Teaching the power clean

[Kalen Meine]

I'm training someone this summer for rugby in the fall, and we're doing SS as prescribed to get her started. Squat is solid, save for some shoulder tightness, bench is super, press is fine, deadlift is good if I haller at her to stand all the way up, but the power clean...not so hot. First pull is fine, jump is fine if I yell at her to jump, but the back half is sloppy, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong as a coach. I cannot get a decent rack out of the girl. If I get her elbows up, it tweaks her wrist-so I try to get her to let her fingers off, but then she's convinced/spooked/whatever that the bar is being flung at her collarbone, and then she digs in her heels. The whole lack of explosiveness radiates from not having a safe, comfy place to put the bar in the rack. So. Anyone have similar experiences? Magic words that got it to work? More stretching? Front squats alone or after a clean? Manning up and yelling more? Take the Burgie route and swap it out for the snatch? Yell some more?

How do you convince people that moving fast with weights is okay? I just got past the "what does this work?" stage, and are mostly through with the "I can't feel this (cleans) anywhere stage, so it's useless" stage, so progress has been made, but the Fear of the Flying Bar still looms.

[Greg Everett]

She plays rugby and she's worried about moving weights quickly?

[Kalen Meine]

She just takes issue with stuff she's not good at right away-perfectionist syndrome, if you will. She only had a few rugby practices last year, but she's sufficiently aggressive and not the least bit afraid to hit people.

I'm thinking I should probably just yell more.

[Dave Van Skike]

Originally Posted by Kalen Meine

She just takes issue with stuff she's not good at right away-perfectionist syndrome, if you will. She only had a few rugby practices last year, but she's sufficiently aggressive and not the least bit afraid to hit people.

I'm thinking I should probably just yell more.

You might ping Shaf over at Power and Bulk, I know he trains some womens rugby players. Might have some input. You migth do like the crossfit folks start off with an teach her to clean with an odd object to get the feel, then once she get's the fast part go back to the bar.

[Ben Langford]

With people who are unsure/scared of recieving the bar i've found getting them to power clean med balls or DBs and to front squat deep and heavy (for them) with a barbell does wonders for their confidence. After they're looking good with that I switch in a light/empty barbell for the cleans and usually they're good to go.

[Gary Valentine]

dont know how you started teaching her, but anyone beginning an exercise needs to have a clear picture/example of what you are trying to get them to do. lots of videos of the lifts being done properly can be very helpful, and make her more comfortable. that doesnt mean they should outright copy one of the champs- certainly we have too much of that going on! but rather, watch many different lifters making successfull attemts to get the overall rythym.
also, teaching how to miss should be done early on. she should know that in case she cannot make a weight, its ok to dump it by just letting go. since its a mortal sin to do this in most health clubs today, its worth reinforcing that its ok.
lastly, just reinforcing how this will make her a better rugby player, and if she truly understands how, you just need to call that in for motivation. -g