Can You Clean Your 3RM Front Squat? Q&A with Greg Everett

[@Ahmed-vk8pv]

This Is so insightful! I think it applies to me because my limiting factor in every clean is my ability to stand up with the weight. Also, my pulling strength is much higher than squating strength. Like you said, it depends on the limiting factor. I guess it just so happens that many people have a similar case to mine, hence, the triple front squat rule

[@S0rr0w93]

Your videos should have far more views than they do! Thank you for sharing so much knowledge. Much appreciated from a rookie learning the Olympic lifts 😊

[@CatalystAthletics]

Evidently I'm just not cool enough for KZbin.

[@ahmarcamacho8404]

That thumbnail question really got me, my 3 rm on front squat is 315lbs(143kg) and there is no way in hell that I would even consider trying to clean that. And i pull around 232kg, being techniqually proficient and being explosive are definetly bigger factors.

[@shashuhr]

such an under appreciated channel. love this segment a lot !!

[@Timmy470mx]

Getting the bar into my front rack & explosive speed are my two main limiting factors at the moment, I’ve front squatted 365x3 but my max c&j right now is only 250 (in American freedom units)

[@johanortiz930]

Bro, you need to work on technique, I have that weight in C&J and my FS is 295 lbs.

[@tim470marshall]

@@johanortiz930 got it up to 300lbs now but still miles away from my front squat 😂 my front rack position is still a limiter but it’s improving slowly with tons of mobility work

[@powercamp33]

One of our athlete (Redon Manushi, who already competed at world and european championships) can clean and jerk more than what he can front squat. His max CJ is 195 kg and his max FS is 190kg. The excentric portion of the front squat makes it harder for him to just catch a clean and go up. At the same time, some of our lifters can front squat 5+ reps at their max clean weight. It just means that the pull and going under the bar is what makes the lift difficult for them, and not the squat.

[@ah7027]

a lot of that probably comes down to a technical issue with his front squat set up. I have a similar problem with snatching more than i can overhead squat. It technically isnt a good thing and should be addressed as such.

[@powercamp33]

a h in his case it’s just leg weakness

[@jongkind18]

Great video, Greg!

[@NaturalHypertrophy]

Would it be the equivalent of saying that people should be able to clean & jerk their 3RM jerk from blocks?

[@CatalystAthletics]

Similar, because the ability to jerk has nothing to do with the ability to clean.

[@tuomashaanpaa8209]

Here in Finland that "myth" is in common use,.we use it regularly as our guideline. For example I know weighlifter(medalist at Nationals) who squatted 95kg for single(absolutely max effort) and was able to clean and jerk 90 kg. Same lifter front squatted 85kg for 3 reps.

[@onlyvertical]

Front squat 150single,145X2. Clean & Jerk 145. Snatch 115. Weight 79.5kg, 180cm. When I was a weightlifter. 12-13 years ago. Now I'm a recreationist.

[@sprint-shorts]

Interesting. An power clean / power snatch ? I am sprinter and dont even know how much i front squat but power clean 110-120kg depending on season

[@onlyvertical]

@@sprint-shorts My power clean was 130, front squat 150. Do you do a front squat? It should be around 135-140. I had great power utilization and excellent technique. But I didn't have enough power. Again, 79kg, 180cm. I was built for sprinting or long jump and I was a weightlifter ...

[@sprint-shorts]

@@onlyvertical I got FS 3x120 and 1x130 2 years back but recent years only focus on backsquat 150kg full, some half, and quarter squats 200kg, Heavy Front dips (similar to quater squats, in the front rack position I enjoy, too ) The quater versions are more similar in stance phase in sprinting and receiving in power clean. I can also full clean 120 easy but avoid them for risk to knees. I never used knee sleeves or belt and hope to continue without.

[@christiankraxner1444]

In the German Training and Exercise schedule the rule is 105%/3. They also have relatives for other assistance exercises of the main lifts. It makes it quite straightforward to zero in on one‘s weak point(s) - which piece of the chain is weakest and needs attention.

[@CatalystAthletics]

Yes, we all have charts of relative lifts, but none establishes hard and fast rules because there are far too many factors for them to be accurate across the board within small tolerances. You can't even make a reliable rule for how many reps at a given % of a 1RM of the same lift an athlete will be capable of.

[@DeanValenzuela]

Hi Greg. Do you have any videos about master’s athletes Olympic Weightlifting training protocol?

[@iowa_don]

Well, I could not. My 3RM front squat was 380 lbs but my best C&J was 330 lbs. My highest C&J attempt was 340 lbs with a miss in the clean. I only ever missed 2 cleans in competition, both with 340 lbs.

[@thepeatboggy]

I always thought it wasn’t a rule as much as a guideline , a ratio to aim for to keep ur training right, If you can’t, you probably can if u got better technique, trained on being faster, If you can, you need to push your strength

[@Rommel1988111]

Is it possible to have a 3RM Clean = to your front squat? The corollary to your response would suggest so

[@CatalystAthletics]

Possible, but unlikely. More likely to be pretty close, but to be equal you'd have to both very good at cleans, and kind of a sandbagger on squats.

