WOD: Partner WOD. We’re outside pulling sleds backwards & forwards and flipping tires.
When doing the power clean there are 4 things I look for. The first thing I’m looking at is full extension of the body. What this means starting from the bottom up is, my toes are pointed, my quads are tight and flexed, my arms are still straight at this point and are not bending, and finally my chest is nice and tall in the sense that it is not dramatically pointed at the ceiling or the ground. To get to this position I am driving with my legs. A common mistake is people believe that they have to pull with all their might with their arms. The arms are only there to guide and hold on to the bar.
The second thing I’m looking at is the re-dip. Since this is a power clean I want to make sure I am catching the bar with my quads above parallel. My hip crease does not pass below my knees. In order to get into this position I must have a fast change of direction and speed down. If I do not move fast under the bar I won’t be able to catch the bar in the front rack. Catching the bar in the front rack requires body awareness and practice. It’s going to take lots of time and reps in order to create the muscle memory and awareness of where the bar is going to stop moving up and start moving down.
The third part I am looking for is during the catching of the bar. I want to have fast elbows to transition into the front rack position. Get those elbows nice and high and keep the bar up onto the shoulders and collar bone. If it is caught too low then only three things can happen, you’ll either miss the lift, have a very ugly lift and risk injury, or you will injure yourself. Also with catching the bars comes a strong core. I am looking for a very vertical chest still and a flat back. Do not round the upper back. Keep a strong core throughout the entire lift.
Finally, the last thing comes with the start of the lift. Keep your mouth open wide and someday you will lift heavy weights like me.
