Training calves for increasing power clean?

[Fuglydude]

My powerclean hasn't increased substantially in almost 2 years...granted I don't train cleans very heavy too often, and use it mostly as a warm up, I'd still like to increase it. On normal days I can usually get 205 x 3. I a bit below 170 right now for my bodyweight.

Last time I trained I got too scared and didn't even attempt 230 even though I knew I could do it. Yes...I felt like a pu$$y...but I didn't have a platform to work with and dropping 230 from chest height onto the floor in a c

I thought about where the power for a clean comes from: the hips, the traps and the calves. I very seldom train my calves.

Would more direct calve work help with my power cleans? If so should I focus more on explosive calve work or just stick to slower controlled reps?

 

[MrS]

I think you need more upper back work, and do some box squats for glutes and hips. Power clean is where you don't drop down as far as I know, so you need a lot more upper cleaning power. Try doing some hang cleans to assist that power clean.

 

[Drum&Bass]

Try to incorporate plyometric work in your routines. Do box jumps, jump up stair cases. Training you calves might help a bit but its not that important. Personally jumping up stairs and stacking those aerobic steps higher and higher has given me the best results.

The main focus is being able to jump. Improve your jumping by jumping more, and jumping consistently higher every time you jump.

After your jumping improves practice deadlifting explosively. I know everytime you deadlift your suppose to stand as quick as possible but this time pay closer attention to the speed of lifting rather than the weight your lifting.

its hard training for olympic movements in a regular commercial gym setting, try looking for a university gym. If they have a good sports team they will have rubber plates and platforms.

 

[speed dawg]

Don't exactly know why spending extra time training calves has to do with powercleans, but oh well.

My calve workout consists of walking around my house on my tip toes. It works better than any calf workout I've ever done in my life. Running on sand is good too, if you have access to a beach.

 

[BMX]

Training calves would be more important for squats and maybe deadlifts. Like when I see people doing squats and their heels come off the floor, it's part bad form and part underdeveloped calves.

I used to do hang cleans and I'd say you would be better off training your forearms if you don't already and core. I had to do these olympic lifts for throwing and training box jumps and frog hops up hills helped me to explode for the positive portions of the cleans, high pulls, etc.

 

[mrRuckus]

Training calves would be more important for squats and maybe deadlifts. Like when I see people doing squats and their heels come off the floor, it's part bad form and part underdeveloped calves.

Isn't that weaker hamstrings and you're leaning forward to use your quads more to compensate?

 

[wolf116]

Isn't that weaker hamstrings and you're leaning forward to use your quads more to compensate?

Yep, squat and deadlifts use basically no calf's.

 

[MrS]

And anyway power cleans aren't a calf movement, you're supposed to jump.

 

[Drum&Bass]

if your jumping correctly you propel your body up from your toes which does involve calfs (heavily). Calfs are actually a big part of jumping and xplosive training, so yes you should train calfs !!! But the greatest results come from actual high jumping (plyomteric training).

 

[MrS]

I mean, training calves won't increase it as much as other ****.