Question about incorporating Hang Cleans.

[Glutenbob]

My stupid college weight room has a No Powerlifts policy. HOwever, I can get away with hang cleaning, so I was wondering if I should substitute barbell rows with Hang cleans.

Are Hang cleans as effective as powercleans for building power? Are they better or worse than powercleans in terms of effectiveness.

[Pseudonym]

I find hang cleans harder than regular power cleans since they don't let me 'cheat' by using the first pull to get the bar speed. I'm just a beginner though, still working on getting the basics of the form. Anyway, I'd say they force you to be more explosive/use the correct amount of explosion.
Why will they let you do hang cleans but not cleans from the floor?

[Glutenbob]

I find hang cleans harder than regular power cleans since they don't let me 'cheat' by using the first pull to get the bar speed. I'm just a beginner though, still working on getting the basics of the form. Anyway, I'd say they force you to be more explosive/use the correct amount of explosion.
Why will they let you do hang cleans but not cleans from the floor?

Well technically it isn't allowed, but the scrubs that are there to overlook whats going on have no idea what powercleans are (i asked them why they weren't allowed, and the dude said its cos you need a spotter on those exercises. LOL). So yesterday I actually did powercleans and nobody said anything. So I think I will keep doing powercleans, until someone says something.

Do you recommend 5 X 3 instead of 5 x 5?

My traps are sore as hell from my powercleans yesterday.

[Pseudonym]

If you're doing the starting strength routine stick to the 5x3 prescribed. I think the reason this set/rep is recommended is that more than 3 reps can cause loss of form, and so you do more sets (possibly with shorter rest periods than your regular 3x5s) to make up the volume.

[Glutenbob]

If you're doing the starting strength routine stick to the 5x3 prescribed. I think the reason this set/rep is recommended is that more than 3 reps can cause loss of form, and so you do more sets (possibly with shorter rest periods than your regular 3x5s) to make up the volume.

in doing Strong Lifts Beginners 5 x 5.

[Pseudonym]

Guess you're swapping rows for cleans then? Just that if you are, what you're doing isn't Stronglifts any more, it's a mixture program.
I'd still recommend 5x3. Just thought of another reason for doing less reps than if you do rows- bar's got to move about twice the distance and probably requires about 4 times the energy to get there.

[Glutenbob]

Guess you're swapping rows for cleans then? Just that if you are, what you're doing isn't Stronglifts any more, it's a mixture program.
I'd still recommend 5x3. Just thought of another reason for doing less reps than if you do rows- bar's got to move about twice the distance and probably requires about 4 times the energy to get there.

sweet. Ill do 5 x 3 instead. Plus I prefer doing lower reps. I hate any high rep excercise other than bodyweight ones.

Thanks for all your help guys.

[dylanamus]

Power exercises are very taxing, so you will see extreme strength deterioration after only a few reps. By doing 5x3 you are able to move more total volume before failure than 3x5. However, when you are learning technique at a light weight, it wouldn't hurt to do 5x5, as your CNS will not be completed taxed until the weight gets more challenging.

If you would rather stick to sets of 3, consider adding a couple of extra sets for the first few weeks to increase your rate of adaption.

Failing a power clean ungracefuly is a sure way to get the attention of your gym nazis, so this substitution will have a limited life span, I feel.

[Sam277]

Why were you wanting to hang clean if you can't powerclean? Traps?