how do you improve the first pull? do you do a heavy session of deadlifts? I"m thinking if i do a deadlift sessions it would be best to do it on a friday that way i have atleast 2 days of recovery during the weekend, since the deadlift is pretty taxing on the CNS.
My second pull is the best it can currently be at the moment, but my first pull is slow and feels tough, i can feel the weight already being heavy as i pull it, however the second pull makes it feel alittle light but i cant generate enough to rack it.
A quick note i haven’t done squats in 6-8 months, would this affect the power clean?
I am not much of a powerlifter, but it sounds like the weight is to heavy. With cleans you want the movement to be quick and powerful, if you have to deadlift it then do a quick pull, then it sounds like its to heavy. Heavy deadlifts and power cleans are pretty expensive exercises, so even a little bit more time inbetween workouts would be better to ensure, high quality.
Heavy deadlifts are not the way to improve one’s pull for the clean. Most Eastern European texts recommend no greater than 110-115% of one’s best lift as pulling weight. If the weight is too heavy, there is no carry over to the technique of the actual lift.
The first pull should be “controlled”; yet not slow. “fast/faster” is one common coaching cue that we use…
If you have any video of yourself, let us take a look at it. It’s tough to comment on your technique without seeing it.
We have lifters do varying stages of “lift-offs” if they need to work on the first pull, or if the lifter is not pulling the bar back towards themselves properly.
As for leg strength, yes, it will certainly affect your power cleaning ability!
i agree, i think clean pull help the first pull along with getting stronger. the first pull should be a like a sprint build up, gradually accle the bar.
For the first pull it is essential you get a great starting position. Chest up, shoulderblades together, elbows out etc. Being able to attain and hold that starting position is really tough but it sets you up for the rest of the lift. When you hit the correct position it makes the pull seem a lot easier. Something to think about.
The little flash animation on the start of the IWF website kind of show this quite well but the tehcnique varies slightly depending on your height.
I was of the understanding the first pull is very quick and it is about being in the correct position for the 2nd pull to commence - just below knee height.
Spend time working on the 1st pull technique. I don’t think working on a deadlifting session will help.
wow i just got a pb in the power clean, 205lbs however i did 200first (90.xkg) and that went up very easy, i decided to go for 210 but failed however i got it up to my xyphoid so i wasnt far off from achieving that, then i proceeded to go down to 205 and got that baby up alright but it was’nt a difficult feat. Wow a session of squats and some clean pulls really do help them cleans. Last week 90kg felt tough this week it was a piece of cake. See whats next.