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Progressing From the Hang Power Clean to the Power Clean: A 4-Step Model
James Duba, MA, CSCS, USAW,1 William J. Kraemer, PhD, CSCS, FNSCA,2 and Gerard Martin, MA, CSCS*D, USAW1 1 Division of Athletics; and 2Department of Kinesiology, Human Performance Laboratory, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut

SUMMARY
VARIATIONS OF THE WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION LIFTS ARE OFTEN USED AS PART OF AN ATHLETES COMPREHENSIVE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY TO IMPROVE TOTAL BODY POWER. ALTHOUGH THESE VARIATIONS ARE EFFECTIVE, THEIR COMPLEX TECHNIQUE SUGGESTS CAREFUL TEACHING TO THOSE LEARNING. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO PROVIDE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROFESSIONALS A TEACHING PROGRESSION FOR THE POWER CLEAN, SPECIFICALLY FOR TEACHING THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY SKILLED IN THE HANG POWER CLEAN. INTRODUCTION

following progression model for the power clean presents a progression from the hang power clean to the power clean, assuming that the lifter has a background understanding of and the ability to correctly perform the hang power clean. Before using this model to teach or learn the power clean, it is strongly encouraged for the lifter to be able to properly perform the hang power clean. This is especially important because the most complex portion of the power clean occurs during the second pull and the catch phase. Additionally, classic literature has suggested that weightlifting exercises are more effectively learned in a reverse order (i.e., a topdown approach) (10). Therefore, this model should be considered as an addition or an extension of the teaching progression to A 6-step progression model for teaching the hang power clean (2).
THE POWER CLEAN

catch position (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e) in a smooth and efcient motion. There are many sources available that discuss weightlifting technique, specically clean technique, in detail (1,8,10). According to these sources, 5 main stages of the power clean may be referred to: the rst pull, the transition phase (also known as the scoop, double knee bend, unweighting phase, and adjustment phase), the second pull (also known as the nal acceleration or the nal explosion), the catch (also known as the squat under), and the recovery phase. It is important that each phase be performed to successfully complete the entire movement.

A BRIEF REVIEW OF EACH PHASE OF THE POWER CLEAN

uba et al. (2) presented a progression model for the hang power clean, a variation of the weightlifting competition clean and jerk exercise (7). This progression model demonstrated how the hang power clean can be effectively taught in 6 steps, giving the strength and conditioning professional the option of using this exercise as a main part of an athletes power training program. The

Incorporating the power clean into a strength and conditioning program expands the coachs options for the choice of exercises used to promote the training of whole body muscular power. During the power clean, the lifter achieves the proper starting position (Figures 1a, 2a, 3a) and lifts the bar from the oor into the proper

First Pull. The rst pull is the portion of the power clean from the lift off to approximately knee height (Figures 1b, 2b, 3b). During this stage, a proper starting position (Figures 1a, 2a, 3a), maintaining proper posture, maintaining a constant torso angle relative to the ground during the lift, and keeping the bar in slight contact or very close to the body are all extremely important.
KEY WORDS:

clean; weightlifting; power training; teaching progression

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Copyright National Strength and Conditioning Association

Figure 1. (a) Starting position, front view. (b) End of rst pull, 45 view. (c) Start of second pull, 45 view. (d) End of second pull, 45 view. (e) Catch, 45 view. (f ) Ending position, 45 view.

Transition Phase. The transition phase is the portion between the end of the rst pull (Figures 1b, 2b, 3b) and the beginning of the second pull (Figures 1c, 2c, 3c). Depending on the lifters limb lengths and ratios, some knee

bending or hip extension may occur during this phase. There seems to be much debate in weightlifting regarding whether or not the transition phase should be deliberately taught to the beginning lifter. In this progression

model, the lifter is not taught the transition phase directly. Instead, a proper movement from the starting position into the hang position is emphasized. As a general rule, if the athlete reaches the proper hang

