Exercise Technique
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Exercise Technique |
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Power Clean
Primary Purpose: Develop explosive power through extension of the hips, knees and ankles.
Secondary Purpose: Stress the entire neuromuscular system through a synergistic summation of forces (multi-joint total body lift).
Equipment Set-up:
Using either an 8' x 8' weightlifting platform or an adequately sized rubber floor (5' x 8' minimum), position an Olympic barbell loaded with, preferably, rubber bumper plates in the center of the lifting area.
Make sure the floor is clean, dry and free of any uneven areas. Do not allow any workout sheets, towels, drinks, or anything besides the barbell and the athlete on the lifting area.
The lifting area needs to be off limits to any traffic and free of anyone except the athlete performing the exercise.
Starting Position:
Use between a hip to shoulder width stance, toes pointing straight ahead to slightly out.
Squat down to the bar, and position your hips lower than your shoulders.
Use a grip slightly wider than shoulder width, with your arms fully extended and elbows turned outward.
Roll the bar back to an inch from contacting your shins, and maintain an arch in your back.
Position your shoulders directly over to slightly in front of the bar (never behind the bar).
Procedure:
Lift the weight off the floor by driving force through your entire foot (don't get forward on your toes).
The first pull [floor to just above knees] is key to aligning your body in the correct posture for the second pull, or power position.
Be patient and don't yank the bar off the floor, rather, pull the bar and build speed.
While keeping your shoulders over the bar, extend your knees and hips, performing a deadlift type motion.
As the bar travels over your knees, raise your head and shoulders and straighten up into a vertical alignment so the bar shifts to your mid-thigh. This is the power position.
In the power position your knees are slightly bent, your hips are cocked and your torso is vertical with your shoulders over the top of the bar - this is the key alignment for your body to produce great force on the barbell.
Explosively extend your hips and knees while transferring the weight from your heels to your mid foot and snapping your head up while shrugging your shoulders vertically (jump and shrug the weight up).
This lift is executed by a very fast summation of forces (kinetic linking). Use the most powerful muscles first (i.e., hips, thighs, calves, back and traps) before using your arms to pull the bar upward. The pull is more of a "impulsive hit," than a deliberate pull. Make it explosive - this takes a fraction of a second.
As the weight moves upward, simultaneously drop/pull your body underneath the bar catching the weight across your shoulders in a 1/4-1/2 squat position.
Finish the lift by standing upright under control.
Lower the weight, by either dropping it under control or bringing it back down to the start position and repeat the exercise.
CSCCa - Power Clean - Execution from Greg Werner on Vimeo.
Push the Play button to watch the video. You can pause the video to study the notes and technique.
Key Points:
The movement is very explosive, occurring in the hips, legs, back and shoulders. Execution should be clean and crisp.
Your back should remain tight (isometric contraction) and flat throughout the entire exercise.
As you move under the bar flip/rotate your elbows forward and push them inward so that you catch the bar across your shoulders with your elbows pointing forward, not downward.
The bar trajectory should be vertical - don't swing it out and around, jump-shrug it straight up.
Control the movement and start with a weight that doesn't cause you to lose your balance.
Hold your breath in, so to create a tight core (increased intra-abdominal pressure) until you proceed through the sticking point and then exhale. Exhaling too early causes a loss in core stability.
Produced by Master Strength & Conditioning Coach, Greg Werner from James Madison University
Athlete in the video: Marianne Hutchens