Power cleans and barbel rows on 5 v 5

[Sim882]

Have been on the 5 v 5 for a couple of weeks, and really enjoying it. I had been doing rows, but out of curiosity tried the power cleans today and loved it.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong (will get my father, a former powerlifter to check out my form), but it doesn't seem to me that the row replaces the power cleans that well at all (the cleans hits the shoulders big time, whereas the row doesn't).

I'm wondering whether I could do both rows and cleans on the 5 v 5 program. Given I'm such a newb on the cleans, I thought I may just do 3 v 3 on the cleans.

ALso, on workout B, one of the exercises is shoulder press (standing). Could I do a power cleans + shoulder press motion in one to replace this. Tried it today, and thought it hit the shoulders really well, and loved how demanding the exercise was (completely breathless by the end of the set)

 

[AEKDB]

Your dad will have better advice since he will be able to see what you are doing. The biggest mistake I see in the gym when people are trying cleans is using light weight. The clean and press is my favorite lift. I do not follow the 5x5 (not that it is a bad routine) but I can not see how the clean and press would not fit in.

 

[kevinoy93]

The original Starr routine actually has PC's instead of rows

http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/manrodt4.htm

I remember Madcow wasn't as enthused about it but who's gonna argue

 

[riff raff]

i swapped deadlift to powercleans on my second 5x5, mostly because i like doing them but around week 7/8 the deads were starting to wipe me out too much for friday's squats

 

[StuWard]

I do power cleans on the 5x5 instead of rows. Your cleans quickly get bigger than your OH press but while you're learning doing them with the press is a good idea. Once your weight gets higher, push presses work really well as you can do more weight. They work your whole body as well and the combination is great. Eventually you get to a clean and jerk as in the Olympics.

 

[oso0960]

make sure you rack the bar ON YOUR SHOULDERS and not your arms like i see every single person in my school doing...school coaches suck..lol so the beginning should look like a deadlift, and the end should look exactly like a front squat.

you could do rows and power cleans in the same 5x5 prog. it's probably better you'd do 5x5 instead of 3x3 because you're 'such a newb'. you get more experience doing it. do power cleans on monday and rows on friday or something. though if you're going to change to power cleans you could probably benefit by doing high pulls instead of deadlifts sometimes.

 

[Seth Able]

Have been on the 5 v 5 for a couple of weeks, and really enjoying it. I had been doing rows, but out of curiosity tried the power cleans today and loved it.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong (will get my father, a former powerlifter to check out my form), but it doesn't seem to me that the row replaces the power cleans that well at all (the cleans hits the shoulders big time, whereas the row doesn't).

I'm wondering whether I could do both rows and cleans on the 5 v 5 program. Given I'm such a newb on the cleans, I thought I may just do 3 v 3 on the cleans.

ALso, on workout B, one of the exercises is shoulder press (standing). Could I do a power cleans + shoulder press motion in one to replace this. Tried it today, and thought it hit the shoulders really well, and loved how demanding the exercise was (completely breathless by the end of the set)

Here's my take on this:

Since you're just learning form, the PCs probably won't be very taxing and you could add them in for a while. When they get heavy, doing them together with rows will probably be too much. You might want to consider doing 5 sets of 3 reps on the cleans. That way you'll be able to get some more practice w/o the fatigue causing form problems.

I don't understand what you mean by the cleans 'hitting the shoulders big time'. Unless you combine them with some sort of press, the shoulders don't really contribute anything to the movement.

As for doing PCs+press on Wednesday's workout, it's probably not the best idea, seeing as you'll also be deadlifting. Your call of course.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

Bump, Im interested in this topic as well. I was thinking of doin power cleans instead of deadlifts?



This is sorta o.t. , but when should I start to flip my wrists on the way up, some say at the knee but I was turning them a bit higher cause it felt better

Which i safer?

 

[BigboyAl]

I do 90 degree rows or what I call Delt Rows.. Elbows out and body at 90 degree angel to the floor.. and I do PC's.. they do not hit the same muscles.. if you do the more traidiotnal 45degree angle rows theh maybe there very similiar lifts..

but the power cleans really work my middle/upper traps, while the 90 degree rows really work the middle/lower traps/lats

i do both and nver felt one got in the way fo the other.. in fact they seem to work well togther to improve my back.. better than any pulls ups i ever did..

 

[StuWard]

Bump, Im interested in this topic as well. I was thinking of doin power cleans instead of deadlifts?

Deadlifts are important so don't cut them out entirely. You will never be able to move the same weight with a power clean.

This is sorta o.t. , but when should I start to flip my wrists on the way up, some say at the knee but I was turning them a bit higher cause it felt better

Which i safer?

With the power cleans the rule of thumb is that when the elbow bends, your power production stops. That means that the maximum speed of the pull will be when the bar passes your waist and your traps are doing their thing. From that point your rear delts and biceps kick in to keep the bar moving but obviously not as fast as they aren't as strong. The bar should start stalling about chest high and that's when you dip under. With a full clean, you would start your dip lower into a full squat, probably about waist high. Of course you are using heavier weight. There are probably some weightlifting guys out there who can explain this better as I'm a bit of a novice at this.

Stu