Continental Grip for Power Cleans

[woodswise]

Anyone use the continental grip to get the weight up to your chest as the first step in a clean?

Yesterday my buddy and I were training together with an axle with 220# on it. I was having a hard time keeping my grip while cleaning, so he suggested I do them with a continental grip, one hand under the other over, then when you get it to rest at the top of your belly, switch the under hand so you have both hands in overgrip, then complete the clean. It worked like a charm, and I got the 220# up several times after that, no problem.

 

[Rottenrogue]

Anything over 145 for me is mixed grip

 

[woodswise]

RR, have you ever heard it called continental cleans or continental grip?

 

[jhotsauce7]

Post a link if you can.. Been cleaning on and off for the past couple years and I seem to get stuck at 205lb and I believe it's a grip related issue ... Right now I am working on wrist mobility to master a proper front squat grip and maybe this will help that too...

 

[BrotherIron]

RR, have you ever heard it called continental cleans or continental grip?

You're using the correct terminology for what you're doing. A lot of Strongmen/women perform axle cleans this way.

Post a link if you can.. Been cleaning on and off for the past couple years and I seem to get stuck at 205lb and I believe it's a grip related issue ... Right now I am working on wrist mobility to master a proper front squat grip and maybe this will help that too...

Jhot, if you're using a 45lbs Oly bar you would not continental it. You need to use a hook grip. Look it up, learn to use it, and you will no long have grip issues. That is the "grip" all Oly lifters use. While you're at it... look up Jon North's tutorial on how to properly clean b/c if you're not training at an Oly facility you're technique will need a lot of help.

 

[Mondo]

you're using the correct terminology for what you're doing. A lot of strongmen/women perform axle cleans this way.



Jhot, if you're using a 45lbs oly bar you would not continental it. You need to use a hook grip. Look it up, learn to use it, and you will no long have grip issues. That is the "grip" all oly lifters use. While you're at it... Look up jon north's tutorial on how to properly clean b/c if you're not training at an oly facility you're technique will need a lot of help.

^^^^^this^^^^

 

[C T J]

Jhot, if you're using a 45lbs Oly bar you would not continental it. You need to use a hook grip. Look it up, learn to use it, and you will no long have grip issues. That is the "grip" all Oly lifters use. While you're at it... look up Jon North's tutorial on how to properly clean b/c if you're not training at an Oly facility you're technique will need a lot of help.

Jon trains at my gym when he's in town. He lives a few hours away. Really cool guy.

 

[C T J]

I believe continental is the style of clean, not just the grip.

 

[BrotherIron]

I believe continental is the style of clean, not just the grip.

Yeah, it's where you bring the axle with a mixed grip to your gut or belt and then switch to double overhand and pull on the bar to bring it upward to a racked position. This is done b/c the bar is so thick and therefore you can't get your hands around the bar to "hook" it which is why I said if it's a 45lbs bar then just use a hook grip and perform a clean be it a power, squat, or muscle clean.