4 Ways to Prevent "Clarking"
4 Ways to Prevent “Clarking”
- Mental Toughness:
Training is 80% mental and 20% physical. You have to be mentally prepared for everything that happens during a session. It could be something as similar as someone walking in front of your platform, or as severe as multiple misses in a training session. All need to be handled with mental toughness. Clarking is avoidable if you tell yourself it is. You only Clark when you doubt the attempt. Stay positive and attack every attempt likes its a PR. You are stronger than the weight!
- Not Talking Yourself Out of a Lift You Didn't Take Yet:
Lifts get heavy, I get that but telling yourself you’re going to make it helps a lot! Have confidence in your lifts. Heavy attempts are supposed to be fun and exciting for lifters. Its a chance to test your strength and see how far you have come. Talk yourself into hitting a big lift with positive self support and never tell yourself you can't.
- Reaching the Goal Means Making that Personal Record:
You need to set all time goals for you in this sport. If your bests right now are 100kg snatch and a 140kg clean and jerk, then you need to set your goals at 130kg and 180kg. After all time goals are set you need to remind yourself of them when going for a big attempt. Tell yourself “this might be a PR, but it is not my goal.” This will help keep the wight into perspective and help you be more successful at heavier attempts.
- Very Heavy Clean Pulls:
Most Clarks happen because of the weight feeling very heavy off the floor. Training heavy pulls once a week during a training cycle will help with that feeling. I would do 5 x 2 clean pulls up to 110% of the max for that athlete for 4 weeks and then analyze them after the fact. Are they clarking as much? Is it still the same reason? Is the athlete mentally stronger after the heavy pulls? Once these are analyzed you will have a way better grip on why these clarks happen.