Clean pulls harder than power cleans?

I don't know if it's something wrong with my form, or through some odd twist, clean pulls are indeed harder than power cleans, but there is a pretty significant disparity between the two (for me).

I can comfortably do 225x3 for power cleans, but struggle to get 205 to nipple height on the pull.

Does anyone else experience this?

 

How far do you drop into your catch? It's very likely clean pulls are harder becauce you are pulling higher.

 

You're probably shrugging less explosively with the pulls and "pulling" more.

 

For power cleans, I try to drop as little as possible. I may have to take a video for a form check.

 

Nipple height is too high for a clean pull. Sternum height is all you need. Also are you doing the clean pulls from the floor or the hang? The hang makes it harder.

 

Post vids if you've got 'em. Otherwise I'll leave you with this.

In my experience, Clean Pulls are generally done with 100-130% of your Clean and Jerk max. Your best Powerclean is around 90% of your C&J (on average for most people). I'll let you do the math...

Also, rarely, if at all, do your elbows bend on a Clean Pull. It's a pop with the hips and big shrug but no bend in the elbows. Bar usually ends up around navel/waist heighth.

 

I'm guessing that your form is changing since you know you aren't going to rack the weight.

In my experience, Clean Pulls are used for two things - training with a weight you are having trouble racking, or avoiding teaching the PC/C and J form.

Check the form for Clean Pulls, I don't think the height of the pull is nearly as important as where the drive for the pull actually comes from.

BTW - I do this with PCs vs. Cleans. When the weight gets up beyond a certain point, I can't make my body dip below the bar and end up doing a PC - whether I like it or not.

 

YOu're supposed to pull up to the solar plexus with high pulls