[@belok177]

I'd say that the question not about CAN you clean your 3rm FS, but should you. Our coach in Russia always said that if you can fs particular weight you MUST clean and jerk it. If you can't that means you have problems in either technic or speed but not strength. Of course he was talking about natural weightlifters not like now when people come to weightlifting from other sports and strong enough. So CAN you? Not sure. SHOULD you? Yes!

[@CatalystAthletics]

Can instead of should was just a choice to keep the title shorter for youtube. But I disagree with your coach in either case for the reasons I explain here.

[@fluffycomedymix]

I have problems extending at my ankles during cleans, my heals barely leave the floor. What drills or cues should I use to try and fix this.

[@CatalystAthletics]

www.catalystathletics.com/video/1382/Vertical-Leg-Drive-In-The-Snatch-Clean-Elevation-Directio/ www.catalystathletics.com/exercise/433/Clean-From-Power-Position/

[@kishankumar9474]

My cleans are very close to my front squat

[@ericpetersen2540]

I am a great example of this. I can FS 155KGx3 but am only able to power clean 112KG. BS at 200KG (recent PR). Any suggestions? I am 47. Is it is too late to train speed? My CDL is 250KG (recent PR). Getting under the bar, as opposed to simply power cleaning, is a real issue for me. Any suggestions?

[@DeanValenzuela]

Eric Petersen great question, I wonder if Greg would comment about training for us master’s athletes .

[@sprint-shorts]

Strong you are. Maybe 20% less weight on the BS and add bands and focus on explosive speed up ? If the lift is too slow it doesn't count. And add in some complex like squat jumps, couter movement jumps between sets. I only need 140kg BS for 112 kg power clean, But fast up on the 140 make it look like a warm up. Athletics sprinter here

[@ericpetersen2540]

@@sprint-shorts Thanks.

[@jesse5897]

Gregg, I mentally understand the concept of the leg drive and the power position in the second pull being how I move the weight to transition to the third pull. But, In both of my lifts (more during the clean than in the snatch) I tend to use my natural strength and arms to muscle the weight up. What drills can I do that will allow me to fix this issue? Thanks

[@CatalystAthletics]

Clean pulls with straps and relaxing your grip as much as possible, and www.catalystathletics.com/exercise/433/Clean-From-Power-Position/

[@davidgantz9378]

Among masters athletes > the older you get the more your explosiveness will diminish while basic squat & deadlift strength will remain. Teenagers who can barely deadlift 350 but can clean 250 but I can DL 400 But barely clean 230 at 55 yrs old. Explosive speed /great jumping ability are the best indicator that someone has a great potential to clean heavy weight imho

[@smokechron1]

Hey Greg. Any advice for those who travel for work and dont have access to a gym for extended periods of time? Specifically, I have no access to gyms in july and August, but can devote a lot of time to training in the other 9-10 months.

[@CatalystAthletics]

Pretty much have to do what you can do in those 9-10 months like normal, and then try to minimize the deconditioning during the down time any way you can - body weight exercises, etc. There's no way around some regression with 2 months off, but you don't really have options.

[@32srt32]

I've always wondered what is on all the yellow sticky notes on the back wall?

[@CatalystAthletics]

Dry fire targets

[@mme9646]

I am having trouble lately in pulling speed, especially in the clean. My first pull is alright, but I simply cannot get the bar to accelerate once the bar passes the knee. It's just so damn slow, I feel it so heavy. Then I just pull as much as I can once it goes mid thigh and just able to catch it since I'mquite fast under the bar, but it demolishes me and Istruggle with the rest of the lift. Any tips on this? Lately I changed my pulling stance to narrower feet, could that be it? I actually feel so much more comfortable and stable with a wider feet stance

[@sprint-shorts]

More clean pulls, squat jumps, hurdle hops

[@ah7027]

you could always slow down the pull off the ground. The idea is you just need to accelerate the bar. The starting speed doesn't matter as much as long as its accelerating. For instance a lot of people actively slow down there pulls off the floor to maintain a correct position as well as give you somewhere to go in the second pull.

[@CatalystAthletics]

Stance won't make that much of a difference if any. Likely you're not in a good position and the bar isn't close enough if it's that bad. But more clean pulls in the 80-90% range, and do ALL pulls with absolute maximal speed at the top.

[@mme9646]

@@CatalystAthletics got it! THanks so much, Greg! you're the man also thanks to the other gys who replied!

[@PBreeze84]

So how do we bridge the gap to maximize pull and squat strength??🤔🤔

[@CatalystAthletics]

As I explained in the video, you have to diagnose the source of the problem...

[@fabiotieri3155]

Basically improve your technique in every part of the lift

[@faq6342]

I can power clean it 😳 but not jerk it lol

[@theylivewesee1674]

makes my wonder how can chinese top lifters between 73 and 81 kg have front squat max close to 250 kg or more but can barely clean 200 kg

[@fabiotieri3155]

Probably anthropometric and the way their body is build.

[@LetterToGodFromMeToYou]

Squats are static. It's a steady integral of force applied from front rack to bottom position. The clean is like a sudden step from parallel to bottom position. There is way more energy applied from a bar being caught as it is dropped, than it is ridden down in a controlled movement. Cleaning 200 kg requires way more leg power than squatting 200 kg, or even 250 kg.