Clean cririque

Kevin Parsons · 02-21-2009, 02:06 PM

These are my first video posts and first time watching myself clean, and was hoping to post them in quicktime so thay could be viewed frame by frame but they were too big.

I would very much appreciate any feedback with very specific drills, cues, and pointers. PLEASE BE CRITICAL!

The first of three failed 107.5kg PR attempts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcgDRxFR5pk

Collapsed in the bottom.

Completed 105kg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mChuF17h12U

Completed 100kg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDzAttmHqaY

The things I have noticed with a very untrained eye: lack of a consistent back angle, early pull with arms? Everytime I lose a clean it is in the bottom of the front squat. Is this due to a problem in the earleir part of the clean? Weak core/ lower back?

Thanks in advance and please be CRITICAL!!!

garrett stack · 02-21-2009, 02:42 PM

I noticed Kevin that your hips are shooting up way ahead of your shoulders , leaving you with your legs straight almost before the bar has passed your knees. I tend to do this to a certain extent as well. It also looks like you could widen your stance slightly and turn your feet out a bit to help you get more upright initially . It would probably help you to receive the bar more upright as well and help stop you losing it forward like that.

Just my very inexperienced observations.

Brian Lawyer · 02-21-2009, 03:52 PM

Qualifier, I am not a coach and have no certifications.

The elementary mechanics looked sound.

things I noticed on the approach to the bar:
*You don't appear to be using hook grip and you are all chalked up. That could potentially tear your hands to shreds. I use hook grip and only apply chalk to the thumb and two fingers on the bar. As coach everett notes, "the other fingers are just along for the ride."
*You also have this habit of kind of releasing your grip on the bar several times just before the pull. I generally set my hook grip in, roll my palms down toward my body, and take out all the slack, from my fingers and all the way up to my shoulders.
*After all your fidgeting around, you appear to activate your lats and set yourself real quick just before the pull. But it was hard to tell if you were getting your back set in "absolute" extension prior to beginning the pull.
*With regard to the "fidgeting around", I don't exactly get all fidgety like you, but I do tend to set myself in the bottom position then hang out there far too long. My coach told me he wants me to do all my thinking and gripping the bar before I get in the pull position. Then once I get in the pull position just GO.

I can't really help you after the pull. Hopefully some more experienced guys or coaches will jump in. Hope I helped.

Brian Lawyer · 02-21-2009, 03:56 PM

Also can I cririque your spelling?

Kevin Parsons · 02-21-2009, 04:32 PM

Thank you for the replies so far! Please keep em' coming!

I def. noticed that I lose my back angle from the get go. I have been working on this and thought I had made some big improvements until I saw the videos!

About the hook grip, this is one of the things that I will def. need to learn. I tried it when I first started cleaning a couple months ago and gave up on it way too early. I always use it when I snatch, but I never gave it a chance with the cleans. I will work on it immediately.

Spelling, rip away if you'd like! I posted it hastily while working on other projects.

glennpendlay · 02-21-2009, 05:07 PM

first thing id work on is to set your back better.

second thing would be to not bend the arm early. Greg E had some really good advice for someone else on another thread about early arm bend... think of the pull as raising the sholders and head, not as "pulling"...

glenn

Brian Lawyer · 02-21-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Lawyer

...it was hard to tell if you were getting your back set in "absolute" extension prior to beginning the pull.

Quote:

Originally Posted by glennpendlay

first thing id work on is to set your back better.

That's two votes for setting back, although I think Glenn carries more weight than me. Incidentally I think setting your back in a better "absolute" extension position prior to the pull is going to fix your problem about losing your back angle to the floor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Parsons

I def. noticed that I lose my back angle from the get go. I have been working on this and thought I had made some big improvements until I saw the videos!

Greg Everett · 02-22-2009, 05:28 PM

Like Glenn said, lift your shoulders, not the bar - and just drive UP with your legs from on your heels.

You have some epic legs, so really try to flare those knees out to the sides as much as you can to help them out of the way more.

When you pull under, MEET the bar - bring it right to your shoulders as you bring your shoulders right to it - and then absorb it - that is, tighten up and control it like you're trying to slow it down (which you are).

With those, you're dropping out from under the bar and letting it crash on you - stay with it and don't let that separation happen.

Dave Van Skike · 02-22-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

Like Glenn said, lift your shoulders, not the bar - and just drive UP with your legs from on your heels.

You have some epic legs, so really try to flare those knees out to the sides as much as you can to help them out of the way more.

When you pull under, MEET the bar - bring it right to your shoulders as you bring your shoulders right to it - and then absorb it - that is, tighten up and control it like you're trying to slow it down (which you are).

With those, you're dropping out from under the bar and letting it crash on you - stay with it and don't let that separation happen.

damn greg, even i get that coaching cue. don't mean to go all bro-tastic on you but that's some good stuff.

Kevin Parsons · 02-22-2009, 06:59 PM

Thank for all of the replies thus far!

Tomorrow is a technique day so I am going to really focus on what has been suggested. I am definitely going to try the deadlift+pull+clean complex as suggested in your book Greg. If I understand correctly, when done properly, this should help with my initial drive and the early arm pulling...

Greg and/or Glenn-how does my starting position look. It looks like my knees are actually pointing in slightly. Should I try to correct this by bringing my feet closer together and flaring them out initially, or keep them at the current width and flare when I begin pulling? Also, what about grip width? How does the initial back angle look?