Power clean

The power clean pulls a barbell from the floor to the front of the shoulders in one fast, continuous movement.^{1Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 419.},^{2Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 421.} The ascent has four phases: first pull, transition, second pull and catch.^{1Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 419.},^{2Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 421.} During the second pull, the client rapidly extends the hips, knees and ankles and shrugs, then bends the elbows to pull the body under the bar.^{2Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 421.} The catch is in a quarter squat, with the bar racked across the front of the clavicles and anterior deltoids.^{2Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 421.}

The hang power clean starts with the bar at midthigh or near the knees rather than on the floor.^{1Haff and Triplett (eds.), Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 4th ed., p. 419.} Rippetoe and colleagues use cleans and snatches as examples of exercises that train power by moving heavy loads quickly: a slow clean is a missed clean.^{3Rippetoe et al., Practical Programming for Strength Training, 3rd ed., p. 66.}

In practice

• Watch for the errors listed by the NSCA: hips rising before the shoulders in the first pull, a rounding upper back, knees extending faster than the hips, and the bar moving away from the body.^{4Schoenfeld and Snarr (eds.), NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training, 3rd ed., p. 386.}
• Coach hip drive rather than an arm pull.^{5International Personal Trainer Academy, Certified Personal Trainer Textbook, p. 302.},^{6International Personal Trainer Academy, Certified Personal Trainer Textbook, p. 303.} The IPTA says the lift needs much more coaching than most exercises and teaches three phases separately before combining them.^{5International Personal Trainer Academy, Certified Personal Trainer Textbook, p. 302.},^{6International Personal Trainer Academy, Certified Personal Trainer Textbook, p. 303.}
• Power exercises aren’t spotted.^{7National Strength and Conditioning Association, NSCA’s Basics of Strength and Conditioning Manual, p. 30.} Teach the client to push the bar away or drop it, and to release it and jump forward if it becomes unstable behind the head.^{7National Strength and Conditioning Association, NSCA’s Basics of Strength and Conditioning Manual, p. 30.} Use a clear area and a platform.^{7National Strength and Conditioning Association, NSCA’s Basics of Strength and Conditioning Manual, p. 30.}