Help with Powercleans

[HongKongFukYu]

Mods, if this is considered a "dumb" thread, please delete.

Currently I'm doing a combination of kettlebell and dumbbell exercises. I plan on bringing barbells into the mix ASAP for bench, squat, and deadlift and would really like to add barbell cleans. I'm currently doing cleans and clean and presses with the kettlebell, which is fairly straight forward. I have done barbell cleans in the past but I am almost positive I'm doing them wrong.

So...

Can anyone instruct a dumbass like myself how to do them? I'm thinking of hang cleans specifically. From what I understand you have to

1) Stand and hold barbell
2) Drop and pullup at the same time?
3) As the barbell comes up and the body comes down, squeeze elbows in tight? From what I gather this is what makes the weight come up.

My main problem is that I feel that my elbows are way too wide starting the movement. Do you keep your elbows in tight at the beginning? What am I missing?

Regarding a personal trainer for this, my gym's trainers are guys who specialize in helping old ladies do Nautilus machines so I doubt I'll get any help there.

[Moleculo]

Jesus Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search

[HongKongFukYu]

Jesus Christ.

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search

Yeah, yeah I know. I DAFS, used googlefu, etc. Regardless I just don't "feel" like I get the momentum that I get with kettlebell hang cleans or floorcleans. I'm not getting the "snap" that I get with the kettlebell. I think part of it is the fact that the kettlebell travels back farther while the barbell hits the legs.

This vid that I found on youtube kind of helps...I guess the trick is to keep the elbows in tight at the start...I'm starting with my hands too wide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tISpfFQ9KVU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSm8X...related&search=

So thanks. :phil2:

[Teh El Macho]

This is a decent one, me thinks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlFZ-nWXxy0&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlFZ-nWXxy0

Also, visit the following link at exrx.net and check the training progression programs at the bottom right of the page:

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/PowerExercises.html

[HongKongFukYu]

This is a decent one, me thinks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlFZ-nWXxy0&NR=1

Also, visit the following link at exrx.net and check the training progression programs at the bottom right of the page:

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/PowerExercises.html

Thanks for that vid, that's pretty much the best explanation I've seen of it.

For me it's just an exercise that requires practice once I understand the mechanics. What's irritating as hell is that my cousin is wirey but can bang out hang cleans with 225 for reps and I can barely pull 185 even though I *should* be stronger than him. So much of it for me is not keeping my elbows in tight, and not exploding at the right time. I went through the same **** when my kettlebell instructor showed kettlebell cleans for the first time.

That link has a great explanation of other power movements as well.

Off to the gym now...