QUESTION FOR OLD TIMER OR ANYONE ABOUT POWER CLEANS!!!

[The Squadfather]

hey old timer i saw an old post of yours where you were talking about being able to power clean 250 and it got me fired up wondering what i could do, i cleaned a 270 pound strongman log a couple of times in training but i still don't think i could do 250 with the bar, where do you suggest putting power cleans in a power bodybuilding program, i deadlift on Mondays, squat on Wednesdays and do some other back stuff like barbell and db rows on Thursdays, i know that sounds like a lot on the lower back but it's ok for me i'm used to it and gain pretty well on that split, i'm thinking maybe of switching up the deadlifts with power cleans for awhile, what do you think?

[slaveboy1980]

hey old timer i saw an old post of yours where you were talking about being able to power clean 250 and it got me fired up wondering what i could do, i cleaned a 270 pound strongman log a couple of times in training but i still don't think i could do 250 with the bar, where do you suggest putting power cleans in a power bodybuilding program, i deadlift on Mondays, squat on Wednesdays and do some other back stuff like barbell and db rows on Thursdays, i know that sounds like a lot on the lower back but it's ok for me i'm used to it and gain pretty well on that split, i'm thinking maybe of switching up the deadlifts with power cleans for awhile, what do you think?

yup, thats a good idea. put them on deadlift day, or instead of deadlifts (i would do em instead of deadlifts for a while).

[Cap]

I do them instead of deadlifts on back day.  It's a fun workout.

[mesmorph78]

I do em...
but  also with a press on the top 3 sets
pyramiding up in weight

[The Squadfather]

thanks guys, i'm trying to find a good place to put them, like i said i do deads on Mondays, Chest and benches on Tuesday, Legs with squats on Wed., some back on Thursday and shoulders and triceps in Fri. with weekends off, i'm trying to find a place where they won't interfere with my shoulders for benching too much.

[thewickedtruth]

270 man that's a sick ass lift! CONGRATS SF!!! 

I wonder where you'd pu tthem too...what do your entire week look like man?    maybe that'll help pick it a good spot

[The Squadfather]

270 man that's a sick ass lift! CONGRATS SF!!! 

I wonder where you'd pu tthem too...what do your entire week look like man?    maybe that'll help pick it a good spot

like i said i think the log is a bit easier because the handles are facing each other and the log sits a little higher off the ground and you deadlift the log to your knees and roll it up your body so it's not a true power clean like a barbell clean, i think i might be able to get 225 though.

[thewickedtruth]

like i said i think the log is a bit easier because the handles are facing each other and the log sits a little higher off the ground and you deadlift the log to your knees and roll it up your body so it's not a true power clean like a barbell clean, i think i might be able to get 225 though.

yeah i hear that..i can do seated log handle presses well over 300lbs on the nautilus thing but with a standard (barbell kinda grip) it's not anywhere near that. If you're log pressing 270 I knwo you can get 225 easily for a few good reps. I'm still struggling with it.   

[The Squadfather]

i think it was something like "what good is it to bench 400 with a shirt if you don't have the power to power clean 250" and he's right, cleans are an awesome gauge of what your true power is.

[thewickedtruth]

i think it was something like "what good is it to bench 400 with a shirt if you don't have the power to power clean 250" and he's right, cleans are an awesome gauge of what your true power is.

wtf you doing in a shirt if you need it to bench 400! and if you're powercleaning 250 you should be doing that shit raw! 

not you in particular but everyone in general...

[The Squadfather]

wtf you doing in a shirt if you need it to bench 400! and if you're powercleaning 250 you should be doing that shit raw! 

not you in particular but everyone in general...

yeah i know, that was old timer posting in some thread a few days back, he said what good is it to lift if you can't run a 6 minute mile and also what good is it to have a big chest and arms if you can't do 65 full range push ups in a minute and he's fuccking dead on the money, muscle is worthless if it's not functional.

[Cap]

I do my cleans after my bench day and 2 days before squats.  Push presses are a day after power cleans and on that same day.  Doesn't seem to hamper anything thus far.  Good body workout all around.

[The Squadfather]

here's the post and he's right on the money IMO.

It's a "sport" based on drug use.  No drugs equals no sport.  More and more my training has gone into functional training.  I admire the physiques of Olympic lifters, running backs, sprinters, wrestlers, etc. over cosmetic drug bloated bodybuilders.  Don't get me wrong I have lifted and followed the "sport" for many years.

 I really have opened my eyes that if a physique isn't functional it's a waste of time spending time in the gym.  What good is looking good if you can't run a 6 minutes mile? What good is a big chest and arms if you can't do 65 full range of motion push ups in one minute?  What good is looking like you can rip someones head off if your just a poser in speedos?  What good is a 400lbs bench with a bench shirt when you don't have the power to power clean 250lbs.?  

I was in the weight room with some Rutgers division I football players. They would use maybe 5 lifts total in their training.  Power cleans, squats and some other basics.  These guys were crazy strong and fast.  I was just thinking what if the top ten bodybuilders were to square off with these kids on the football field.  The bodybuilders would be knocked on their ass as if they were children in my opinion.  

[overcome]

I do hang cleans instead of power cleans now.  I am just starting them again after not doing them for a few years.  yesterday I did 3 sets of 5 at 205, then did as many as I could the last set at the same weight, got to 8 reps.  I should be going to 3 sets of 8 for 205 next week, and want to get to 3 sets of 12 aat 225.  for a max single power clean i could prolly still get about 270-280.  in highschool I could do 290, I'm stronger now but am having to retrain my muscles to be explosive instead of slow and controlled.  since i do hang cleans I add them to my shoulder day.  and there is a days rest between shoulder and back day.  if I were to do power cleans again I would add them to back day.  I would set it up so that I did a warm up, then 2 heavy sets of power clean, then do 2-3 heavy sets of deadlifts.  the explosive lift should help you get heavier weights on deadlift too, I've read in a few places that warming up with explosive workouts help you go heavier on heavy lifts.  though my internet is too slow to try and dig any of the articles up.

hope this helped.

