Tim Rawlings (@rawwlings) is a S&C coach currently training...
Tim Rawlings (@rawwlings) is a S&C coach currently training under Oleg Kechko, a former Olympian from Russia. If you feel that jerk after your clean is just a little soft, pay attention to today’s lesson from Tim!
Keeping your hookgrip on the clean can make a world of difference on not only your clean, but your jerk as well. I have noticed people who release too early and catch in their fingertips really struggle on clean and jerk. If you don’t have the flexibilty, at least focus on keeping it longer. Think of your hookgrip as your insurance policy to a powerful, accurate followthrough. Below are a few ways keeping your hookgrip may help you…
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The Finish
By keeping your hookgrip you are ensuring a better finish. In order to really finish, you have to still be gripping the bar. Many people make contact and drop under the bar before full extension. Sometimes, this can be a result of not consciously keeping your hookgrip through the finish. Keeping your hookgrip after contact for as long as possible will help make sure you are getting full extension before going under.
The Crash
If you release your hookgrip too early, you can lose control of the bar, and it will usually end up crashing on you in the catch. This makes the stand up very difficult, and after a tough clean, the jerk will be even more difficult. You will have an easier time keeping the bar close when you are still holding onto the bar.
The Transition
A bad clean usually leads to a tough jerk. By keeping your hookgrip, you will have a better finish and a stronger catch. Ideally, when you stand up from the clean your whole hand will be on the bar making the transition to the jerk much easier. You will not have to readjust the bar before the jerk, which will make the jerk much easier and more consistent.
Final Thought
Releasing your hookgrip to soon after contact would be the equivalent to letting go of a golf club right after striking the ball. When I first started weightlifting, I really struggled with the transition after the clean. After noticing several world class lifters (Ilya Ilyin, Dmitry Klokov, Andrei Ariamnau) keeping their hookgrip, I tried it and my numbers improved drastically.