The hang clean and power clean are two essential lifts for developing explosive power, speed, and coordination. Commonly seen in CrossFit, weightlifting, and athletic training, these lifts translate well to sports performance and functional fitness. Whether you’re a coach looking to help athletes improve or an athlete aiming to boost your lifting skills, understanding the nuances of these movements is key.
The Basics: Hang Clean vs. Power Clean
Before we dive into technique, let’s clarify what distinguishes these two movements.
1. Hang Clean: In a hang clean, the bar starts in a “hang” position—anywhere above the knees, often mid-thigh. From here, you pull the bar upward, bringing it to the rack position on your shoulders and completing the lift with a squat.
2. Power Clean: In the power clean, the bar starts on the floor, and you pull it from the ground. You finish with the bar in the rack position, but unlike the hang clean, you don’t squat as deep—just enough to catch it in a “power” position above parallel.
Both lifts are valuable for developing explosive strength. They share some fundamental principles but require slightly different technical approaches.
Mastering the Hang Clean
The hang clean emphasizes the second pull—the explosive hip extension that launches the bar upward. Starting from a standing position makes it easier to focus on the hip drive, helping athletes develop speed and power.
Key Technique Points:
1. Start Position: Begin with the bar at mid-thigh, arms straight, and feet hip-width apart. Bend at the hips and knees slightly, keeping the bar close to your body.
2. The Scoop and Triple Extension: Extend through the hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously. This “triple extension” propels the bar upward with maximum power.
3. Shrug and Pull Under: As the bar reaches mid-chest level, shrug your shoulders to help drive it up. Quickly drop under the bar by pulling yourself down, catching it on your shoulders.
4. Catch and Stand: Finish the movement by catching the bar in a front rack position and standing up straight.
Coaching Cues for the Hang Clean:
• “Chest tall” – Keep your chest up as you initiate the lift.
• “Explode” – Think of the hip drive as a powerful explosion.
• “Keep the bar close” – Maintain the bar close to your body to stay in control.
• “Fast elbows” – Whip your elbows around quickly to get into the front rack.
Mastering the Power Clean
The power clean adds the initial pull from the ground, requiring more coordination and a stronger starting position. This full-range motion demands a solid setup and steady progression to avoid “muscling” the weight up.
Key Technique Points:
1. Set Up: Start with feet hip-width apart, hands just outside the knees, and shoulders over the bar. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to reach the bar.
2. First Pull: Push through your heels to lift the bar off the ground, keeping your chest up. Keep the bar close as it passes your knees.
3. Second Pull (the Explosive Phase): Once the bar reaches mid-thigh, engage in a powerful triple extension, shrugging the shoulders to drive the bar upwards.
4. The Catch: As the bar rises, rotate your elbows quickly, catching the bar in the rack position. Absorb the impact with a slight knee bend.
5. Stand Tall: Complete the movement by standing up fully with the bar in the front rack position.
Coaching Cues for the Power Clean:
• “Chest over the bar” – Ensure your shoulders are over the bar in the starting position.
• “Drive through the floor” – Use leg drive to initiate the first pull.
• “Jump” – Think of the second pull like a vertical jump, fully extending your body.
• “Meet the bar” – Actively pull yourself under the bar rather than passively waiting for it to come to you.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
1. Relying Too Much on the Arms: Many lifters try to muscle the weight up using their arms, but this limits power and leads to burnout. Focus on hip extension and leg drive.
2. Lack of Elbow Speed: Slow elbows make it difficult to rack the bar cleanly. Emphasize whipping your elbows around as soon as you complete the pull.
3. Improper Bar Path: A common error is swinging the bar away from the body, which creates instability. Keep the bar close and follow a vertical path.
4. Not Finishing the Pull: Cutting the pull short—before achieving full extension—robs you of power. Make sure to fully extend your hips, knees, and ankles before pulling under.
Incorporating the Cleans into Your Training
Adding hang cleans and power cleans into your workouts can improve your explosiveness and coordination across multiple sports and exercises. Start with light weights and master technique first before adding heavier loads.
Consider adding these lifts to your workout 2-3 times per week, focusing on low reps (2-5) with moderate to heavy weight for strength and explosiveness, or lighter loads for speed and skill development.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the hang clean and power clean takes practice, patience, and attention to technique. Remember, these lifts aren’t just about lifting heavy—they’re about training your body to be fast, powerful, and coordinated. With consistent work on technique and gradual progression in weight, you’ll see improvement in both your athleticism and overall strength.
Use these cues and tips to refine your form, and you’ll be set up for success in both training and competition.