[Overload]

like i said i think the log is a bit easier because the handles are facing each other and the log sits a little higher off the ground and you deadlift the log to your knees and roll it up your body so it's not a true power clean like a barbell clean, i think i might be able to get 225 though.

I found the log easier as well because of the grip.

you should easily be able to power clean 225 Dave, just take your time.

When i do cleans i do them before deadlifts and i just go light on deadlifts after the cleans. doing them instead of deadlifts would work well also.

[PANDAEMONIUM]

Squadfather---

In recent months I've been doing more specializing work in the PC.  I usually devote a day just to trap work/PC's.  Lately I've been doing heavy rack pulls then going straight to PC; makes the clean weight MUCH lighter.  My last PC workout looked like this.  I've done a lot of juggling with the rep schemes and this is what works for me now:

135x5 (very fast singles just to get in the groove)
205x2
255x2
295x1
325x1
345x3 (singles with approx 2 min rest in between reps)

When I first started specializing several months ago, I could get 245 for a very sloppy 1RM.  Basically muscling the weight up without having a pretty form.  It takes a LOT of patience to move up in poundage.  You move up more slowly than in the other big lifts; maybe that's just my experience, though.

But PC's are a great exercise, one of the best compounds IMO.

[The Squadfather]

Squadfather---

In recent months I've been doing more specializing work in the PC.  I usually devote a day just to trap work/PC's.  Lately I've been doing heavy rack pulls then going straight to PC; makes the clean weight MUCH lighter.  My last PC workout looked like this.  I've done a lot of juggling with the rep schemes and this is what works for me now:

135x5 (very fast singles just to get in the groove)
205x2
255x2
295x1
325x1
345x3 (singles with approx 2 min rest in between reps)

When I first started specializing several months ago, I could get 245 for a very sloppy 1RM.  Basically muscling the weight up without having a pretty form.  It takes a LOT of patience to move up in poundage.  You move up more slowly than in the other big lifts; maybe that's just my experience, though.

But PC's are a great exercise, one of the best compounds IMO.

holy shit man that's awesome weight, i can't even imagine doing a 350 pound power clean.

[thewickedtruth]

Squadfather---

In recent months I've been doing more specializing work in the PC.  I usually devote a day just to trap work/PC's.  Lately I've been doing heavy rack pulls then going straight to PC; makes the clean weight MUCH lighter.  My last PC workout looked like this.  I've done a lot of juggling with the rep schemes and this is what works for me now:

135x5 (very fast singles just to get in the groove)
205x2
255x2
295x1
325x1
345x3 (singles with approx 2 min rest in between reps)

When I first started specializing several months ago, I could get 245 for a very sloppy 1RM.  Basically muscling the weight up without having a pretty form.  It takes a LOT of patience to move up in poundage.  You move up more slowly than in the other big lifts; maybe that's just my experience, though.

But PC's are a great exercise, one of the best compounds IMO.

we got the future world's strongest man posting in our midst boys and girls! 

all kidding aside..holy fuck that's awesome! clean with a push press at teh top or just cleaning it? Fuck just cleaning it is sick!
unless i've got the wrong idea about what a power clean is.

[PANDAEMONIUM]

holy shit man that's awesome weight, i can't even imagine doing a 350 pound power clean.

Thanks man, but I bet you could easily do it with a few months of specialized training because you're a big dude who's strong as hell already.  My bodyweight sits at around 270 right now.  A 345 lb clean isn't that impressive for that bodyweight, if ya think about it, LOL.  For someone who's 200 lbs, it's world class, though IMO.

I love heavy clean days because I've found I get the same kind of balls to the walls workout that I get from squats.  You can do high rep sets and work on conditioning, or low rep sets and work on pure power, or a combination of both.  Pretty much the best all around work out I think!

[thewickedtruth]

Thanks man, but I bet you could easily do it with a few months of specialized training because you're a big dude who's strong as hell already.  My bodyweight sits at around 270 right now.  A 345 lb clean isn't that impressive for that bodyweight, if ya think about it, LOL.  For someone who's 200 lbs, it's world class, though IMO.

I love heavy clean days because I've found I get the same kind of balls to the walls workout that I get from squats.  You can do high rep sets and work on conditioning, or low rep sets and work on pure power, or a combination of both.  Pretty much the best all around work out I think!

I don't give a fuck how much you weigh, anything over 250 is nasty!!!

[PANDAEMONIUM]

all kidding aside..holy fuck that's awesome! clean with a push press at teh top or just cleaning it? Fuck just cleaning it is sick!
unless i've got the wrong idea about what a power clean is.

Naw, I just do cleans with the heavier weights.  Most I've ever push pressed is 325 but that was years ago.  Nowadays, with my right shoulder being fucked, I can barely push press 225, and that's only on a good day.  Just do DB flat benches, high rep sets, for pressing movement these days, just to stay conditioned and keep my size even though my shoulder strength is goin' down the toilet, haha.

[mac33]

Well there is another way to improve your power clean if you dont practice it a lot...

Any time you are doing standing front presses you can clean the weight first or you can combine cleans with presses.

I like to do a combination of presses and push presses so that the final weight is also heavier to clean.