension. A power clean CAN start from any of these positions, but then if it starts from a high hang you should call it "Power clean from the high hang". I think a lot of people misinterperet a "hang clean" as being a "power clean"... actually "hang clean" implies a full squat clean done from the high hang, which isn't a power clean at all.
dman, I agree with you… People who have never done cleans before usually screw up the transition from the first to the second pull. Starting from the hang eliminates this problem (plus you don’t have to show them how to do a double knee rebend!).
an article by coach davies on some olympic movements would be great. i would love to see that.
Well, there have been far more skilled lifters than myself write on Olympic techniques but what if we went how I use it to improve speed and agility and the hybrid movements. Does that interest anyone? In faith, Coach Davies