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Figure 2. (a) Starting position, side view. (b) End of rst pull, front view. (c) Start of second pull, front view. (d) End of second pull, front view. (e) Catch position, front view. (f ) Ending position, front view.

position after the clean deadlift (which includes the rst pull and transition phase), the transition phase was properly executed. Second Pull. The second pull of the power clean is the point from the hang position (Figures 1c, 2c, 3c) to near the full extension of the ankles, knees, and hips (Figures 1d, 2d, 3d). This is the portion of the exercise that is found to produce the highest power output (36,9). After a proper rst pull and transition phase (clean deadlift), the lifter should be in an advantageous position to create maximal force into the ground. For this to happen, it is

absolutely necessary for the lifter to consciously apply full effort at this point during the power clean. Catch. The catch phase of the power clean begins with an appropriate completion of the second pull (Figures 1d, 2d, 3d). After this, the lifter briey leaves the ground, displacing his or her feet from the power stance (Figure 2ad) to the strength stance (Figure 2e and 2f ). At this moment, the lifter is also moving his/her body under the bar into the proper catch position (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e). Correct rhythm of the catch stage occurs with synchronized foot and bar landing.

Recovery. The recovery portion of the power clean begins with the appropriate catch position (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e). Once in the catch position, the lifter must nish the power clean exactly like he or she would nish the concentric portion of the front squat, ending tall (Figures 1f, 2f, 3f ).
THE POWER CLEAN VERSUS THE HANG POWER CLEAN

It is important to note the difference between the power clean and the hang power clean. Although similar, the power clean differs from the hang power clean, in that the maximal load used in the power clean is higher than

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Figure 3. (a) Starting position, 45 view. (b) End of rst pull, side view. (c) Start of second pull, side view. (d) End of second pull, side view. (e) Catch position, side view. (f ) Ending position, side view.

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the maximal load used in the hang power clean. A study examining the snatch in elite weightlifters that illustrated barbell velocity during competition repetitions (reps) shows this theory. The illustration showed that the barbell accelerates during the rst pull and does not decelerate during the transition phase before the biggest acceleration occurs during the second pull (6). Therefore, when done correctly, the second pull of the power clean occurs when the barbell is already accelerating, whereas the second pull of the hang power clean occurs at a zero velocity. Theoretically, this means that the maximal load used in power clean must be higher than the maximal load used in the hang power clean. Therefore, training with the power clean allows the athlete to train with a greater absolute load than the hang power clean. This gives strength and conditioning professionals the option of using a highly loaded power exercise as part of an athletes power training workouts.
THE 4-STEP MODEL STEP 1: LEARN THE PROPER HANG POWER CLEAN TECHNIQUE

power clean technique, which makes this progression model a modication of the USA Weightlifting model (1). This model is not designed to replace USA Weightliftings model but to add to the strength and conditioning professionals options for teaching such a complex movement. Again, for full understanding of the hang power clean, the reader is encouraged to review A 6-step progression model for teaching the hang power clean, as this is the rst step in our 4-step progression model presented in this article.
IMPORTANT STANCES AND POSTURE

STEP 2: CLEAN DEADLIFT

This 4-step model progresses the lifter from the hang power clean to the power clean (Figure 4). Although the rst exercise learned in this model is the clean deadlift, the base and rst step of the progression is a proper hang

The important stances and posture associated with the progression are described below:  Power stance (also referred to as the pulling stance): approximately hip width, toes pointing forward or slightly outward, and center of gravity on mid foot (Figure 2ad)  Strength stance (also referred to as the squat stance): approximately shoulder width, toes pointing forward or slightly outward, and center of gravity toward the heel (Figure 2e and 2f )  Proper posture: thoracic spine extended, shoulders neutral, head vertical or in neutral alignment with spine, and eyes looking forward (see Figures 1af, 2af, 3a3c and Table 1 for posture cues)

Figure 4. Four-step teaching model for the power clean.

