HANG CLEAN

Purpose: Develop explosive power through extension of the hips, knees and ankles.

Starting Position:

  1. Use a shoulder width grip, with your arms fully extended. Your feet under hips and weight on heels.
  2. Hold your shoulder blades together and maintain an arch in your back while lowering the bar to the top of your knees.
  3. Maintain a slight bend in your knees and ankles with your shoulders positioned directly over the bar.

Procedure:

  1. Explosively extend your hips, back and ankles, performing a jumping motion.
  2. Explosively transfer the weight from your heels to the balls of your feet and shrug your shoulders vertically.
  3. As the weight moves upward, simultaneously drop your body underneath the bar catching the weight across your shoulders and in a 1/2 squat position. Finish the lift by standing upright under control.
  4. Lower the weight to the start position and repeat the exercise.

Key Points:

  1. The movement is very explosive, occurring in the hips, legs, and shoulders.
  2. Your back should remain tight and flat throughout the entire exercise.
  3. As you drop down under the bar flip your elbows forward and push them together so that you catch the bar across your shoulders with your arms parallel to the floor and your elbows pointing directly forward.

     

POWER SHRUG

Purpose: Develop explosive power.

Starting Position:

  1. Use the same starting position as the Hang Clean (above).

Procedure:

  1. Explosively extend your hips, back and ankles, performing a quick jumping motion.
  2. Explosively transfer the weight from your heels to the balls of your feet and shrug your shoulders vertically.
  3. Recover to the start position and repeat the exercise.

Key Points:

  1. This movement is very explosive, occurring in the hips, legs, and shoulders.
  2. Your back should remain tight and flat throughout the entire exercise.

 

  

Athlete: Zach Weatherford, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association

© Copyright 2006 Gregory A. Werner