Clean form check

[ryan mac]

I am a novice cleaner and I would say my form is erratic. Sometimes I feel like I do a good clean. Other times I feel like it's appalling. One area that I would like some comments on is regarding the second pull. I have a tough time with it in many respects. Particularly when the weight gets heavy. Maybe my starting position is off as well? Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeQIvmbQ-_M


Thanks for looking,

Ryan

[Greg Everett]

First, solid soundtrack.

Start position - Hard to tell from that angle but it looks like you're rolling the bar back into contact with your shins. Try moving it forward a bit to over the base of your toes. From there, drop your hips and lift your chest until your arms are about vertical. And look straight ahead.

When the bar leaves the ground, you need to really shift back onto your heels and bring the bar back with you. You stay leaning forward way too far over the bar the entire time, which is why you're being pulled forward (notice you have to jump forward to receive the bar. You also push the knees back a bit too much and leave your shoulders behind - that exacerbates the forward weight problem and puts you in a bad position to get the bar up.

I can't see because of the angle, but it looks like you're keeping a fairly tight grip on the bar as you rack it, and that's slowing down the turnover of your elbows. As your arms come around and that bar meets your shoulders, let your hands open up and the bar come to rest on your shoulders completely, and force the elbows up high.

Overall not bad.

[ryan mac]

Greg,

Thanks for taking the time. I definately roll the bar to the shins. I will move it out to the base of the toes.

I will work on a more vertical back position. That may take a little time. Flexibility has improved so it should come along nicely.

What about turning the toes out? I feel like getting past the knees requires to much focus. I have seen you recommend pointing the toes out a bit so as to get the knees out of the way. What degree are we talking about? My stance could be compared to the vertical jump position. So the toes are only very slightly out at this point.

Thanks,

Ryan

[Greg Everett]

The toes should be turned out to whatever degree feels comfortable. But the knees flaring to the sides is largely independent of the feet; that is, they will be out wider than the toes (not aligned as they should be in the squat).