Purpose. To teach the athlete the proper starting position, rst pull, and transition phases for the power clean using the 15- to 20-kg barbell with standard-sized training plates.  Starting grip: rm shoulder width, overhand grip (thumbs in), closed grip or hook grip, and wrists neutral or exed (Heavy loads will cause the wrist to be more neutral.)  Starting stance: power stance (Figure 2ad)  Starting position: clean deadlift positionhead vertical or in alignment with the torso, shoulders slightly ahead of the bar, elbows and knees in alignment and side by side (if the athlete has a high leg length to torso length ratio, that is, for most tall athletes, the knees may be in advance of the elbows), the thoracic spine extended, the lumbar spine extended, hips higher than the knees, and feet at on the ground with the center of gravity over the middle of the foot (Figures 1a, 2a, 3a)  Action: After getting into the proper clean deadlift starting position, the bar is brought to the hang position  Action of the rst pull: The bar is separated from the oor to knee height through knee extension and ankle plantar exion with conscious thought of bringing the bar toward the body and moving the center of gravity toward the heels while keeping a constant posture, a constant back angle relative to the ground, the shoulders ahead of the bar, and the bar in slight contact with the body via wrist exion (Figures 1b, 2b, 3b)  Action of the transition: Without slowing or stopping the movement, the bar is brought from knee height to the hang position through hip extension. Although the shoulders move back with this hip extension, they remain in front of the bar, and the center of gravity is brought toward the mid foot (Figures 1c, 2c, 3c). (see Table 2).  Ending position: hang position weight on the balls of feet, bar at lower

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Table 1
Posture cues to be used for the different steps of the progression
Cue How it helps When to use

Back tight, big chest, get tall, show off your shirt, push your chest through your shirt Look straight ahead, nd a focal point

Cues lifter to tighten and/or arch his/her back to improve on posture Cues lifter to have a focus point where he/she can x on without being distracted. Also helps the lifter avoid hyperextension of his/her neck during the triple extension in the second pull

When the lifter is learning proper posture or he/she is rounding the back at any time during the movement When the lifter is losing concentration or looks excessively upward or downward to the point where his/her focus is negatively affecting head position

Adapted from Duba et al (2).

midthigh level, tension felt in the hamstrings, and the shoulders slightly in front of the bar (Figures 1c, 2c, 3c)
STEP 3: CLEAN DEADLIFT + HANG POWER CLEAN

Purpose. To teach the athlete how to properly perform the power clean, with a brief 1- to 2-second pause

between the transition phase and the second pull using the 15- to 20-kg barbell with standard-sized training plates.  Starting grip: rm shoulder width, overhand grip (thumbs in), closed grip or hook grip, and wrists neutral or exed (Heavy loads will cause the wrist to be more neutral.)

 Starting stance: power stance (Figure 2ad)  Starting position: clean deadlift position (Figures 1a, 2a, 3a)  Action: After properly performing the clean deadlift to the hang position (rst pull and transition phase), pause for 1 to 2 seconds and execute the hang power clean into the catch position.

Table 2
Action cues for the clean deadlift
Phase of the power clean Cue How it helps When to use

Starting position

Elbows and knees in alignment, Cues lifter to assume the proper shoulders should be slightly starting position of the clean in front of the bar, weight deadlift, specically addressing should be felt in the middle the shoulder and hip position of the foot relative to the bar Cues lifter to tighten all his/her levers (i.e., arms, trunk, and legs) before lifting the bar from the oor Cues lifter to keep a constant torso angle from lift off to knee height

If the lifters hip is too high or too low in the starting position

Lift off from the Create tension in the arms starting position before lifting the bar, do not jerk the bar off the oor First pull Hip and shoulders rise together

If the lifter has a tendency to be loose and then pull the bar off the oor If the lifter rises his/her shoulders more in relation to the hips or more in relation to the shoulders from lift off to knee height

First pull

Bring the weight toward your heels, keep your shoulders over the bar, push your knees out of the way Knee extension to the knees, then hip extension to the hang position

