To be able to power clean you first must have an understanding of what is required to successfully complete a power clean.
Requirements To Be Able To Power Clean
- Brains-You must have the brains to grasp the bar with your hands, and realize we want the bar to our shoulders, this does not take rocket scientist level IQ, in fact a monkey is probably better off as it will not overanalyze. ( One of my high school track coaches described my form as something along the lines of retarded monkey heave, his description being fairly accurate)
- Have hands
- Be able to deadlift
- Be able to jump
- Be able to shrug
- Have a semblance of athleticism to combine all the above
Now realize some will hit over 315 in high school. If that’s you cool, I wish you luck in college football, there’s a good chance you’re headed there.
If that isn’t you, ie you’re me or practically everyone else keep doing them. At some point down the line you’ll have a breakthrough. For me it took about 6 years to reach a power clean worthy of a college football player.
My PRs Over The Years :
Age 16 BW: 185lbs PR: 185lbs (on a perfect stars aligned day)
Age 19 BW: 235 PR: 205lbs (consistent but not past)
Age 21 BW: 235lbs PR: 225lbs ( on a perfect stars aligned day, consistent at 205)
Age 22 BW: 250-255lbs PR: 275lbs ( owns 225, consistent 255)
Age 23? I haven’t tested yet, based on everything it’s looking to be a bigger jump than from 21 to 22, and I couldn’t be more psyched. I’ve been loving my olympic variations as of late.
Thoughts
Unless you’re on track for the Olympics and/or are not soft as shit the ugly “retard” form will suffice.
I recently witnessed a group of ~16 year olds being “taught” to power clean. I felt bad for them, they were paying for the instruction and were clearly in need of remedial level stuff inside of a gym. I doubt one could deadlift properly let alone deadlift+jump+shrug.
If you don’t have access to a coach of Pendley or Broz quality just read the description in Starting Strength and then simplify to hands on bar,deadlift to kneeish level,jump+shrug, and rack just like Jim Wendler suggests.
Rack position? Mine was always “terrible” yet I’ve never hurt my wrist from it, in fact my terrible catch has probably strengthened my wrist. I’ve personally talked with a highland games athlete who threw in college who said he was the only one on the team that caught in a proper elbows up catch.
I’d venture to guess that they like me would rather move weight than worry about piddly technical nuances. Many need to open themselves up to the “Fuck It And Heave™” method.
If you can’t catch properly don’t worry about it. Don’t get injured and six years later you’ll gain the flexibility overnight. Not that you’ll catch like that even now that you can.
(Proof Of Overnight Ability To Get Proper Rack Position)
Though I can now do it I still prefer the ugly method as it lines me up for the jerk better.
Hook grip? If it floats your boat. I used only overhand until one day at 22 I again gained the ability to hook grip comfortably overnight. (This was before the proper rack though)
I alternate between the two grips based on what feels better that day.
I think I’m usually stronger with overhand, which leads to retard strength like the old continental lifters had, but I’d say hook grip gives me a more “efficient” method( ie arms out of equation,hip popping properly), which normally isn’t the stronger of the two.
Hook grip for consolidating a poundage , overhand to really own the retard old school strength. Grip and rip baby.
Power cleans are not complicated.
It is bar to shoulders, nothing more.
Want to power clean? Then get to it! Fuck the naysayers and the overcomplication they’d make of it for you.
Don’t get injured, but do get strong.
-J