Topic: Going under the bar during clean

[Bridget Bernier]

Hi Everyone, I've posted an entry from my training blog below (it's a little long so I will provide a summary up here).  The basic problem is that at some point as I add weight to bar during full cleans I reach a point where I begin pulling the bar up as high as my sternum and not going under it.  Rationally I know that pulling it that high means that I should be physically capable of cleaning it, if not power cleaning it.  Any suggestions on how to get over this roadblock?


Blog post (July 10, 2007 (workout date July 5,07)):

"This workout consisted of Snatch and Clean & Jerk.  Plus the other peripherals.  Snatch went well, a couple of really easy single at 55.  Could have powered but made the effort to go down.

But let’s talk clean and jerk…I only had to go up to 70.  Even though I had only been training for 3 weeks 70 kg is not heavy for me.  I was working my way up and loaded 65 kg on the bar to do 2 cleans and 1 jerk.  Pulled the bar to my sternum wrapped my arms around but lost it in front.  Easy enough fix, more sloppy technique than anything else.  But something happens in my head once I’ve missed a clean after pulling it that high.  I have a really tough time making them after, regardless of all the self talk in my head.  I preceded to miss the next attempt at 65.  My coach knowing the weight was still light loaded 70kg on the bar.  I sat and rested, focusing on the task at hand.  Typically I will use works in my head like fast, wrap elbows and under,  to get myself focused on the lift.  I sat repeating to myself to go under the bar no matter what.  Approached the bar like usual, didn’t want to change anything, got set, started the lift, pulled the bar as high as my sternum and nothing.  A disconnect seems to appear where despite knowing in my head that the weight is high enough and that I won’t get hurt my body doesn’t respond to my brain.  It’s incredibly frustrating.  So the next lift coach told me to power clean the weight.   No problem, power cleaned the weight.  I finished off the workout powercleaning instead of full clean so the question remains how do I fix this.

I don’t remember when this awful habit started.  It does not happen in the snatch, I have no problems going under the snatch.  I have never been injured doing snatch or clean and jerk.  So the question is why do I do this?  And how do I overcome this strange disconnect between my brain and my muscles.  I’m open to any comments."

[Jackie Licata]

 
HI BRIDGET,
I AM NOT A WEIGHTLIFITNG COACH, I AM JUST A LIFTER. I'VE BEEN LIFTING FOR OVER 4 YEARS NOW, THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, YOU ARE STRONG. WITH ONLY 3 WEEKS OF OLYMPIC LIFTING TRAINING, I WOULD ASSUME IT'S NOT YOUR MIND THAT'S THE PROBLEM, FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO EXPLAIN, FROM WHAT MY COACHES HAVE TOLD ME, OLYMPIC LIFTING TAKES, STRENGTH, SPEED, POWER AND A-LOT OF TECHNIQUE WORK. STRENGTH IS NOT THE ONLY FACTOR IN THIS SPORT. SINCE YOUR BODY IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE MOVEMENT OF A COMPLICATED TECHNIQUE, LIKE THE FULL CLEAN, YOUR BODY DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET TO A HEAVIER WEIGHT, TESTING CLOSER TO YOUR MAX. IT'S OBVIOUS, IF YOU CAN POWER CLEAN OR PULL A WEIGHT UP TO YOUR STERNUM, WITH PROPER TECHNIQUE AND LEG STRENGTH, THE FULL CLEAN WOULD BE EASILY ACCOMPLISHED. I WOULD SUGGEST, IF IT WAS ME, WORKING WITH THE FULL CLEANS AT A LIGHTER WEIGHT, MORE REPETITIONS AND SETS, SO YOU COULD DRILL INTO YOUR MIND THE CORRECT TECHNIQUE FOR THE FULL CLEAN, IF YOU WORK WITH THE LIGHTER WEIGHTS FOR A WHILE AND TRY TO PERFECT THE FULL CLEAN, EVENTUALLY AS YOU START ADDING MORE WEIGHT, SINCE YOUR STRENGTH IS NOT THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW, YOUR FULL CLEANS WILL START MOVING UP IN WEIGHT. I WOULD CONTINUE TO DO HEAVY LIFTS IN THE POWER MOVEMENTS AS WELL AS SQUATS, RDL'S, PRESSES, PULLS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT JUST CUT BACK DOWN A LITTLE ON THE ACTUAL LIFTS, FULL CLEANS OR FULL SNATCHES, AND LET YOUR TECHNIQUE CATCH UP WITH YOUR STRENGTH. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I STARTED, GOOD LUCK TO YOU, AND KEEP IT UP.
FELLOW LIFTER,
75+ KG JACKIE LICATA

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Jackie,

I REALLY hope this doesn't offend you, but could you please take it easy with the capital letters? Its sort of like screaming....

Cheers

[Bridget Bernier]

Thanks Jackie.  I probably should have provided a bit more background on my post.  I have been invovled with lifting for about 9 years.  This problem of not going under is actually one of the reasons I stopped competing 4 years ago.  But I do agree repetitions at a light weight are very useful.

[Jackie Licata]

Hi Chris,
 I am so sorry, please forgive me, I didn't realize that, it makes sense, sorry about that, won't happen again. I don't usually write much, or communicate much with people, especially on computers, so i didn't know, thanks for teaching me that, again sorry.
Jackie Licata

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Jackie,

No sweat at all and I'm VERY glad it came across the way it was meant.  :grin:

Cheers

[Adrian Cadmus-Dixon]

That's sorta the same challenge I've Bridget, but it really shows in the Snatch. I pull the bar so high most of the time that I sometimes power clean or snatch it  . One thing that works for me to correct this is doing blocks (sometimes hangs or high hangs) and lots of reps with the actual lifts.

[Paul LaDuke]

I would echo the idea that Adrian just wrote - perform the clean from the high hang position.  This will do 2 things - increase the speed of the 3rd pull and force you to catch the bar lower.

I would also video tape these bad lifts from the side to see if the bar trajectory is forward.  If the bar trajectory is too far in front of you, you can't get under it.  Not sure if this is the problem, but it may be as much of a technical error as a mental one.  Just a thought.

If you can get some video and feel comfortable, post it.  This forum loves to break down video and give positive feedback.  I have learned so much from doing it.  It is probably the greatest thing about this forum in my opinon. 

Good luck.