Cues lifter to keep the shoulders If the lifter is not keeping in the correct position in relation his/her shoulders in front of the to the bar and to move the bar from lift off to knee height center of gravity toward the heel from lift off to knee height Cues lifter to use knee extension to bring the bar to knee height and hip extension to bring the bar to hang position height If the lifter tends to equally extend his/her knees and the hip during the clean deadlift

First pull and transition

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Table 3
Action cues for the hang power clean portion
Phase of the power clean Cue How it helps When to use

Second pull

Finish the pull, push your Cues lifter to achieve feet through the ground, triple extension during explode, big jump, the second pull of the extend the hips power clean Bring your shoulders to your ears, push your shoulders through my hand (as the coach places his/her hands on the athletes shoulder) Feel the bar come high in the thigh, keep the wrists curled in Shoot your elbows through fast, keep the bar close to your body, rotate your elbows around the bar, get under the bar Cues the lifter to shrug his/her shoulders straight up to the ears during the second pull of the power clean Cues the lifter to keep the bar close to the body during the second pull of the power clean Cues the lifter to keep the bar close to his/her body and to use quickness and body control to get under the bar, as opposed to trying to muscle the bar up using his/her arms

If the lifter has a tendency to achieve only partial extension of the ankles, knees, and hip during the second pull If the lifter has a tendency to eliminate the shrug or shrug backward or forward during the second pull

Second pull

Second pull

If the lifter has a tendency to lose contact between the bar and the body during the second pull If the lifter has a tendency to loop the bar out during the catch, if the lifters elbows are not staying out and rotating around the bar, if the lifter lacks quickness when getting under the bar, and if the lifter is not dropping under the bar during the catch

Catch

Catch

Displace your feet from hip width to shoulder width apart

Cues the lifter to move his/her If the lifter is not displacing his/her feet at all or has a feet from the power stance tendency to stomp his/her feet to the strength stance back and into the ground during during the catch and the catch and if the lifter is xes/prevents excessive displacing his/her feet excessively stomping or displacement in the catch of the feet during the catch Cues the lifter to land with a full foot and helps develop a good stable base in the catch Cues the lifter to have proper rhythm and timing during the catch Cues the lifter to sit his/her weight back and to get the elbows high in the catch If the lifter does not land on the full foot in the catch

Catch

Land with a at foot

Catch

Feet and bar hit together in the catch

If the lifters timing is off during the catch, this error is common when the athlete does not bring the elbows through quick enough If the lifter tends to land with insufcient hip exion and/or elbow height in the catch

Catch

Elbows and butt should face away from each other in the catch

 Action of the second pull: Nearly full extension of the ankles, knees, and hips is achieved through aggressively pushing the feet into the ground rising up on the toes and shrugging the shoulders (Figures 1d, 2d, 3d)  Action of the catch: After the second pull, the bar is caught in the catch

position with the upper arms parallel to the ground and in the sagittal plane and the feet at with the toes pointed forward or slightly outward (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e). This is achieved through the action of bringing the elbows up, under, and around the bar, while the feet are displacing laterally. During this action, it is

important to keep the bar close to the body to minimize its horizontal movement (looping) and to make sure the bar and feet land simultaneously. Also, arm strength should not be used to pull the bar up to the catch. Instead, the ankle, hip, and knee extension from the second pull should be used to transfer force into

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Table 4
Action cues for proper rhythm of the power clean
Phase of the power clean Cue How it helps When to use

Start of the second pull

Wait till the bar comes high in the thigh, wait for it, be patient

Cues the lifter to initiate If the lifter rushes the start of the the second pull at the second pull and if the lifter comes proper position and off a at foot before approaching moment during the power hang position height clean If the lifter applies so much effort during the rst pull that he/she is not able to apply any more distinct effort during the second pull (i.e., there is no nal explosion during the second pull)

