Power Cleans & Squat Cleans

I'm definitely well overdue for a post...I've made a couple good meals and definitely some new things, but today I thought I would focus on my "cleans."

I'll admit my power clean or squat clean form isn't that great at all. I tend to have an issue of shooting my elbows out in front and being comfortable with the bar being "racked" in my shoulders instead of my hands. This is me about a couple days ago doing I think 85# (that's a 25# bar with a 25 + 5 plates)

For one, I notice my elbows had a slight delay and getting horizontal...I would get the weight up to my shoulders and think my elbows were getting through but I guess I wasn't quite landing it on my deltoids and really forcing my elbows forward.

Also, I think I'm starting my jump just a little too soon...in this pic I captured, my heels are already starting to jump off the ground and I haven't even gotten the bar up to my hips quite yet. Hence, I don't have the power from I hips that I could get.

So today, I decided to just start with 45# and do 10 hang cleans in a row to just work on my elbows and getting that power from the hips.

The first few of course I was still getting used to the movement, and I think I did best on reps 7-10. Also watching my feet, I tend to hop backwards just a little...a bit of wasted power but I guess the weight was pretty light and I was over exerting the hips just a little. But this set was really focused on getting that rack horizontal and shooting my elbows forward.

But can I do it now with a heavier weight? Here's 75#

Yeah so with just adding 30#, my elbows are still a little delayed, but it's definitely much better than my set with 85#. I definitely need to work a little on my land though...I'm definitely falling backwards on a few.

I decided to do a little work with some squat cleans as well just to get a good feel of getting under the bar. But I think it's a little funny how just the difference of thinking I'm doing squat cleans causes me to hop forward a little. Notice how the barbell travels forward a little as I'm lifting it up instead of in a strict vertical line.

I wouldn't know this without videotaping, gladly.

And lastly, a feat I am glad to finally accomplish...a clean & jerk of 105! (I wasn't able to do even 100 a few weeks ago). I stopped at 105 and didn't attempt 110, but I'm excited to try again soon.

I think if I put plenty of focus on really getting down that clean technique, I will be cleaning a lot more here pretty soon. I finished off my day with a set of thrusters: 9, 9 of 55# and 9 of 60#. Need to work on my Thrusters so when Fran ever stops by, I am ready!