Oct 12, 2017Perfecting the Power Clean
If done properly, the power clean can go a long way in helping athletes maximize their performance. But a perfect power clean doesn’t happen automatically. It takes a series of progressions before an athlete is ready to get under the bar. Below is a list of exercises that will help prepare your athletes so that they can avoid injury and get the most out of the power clean.
According to Tobias Jacobi, current Strength and Conditioning Coach at Strong Rock (Ga.) Christian School who previously spent 15 years coaching at various universities, there are clear reasons why the power clean is so beneficial to athletic performance.
“The ability to externally load the triple extension of the knee, hip, and ankle is one of the main reasons the power clean is so popular,” Jacobi writes. “Another reason is the coordination required to properly perform the exercise, which leads itself to being a movement that assists in athletic development. In my time as strength & conditioning coach at both the high school and collegiate levels, I have noticed a trend that athletes who perform the power clean the best often see great carry-over onto the playing field.”
In order to help athletes use this valuable exercise to their advantage, Jacobi recommends progressing them through a series of four exercises.
1. Front Squat
This exercise helps athletes learn the proper position for catching the barbell at the bottom of the lift. For proper form, the bar should be resting on the deltoids near the upper clavicle. To help athletes develop this habit, Jacobi recommends having them do a free weight squat, which is essentially a front squat with the arms pointed straight ahead instead of gripping the bar. Another thing to keep an eye on is the ability of the athlete to squat down in the “rack position.” If they are unable to do this properly, then they likely need to improve their mobility before anything else.
2. Hang Squat Clean
The purpose of this exercise is to generate power, so make sure athletes initiate the exercise with a jump rather than simply dropping under the barbell. Always start with lighter loads and pay close attention to an athlete’s ability to catch the barbell at the bottom of the squat. The focus should be on performing the movement fluidly and with proper depth. If an athlete is struggling, it could likely be due to a lack of hip flexibility, ankle flexibility, or fear of getting under the barbell. All of these issues can be addressed by performing modified progressions.
3. Overhead Squat
This will help teach athletes the full range of motion they will need when they catch the barbell in the bottom of a power clean. It also teaches balance and weight distribution. When doing this exercise, Jacobi suggests that athletes keep their feet as straight as possible with toes facing forward. Some may lack flexibility in their ankles and hips, which could inhibit them from doing this exercise properly. Use a combination of static stretching, foam rolling, and band stretching in order to help improve mobility in these areas.
4. Kettlebell Swings
A kettlebell swing can be performed in a variety of ways. But for the purpose of helping to improve an athlete’s power clean, make sure athletes keep the kettlebell as close to their body as possible while focusing on the hip movement. The most important part of this exercise is hinging the hips backward before rapidly snapping them forward. Also, make sure that athletes keep their arms straight and don’t bend their elbows.
