I’m a tall athlete with long arms and legs, and have been researching for and against exercises like cleans. Have been tossing up the idea of Hang Cleans instead of traditional Cleans due to the increased ROM due to my height and limb length. Charlie has stated previously that the speed of the exercise does not matter that much as it will never re-create the speed of the sprinting action on the track anyway, however, would I greater benefit from the Hang Cleans starting from a higher position in the exercise?
would I greater benefit from the Hang Cleans starting from a higher position in the exercise?
How much higher? The higher you go above mid-thigh the lighter the bar will get as you are at a mechanically disadvantaged position to lift bigger weight. In my experience, the longer limbed athlete is not at a disadvantage to perform the exercise correctly as long as the upper arm is not longer than the forearm. And the development of the biceps limits the wrist from getting too close to the shoulder.
On another tangent…
again, in my experience, the problem with some long-limbed, thin build athletes is psychological. Some where early in their career, someone told them them they couldn’t perform a squat, clean, bench, etc… well because they had long arms. Perhaps they will never become an Olympic lifter or hold the world record in the BP, but they could still perform the exercise.
Also, thin-build, young athletes are often intimidated in the weight room by their more muscular, shorter, mesomorphic-type, stronger teammates. This results in an avoidance of certain exercises or not training altogether.
Many have flexibility issues. If they are basketball or volleyball players, they may have had ankle injuries that limit their ability to squat deep.
Many of these thin-build athletes may not have the muscular strength coordination to stabilize and perform complex exercises smoothly.
Sorry for the tangent. Too much coffee this morning.
Tom
[QUOTE=Thomas]How much higher? The higher you go above mid-thigh the lighter the bar will get as you are at a mechanically disadvantaged position to lift bigger weight./QUOTE]
Not always the case. I could hang clean 320lbs, but could only clean 295lb starting from the floor.
Everybody is different, you have to find what works for you.
THEONE and only!
I know what you’re saying. Sure its individualized. Generally speaking, as the barbell moves up the body the less weight is used. Perhaps, like many American athletes the clean is only practiced from the knees so their level of rehearsal is greater at that movement. Just like any other “sport” movement, if you don’t practice/train it you don’t get good at it. Have you spent much time training the lift from the floor?
Tom
If your form is strong, you will be able to pull more off the floor. I think the number is approximately 20% more, give or take depending on the athlete. The goal is not to pull the bar off the floor as fast as possible, but to ease it up, so that it already posses speed before you start the ‘2nd’ pull, snapping the hips/knees/ankles to full extension.
I think that Thomas is correct in saying that you will improve at what you practice. I can Clean from the hang the same as I can from the floor, but I also very rarely perform the Power Clean. Unless there is specific need to create explosive power with a deep knee bend (as in a catcher’s stance in baseball), there should be little need to focus on the lift from the floor. Starting from the top of the knees should be sufficient, just don’t forget to start from the floor once and a while, as it will help learn to pull bigger weights.
I’m 6’4’’ and have long arms. I do like doing cleans and snatches from a hang (knee). but, i do feel that doing them from the floor should be done part of the time. The east germans would do a hip snatch or about a mid-thigh clean. so, i believe you should encorperate all of them some time or the other.