Continental Cleans for Overhead Confidence
by SDG
The Continental Clean is a lift of great value, owing to the fact that it strengthens you for heavy jerks and adds confidence to all your overhead movements, be they presses, overhead squats, repetition kettlebell exercises, overhead carries etc, etc. The very act of handling heavier than normal weights instills, as the great Charles A. Smith stated, a vigorous contempt for them. The scorn born of higher endeavors ripples out to all newfound pursuits. To the most, bro. My crotch cup runneth over with maximum package. And yours can too!!!
In any Olympic weightlifting contest the Press and Snatch take a lot of the lifter’s strength and energy before he gets to the most grueling lift of all . . . the Clean & Jerk. Unlike the Press and Snatch, the Clean & Jerk is really two lifts. Moreover, because it is the most COMPLICATED of the trio and falls at the END of the group, it requires the utmost in power and control. This is why SPECIAL – even rather UNIQUE – training methods must be used in preparing for it well in advance.
Because it is my belief that the possibilities of the Jerk are greater than those of the Clean, I have prepared this article to help in strengthening that WEAKER half of the lift so that tremendous cleaning power is developed.
First, let’s have a quick look at the problem. What makes cleaning maximum weights so difficult? Yeah, what be the deal wit dat, and what IS we gonna do?
1.) The lifter must pull a heavily loaded bar upward as high as possible.
2.) He must then lower his body rapidly and smoothly by splitting or squatting fearlessly under the weight.
3.) He then must CONTROL the bar into his shoulders in a perfect RACK and then HOLD it CONFIDENTLY and SECURELY.
4.) Finally, he must have sufficient strength and psyche left to stand upright smoothly with the weight, and not be too exhausted to complete the lift with a sound and successful overhead Jerk.
Consider now, all your other overhead lifts. Determine how the clean portion of each lift can detract from the needed strengths of their overhead portions. In many parts of the world this behavioral rarity is referred to as “thinking”.
The critical point in cleaning occurs halfway in the lift when the leg split or squat is made. This is the point that requires strengthening above all others, for so many things can go wrong as the lifter attempts to shift directions from the upward pull to going under and maintaining solidity with a racked weight in the low position. Here, where the brute yet beautiful force of poetic movement is defined swiftly in the physical. In the blink of an eye this mind/body statement must be made and maintained. This ain’t no greased pig most muscular pose, this is the power of the strength-arts: visible expression in well-honed motion, razor sharp and ably executed. 1-800 operators standing by. Please have credit card ready. Bonus 40-minute porn site trial to first 10 buyers.
Even though this preliminary portion of the lift may be successfully made, the follow-up leg recovery movement is sometimes so difficult to effect that the lifter is too weary to make a successful Jerk. This holds true when performing other overhead lifts as well. With greater confidence in manhandling heavy weights the mind will become unconcerned with the clean portion of each movement, opening up greater avenues of strength, stability and endurance.
Is it really possible to strengthen the lifter’s overall mental and bodily power by special training methods devised to strengthen this difficult portion of overhead movements?
Of course! And the Continental Clean is one of the best, though currently most neglected methods any ambitious lifter can use, providing he goes about it in the right way. Continental Cleans will boost body power and solidity of confidence where it is needed most, and here is why!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1.) They allow the lifter to handle much heavier poundages in training.
2.) He therefore learns how to exert EXTRA pulling power by heaving VERY heavy weights from the floor to waist height so that the bar comes to rest behind the belt for the next stage.
3.) He learns how to develop extra CONFIDENCE at this point, plus added strength and let's say we just call this here creation "self".
4.) Training regularly in this manner, the lifter becomes accustomed to supporting tremendous poundages. This builds additional power and strength in the thighs, hips, back and shoulders so that all overhead lifts feel easier to handle and control by comparison.
It’s really not necessary to disrupt or forsake your regular training methods. Just add a few sets of Continental Cleans to your usual routine and soon you will have progressively achieved a great improvement in your COMMAND of the weights .
All intelligent lifters, both of them, know that any “extra” pulling and supporting power can make all the difference in their numbers. This is where the Continental Clean can give you that extra edge over the weights. It’s war on a gymnasium floor, eh? A wee bit of strife and struggle, a self-imposed battle before leaving the living. Artsy, yes, but I like its robust fartsiness as well!
As you complete the upward pull and begin to force your elbows beneath the bar to fix it at the shoulders (elbows up upon racking, and never forget to circle the damn wagons), you’ll soon feel like a powerhouse. A stampede of cow-cattle. Fire hydrant freed from the annoyance of dogwalkers forever. Six months of progressive Continental training can equal triumph over the enemy known as gravity. Let your next failed overhead attempt be that insult that made a man out of Mac. Change your name if you must, just get stronger and more capable. Give me six months with Woody Allen and I can have him carrying TWO underage females on those no longer bony shoulders.
Get a solid belt. Make it if you have to. Study continental lift technique as you would an onion butt. You know the type . . . makes you wanna kneel down and cry in a politically incorrect fashion. Determine now that you will develop great strength and power with this lift, then translate that strength and power into new records in all your overhead movements for the nominal fee of only . . . time and energy.
If you’re still weak on the inspiration, gaze at the picture of Kono, Schemansky and Emrich deep in prayer above.
And be healed.
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