Coaching the Clean
A step by step progression:
- Gripping the bar
- Catch or rack position
- Knee bend
- Jump and catch in quarter Squat
- Modified Hang Power Clean
- Descent into Deep Squat
- Hip bend
- Bar below knees to mid-thigh
- Lifting the bar from floor
- The Squat Clean
When the player can complete steps 1-4, they are proficient at completing a modified Power Clean. When competent at completing steps 1-5, the player is now ready to complete a modified Hang Power Clean.
The coach can use clear step by step progressions for teaching not only the Power Clean and Full Clean but also several derivatives that may be productively used as general power training lifts in the player’s strength and power training routine.
1. Gripping the bar
A normal/standard grip or a hook grip may be used by the player. The hook grip is used by competitive weightlifters. (Figure 2.)
Figure 2. The normal grip and the hook grip
2. Catch position with bar on shoulders
Gripping the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, the player rests the bar on the front of the shoulder muscles with elbows raised (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Catch or rack position of bar on shoulders. Note elbows are pointed forwards.
It is important to assess whether the player can attain a proper rack or catch position with the bar on the shoulders. Note in Figure 4. that the rack or catch position is not appropriate. Should the player not be able to move the elbows to a forward pointing position then they will likely require a period of mobility training for the upper back, shoulders, latissimus dorsi, and forearm muscles before advancing. In this case it is recommended that the player uses any one of the derivatives of the Clean such as the Mid-thigh Pull while working on their mobility.
Figure 4. Inappropriate rack position
3. Knee bend
The bar is held at waist level with arms slightly wider than shoulder width. The player then straightens the back (with shoulders back) and then bend knees only to about 10cm (Figure 5.).
Figure 5. Stand straight with shoulders back (a) then bend knees about 10cm (b).
4. Jump and catch in the Quarter Squat Position
From the slight knee bend position the player "jumps explosively and then catches the bar’’ on their shoulders. The player will land in a quarter Squat position when catching the bar on the shoulders. The cue ‘jump and catch’ will in most instances result in the player landing in a quarter Squat position. The player should remain in this position for a few seconds and then to return the bar to the waist. The player may repeat this sequence for several repetitions. See figure 6.
Note the sequence so far:
• Stand with bar just below waist
• Straighten back
• Bend knees
• Jump and catch
• Hold quarter Squat position
• Return bar to waist and stand.
During the beginning stages, the player may only work at this level until he or she is proficient at the first four stages of the Power Clean. The player has now effectively completed a modified Hang Power Clean (from hang but using knee bend only).
Figure 6. Catch position in modified Hang Power Clean: ‘From the bent knee position, jump, catch and hold the Quarter Squat position’.
5. Modified Hang Power Clean and move into deeper Squat
The next step is to repeat the previous sequence into a modified Hang Power Clean and then move into a deeper Squat. With the bar at waist level, the player straightens the back, bends the knees only, jumps and catches and remains in a quarter squat position – and then moves into a deep Squat (Figure 7.)
Figure 7. The player has descended into a deep Squat position from a modified Hang Power Clean. Note the player’s back is strong and elbows are pointing forward.
The next step is to practice the above movement but performing the transition into a deeper Squat in a more dynamic movement. The player should repeat numerous repetitions at this step until they are competent at completing the sequence efficiently.
6. Hip bend
The player stands with the bar at their waist and then straightens their back, bends at the knees, then bends at the hips, moves bar to below knees and holds the position whilst maintaining a strong back.(Figure 8)
Figure 8. The player bends at the knees first and then bends at the hips and lowers the bar to just below the knees.
The player moves to a position where the bar is just below the knees and then returns by unbending from the hips. The player completes this sequence for several repetitions.
7. From bar below knees move to mid-thigh
From a position of bar below the knees the player moves the bar up to a mid-thigh position and then extends to jump, catch, and Squat (Figure 9.)
Figure 9. From a below knees hang position, the player moves the bar to a mid- thigh position and then extends to jump, catch, and Quarter Squat.
When the player can successfully complete the movement from the bar below the knees to a quarter Squat position then they progress to complete the sequence as one movement. Note in the accompanying video that the player moves slowly at first from a bar below the knees position to a mid-thigh position and then explosively extends the legs, jumps, and catches the bar in a deep squat position.
8. Lifting the bar from the floor
The next step in the progression to complete the full Squat Clean is from a position with the bar below the knees, the player bends the knees to place the bar to the floor (Figure 10.)
Figure 10. From a bar below the knees position, the player bends the knees to rest the bar on the floor.
9. First Pull - from the floor
We now move to a “bottom–up” movement of the Clean. The player stands with feet under the bar maintaining a strong back posture. Then with their weight on the forefoot (instead of the heels) the player is now ready to start the Clean from the floor (see Figure 11 below).
The player extends their knees and moves the bar to just below their knees.
Figure 11. The bar is lifted from the floor to a position just below the knees.
To complete a full clean, the player then moves the bar to a mid-thigh position* and then explosively extends the body and jumps and catches the bar in a quarter or full Squat position – depending on ability. Some players may not be ready to assume a full-depth Squat in the catch position. The coach may decide that the player is not required to complete a full Squat Clean.
*The movement of the bar from the floor to a mid-thigh position is sometimes referred to as the First Pull. The Second Pull occurs from a mid-thigh position to the catch position. There may be variances in the exact anatomical positions for the First Pull and Second Pull according to teaching method.
10. The Power Clean from floor and Squat Clean from floor.
The Squat Clean is demonstrated in the video below.
The Power Clean is demonstrated in the video below.
The player should progress from both an ‘up to down’ sequence, as described in steps 1-7 above, and then lift with a gradual speeding up of the movement from the floor up.