Whole movement

Cues the lifter to use the Control the bar off the rst pull and transition oor and explode when phase to get into the it comes above the proper position to apply knees, do not rip the full effort, as opposed to bar from the oor, feel applying full effort at the the different speeds of start the movement

the bar with the intent of then getting the body under the bar into the correct catch position (see Table 3)  Ending stance: strength stance (Figure 2e and 2f )  Ending grip: front squat rack position (Figures 1e, 1f, 2e, 2f, 3e, 3f )  Ending position: catch position (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e); the lifter then nishes the front squat driving through the heels with the elbows up, forward, and aligned in the sagittal plane (Figures 1f, 2f, 3f )

STEP 4: POWER CLEAN

Purpose. To teach the athlete how to properly perform the power clean in one movement using the 15- to 20-kg barbell with standard-sized training plates.  Starting grip: rm shoulder width, overhand grip (thumbs in), closed grip or hook grip, and wrists neutral or exed (Heavy loads will cause the wrist to be more neutral.)  Starting stance: power stance (Figure 2ad)  Starting position: clean deadlift position (Figures 1a, 2a, 3a)  Action: After properly performing the clean deadlift and when approaching the hang position (Figures 1c, 2c, 3c), explosively initiate the second pull (Figures 1d, 2d, 3d) and catch (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e) without hesitation (see Table 4)

 Ending stance: strength stance (Figure 2e and 2f )  Ending grip: front squat rack position (Figures 1e, 1f, 2e, 2f, 3e, 3f )  Ending position: catch position (Figures 1e, 2e, 3e); the lifter then nishes the front squat driving through the heels with the elbows up, forward, and aligned in the sagittal plane (Figures 1f, 2f, 3f ) After introducing the progression model and learning each step, it will make the lifter practice before he or she completely learns the power clean. Even with the same proper background in the hang power clean, some lifters will learn quicker than others. During this learning process, it is recommended for the lifter to practice with about 3 to 5 reps per set with lighter loads than would normally be used with the hang power clean. With these lighter loads, it is helpful to control the speed of the rst pull and transition phase (clean deadlift portion) before applying full effort during the second pull. This helps the lifter to consistently maintain and reach the correct positions required for a proper technique. With continued practice, though, the lifter should apply full effort during the rst pull and the transition phase without losing proper position. Therefore, the lifter should use a higher load with the power clean when compared with the hang power clean. Consequently, the strength and

conditioning professional will then be able to appropriately use the power clean as a safe and effective means for a heavy power training. James Duba is the head strength and conditioning coach for the Sacramento Monarchs and the assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Sacramento Kings. William J. Kraemer is a professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut and the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Gerard Martin is the strength and conditioning coordinator in the Division of Athletics at the University of Connecticut.

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REFERENCES
1. Drechsler A. The Weightlifting Encyclopedia. Whitestone, NY: A is A Communications, 1998. pp. 17108. 2. Duba J, Kraemer WJ, and Martin G. A6-step progression model for teaching the hang power clean. Strength Cond J 29(5): 2635, 2007. 3. Enoka RM. The pull in Olympic weightlifting. Med Sci Sports 11(2): 131137, 1979.

4. Garhammer J. Power production by Olympic weightlifters. Med Sci Sports Exerc 12: 5460, 1980. 5. Garhammer J. Biomechanical analysis proles of Olympic weightlifters. Int J Sport Biomech 1: 122130, 1985. 6. Gourgoulis V, Aggelousis N, Mavromatis G, and Garas A. Three-dimensional kinematic analysis of the snatch of elite Greek weightlifters. J Sports Sci 18: 643652, 2000. 7. Pierce K. Clean and jerk. Strength Cond J 21(3): 4647, 1999.

8. Roman RA and Shakirzyanov MS. The Snatch, the Clean and Jerk. Translated by Andrew C Jr. Moscow, Russia: Fizkultura i Sport, 1982. pp. 18, 58119. 9. Souza AL, Shimada SD, and Koontz A. Ground reaction forces during the power clean. J Strength Cond Res 16: 423427, 2002. 10. Vorobyev AN. A Textbook on Weightlifting. Budapest, Hungary: International Weightlifting Federation, 1978. pp. 3847, 53119.

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