SisterSteel
04-29-2013, 07:44 PM
The power clean is best taught from the top down. This means that the mechanics of the catching, or racking the bar on the shoulders is taught first, and the emphasis in the trainee’s mind is on the rack position from the beginning. It is important for him to learn that in the power clean speed becomes important at the top of the pull, not off the floor. The first part of the pull, from the floor to the mid thighs, serves to get the bar in the correct position for the explosive movement that racks the bar, and it is done correctly, not quickly. From the mid thigh on the up the movement must get faster, but it can’t be done correctly if it’s not started from the right place. By teaching the top of the power clean first, and only then worrying about getting it the floor, the coach assigns the correct priority to the most important part of the pull, as will the athlete. After all, the first part of the power clean is essentially a deadlift, which we already know how to do. When the top of the pull has been learned, we will slide down a little at a time into a deadlift, making the transition from half a movement to the whole thing.
First, the position at the top, with the back in the hands at arms length, with straight elbows, straight knees, and chest up is referred to as the HANG POSITION. A power clean done from this point is referred to as a hang power clean. This position is assumed by taking the EMPTY back off the floor with the correct grip (hook grip) and deadlifting it into position.
The empty bar with be correct for the vast majority. There is no point in weighting the bar at first, as we are learning the movement only. The empty bar is enough resistance to provide some ballast for elbows to rotate around. A broomstick is too light to have sufficient inertia to stay in place during the turn, and even light weights on the bar at this point with interfere with focus on what the bar should be doing.
Foot position will be about the same for the deadlift, 12-15 apart, with toes and pointed very slightly out, like the stance for a flat footed vertical jump. This is the stance that allows most people to apply maximum power to the ground.
From the hang position, have the trainee unlock his knees, shove his hips back, and slide the bar down the middle of his thigh. This movement should be done with the weight on the heels, and with the shoulders slightly in front of the bar. The chest should stay up and the back should stay locked into position. The bar slides down the thigh as the knees unlock, and butt goes back, and the shoulders should go forward.
Then have him return to the hang position. During the entire movement, the bar must stay on the thigh, touching the actual surface of the leg as it moves down and up. Have him do this short movement until he is familiar with using the hips to move the bar. After he does this short movement a few times, have him lower the bar on down past his knees, and then have hi bend his knees to finish the trip to the mid-shin. It should be noted here that from the point at which the knees unlock then do not move forward as the bar is lowered to the knee, and the knees lower to the floor.
The next step is crucial part of the lift: getting the bar on the shoulders. First, the trainee must put the bar in the right place, on top of the delts with elbows up, and than secondly he must learn how to get it there correctly. From the Hang Position, with correct width grip, have him get the bar up onto his shoulders, any way he wants to right now. It should sit right on top on the front delts, well off the sternum and collarbones. The key to this position is the elbows; they must be up very high, pointed straight forward with the humerous nearly parallel to the floor as possible. Some trainees will have trouble getting in this position due to flexibility problems. A grip width adjustment sometimes fixes this issue. Widen the grip a little as a time till the position is better. If the elbows are up high enough, the bar will clear the bony parts and sit comfortably on the belly of the delts. This position is pain free. It is imperative that he understands that THIS is where the bar goes and NOT anywhere else.
It may take some workouts to stretch his wrists so that this position is tolerable. Wrist discomfort is the most common complaint among lifters.
First, the position at the top, with the back in the hands at arms length, with straight elbows, straight knees, and chest up is referred to as the HANG POSITION. A power clean done from this point is referred to as a hang power clean. This position is assumed by taking the EMPTY back off the floor with the correct grip (hook grip) and deadlifting it into position.
The empty bar with be correct for the vast majority. There is no point in weighting the bar at first, as we are learning the movement only. The empty bar is enough resistance to provide some ballast for elbows to rotate around. A broomstick is too light to have sufficient inertia to stay in place during the turn, and even light weights on the bar at this point with interfere with focus on what the bar should be doing.
Foot position will be about the same for the deadlift, 12-15 apart, with toes and pointed very slightly out, like the stance for a flat footed vertical jump. This is the stance that allows most people to apply maximum power to the ground.
From the hang position, have the trainee unlock his knees, shove his hips back, and slide the bar down the middle of his thigh. This movement should be done with the weight on the heels, and with the shoulders slightly in front of the bar. The chest should stay up and the back should stay locked into position. The bar slides down the thigh as the knees unlock, and butt goes back, and the shoulders should go forward.
Then have him return to the hang position. During the entire movement, the bar must stay on the thigh, touching the actual surface of the leg as it moves down and up. Have him do this short movement until he is familiar with using the hips to move the bar. After he does this short movement a few times, have him lower the bar on down past his knees, and then have hi bend his knees to finish the trip to the mid-shin. It should be noted here that from the point at which the knees unlock then do not move forward as the bar is lowered to the knee, and the knees lower to the floor.
The next step is crucial part of the lift: getting the bar on the shoulders. First, the trainee must put the bar in the right place, on top of the delts with elbows up, and than secondly he must learn how to get it there correctly. From the Hang Position, with correct width grip, have him get the bar up onto his shoulders, any way he wants to right now. It should sit right on top on the front delts, well off the sternum and collarbones. The key to this position is the elbows; they must be up very high, pointed straight forward with the humerous nearly parallel to the floor as possible. Some trainees will have trouble getting in this position due to flexibility problems. A grip width adjustment sometimes fixes this issue. Widen the grip a little as a time till the position is better. If the elbows are up high enough, the bar will clear the bony parts and sit comfortably on the belly of the delts. This position is pain free. It is imperative that he understands that THIS is where the bar goes and NOT anywhere else.
It may take some workouts to stretch his wrists so that this position is tolerable. Wrist discomfort is the most common complaint among lifters.