Papa Raf C

I wouldn't wait until you get a 200 lb deadlift before you start power cleans. Technique and speed under the bar will usually stall your progress with PCs much earlier than lack of pulling strength will, so the earlier you start dealing with them, the sooner you get better at PCs. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

What's your goal?

I always consider my balls to walls 2RMs as 1RMs. Trying to hit your real 1RM is rarely ever worth it imo, unless there's a medal or money involved I guess. If you're really gonna shoot for it, get a spotter like calantrophy said, do your maxes on a rack, or be really, really good at bailing out - double the really's for bench press.

Try to jump up and slightly going backwards (around half a step) then feel the starting positions. That helped me get a better idea of how the starting position and hip extension is supposed to feel and look like. If you're holding a barbell, just relax your arms and shoulders. Pull you shoulders back, then do the jump. Don't think too much about catching it yet, just let the bar fly.

Oh don't get me wrong, the ability to catch low is never a bad thing, but putting too much emphasis on a low catch while you're still learning how to properly launch the barbell up will ingrain a bad habit of gimping your pull just so you can catch it low without hurting yourself. You want to learn be able to apply as much force on the barbell as possible before anything else. If you watch the Cal Strength video again, you'll see that they never really catch the bar low; they catch it nearly as high as they can then they just ride it down to the bottom.

Dropping fast is good, but dropping low is not always a good thing. If you have a strong pull, dropping low will only make the bar crash on you, which is bad. Pull as hard as you can and try to catch it as close as possible to the max height you can launch the barbell. The depth will come naturally as you increase the weight. At this point in time, differentiating a power clean from a squat clean should be the least of your concerns. And yeah, like they said, start from the hang.

Try to keep the cleans to 1-3 reps. Focus on form before everything else. Also, don't get too focused on the weight on the bar. There are other factors you should measure progress too, like form, technique, and pace for example.

I had my best gains with the Danger method. Even though the lift schedule is the same on every block, it doesn't get boring since you have different goals per block. I'm on my 3rd iteration of it right now. Mind that you don't do it on a cut though, because it will absolutely suck, especially on block 1. 10RMs and those long-ass tempo front squats are no joke. But really, pick any program. The most important thing as always is that you follow it consistently, even on bad days. Edit: FYI, 30 y/o dude here.

I would also consider thinking of other ways to measure progress aside from the weight on the barbell. Pacing, lifting stamina, and other rep PRs come to mind.

Try not to touch-and-go with high-rep deadlifts. That's what makes it such an unnecessarily shitty experience. Or maybe tell your trainer to scale down the weight a bit.

Vertical shin will allow you to harness the power of your butt and hamstrings, but it will also tilt you forward and place a nasty load on your lower back and neck if you're high bar squatting AKA squat-morning. Leave your hips and hamstrings on deadlift duty. Your quads need your squats.

Also, try to keep the mental clutter aside. Think less and just lift.

The spinal loading on squats is boss though. Can't really think of anything else that has the same effect other than clean and jerks, which has a squat component anyway.

Romanian deadlifts?

Pulls? Chin/pull ups are pretty much a given. Dumbbell rows, kroc style if you're feeling frisky. It should also torch your grip if you're looking for that.

I use it to bolster my protein intake during a cut. Me and chicken breasts don't get along too well.

Are you hitting the gym for them or for yourself? Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I always stare at the ceiling before any lift. It helps me properly distribute my weight onto the middle of my feet. I usually tip forward on my oly lifts and squats whenever I skip that part. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Start light and progress slow and deliberately. No shame in repeating weights.

A couple of weightlifters and their vertical jumps: Clarence Kennedy Korean weightlifters

The only biggie I see that you'll be missing out is the heavy spinal loading on back squats. Other than that, everything else is easily replaceable.

Chalk? Depends on your grip strength and how sweaty your palms get.

You don't necessarily need to do yoga to work on flexibility. Pancakes, butterflies, cat-camel, toe touches, deep lunges and shoulder dislocations will take you far. Do them everyday for best results. Really interested in yoga? Wait for SpecialSundae's response. I believe she does yoga and other stuff in conjunction with her lifting.

You can do smolov for bench press or even deadlifts. Squat just happens to the example used often.

Diet plays a huge part. Don't get frustrated if you aren't hitting PRs as often as you would like to. Price of aesthetics.