Venus Weightlifting Movement Library: The Clean
Monday, November 27, 2023
Clean Execution Phases
The clean is performed through five (5) distinct phases. In each phase, we have broken down the movement to provide the athlete with clear objectives and cues for each of the different stages of the lift. Each phase can be tackled in training on its own, or in combination with other in-sequence phases to help athletes improve weaknesses.
Establish your Clean Grip*
Firstly, understanding what your clean grip is, is fundamental to getting a successful lift.This will set you up to prepare for the jerk, the second part of the movement which brings the bar from your shoulders into the overhead position. Thus, we must ensure that the width of our grip is optimized to allow the bar to be lifted with the most force that our body can possibly generate.
Most CrossFit or Weightlifting gyms prescribe a “one-thumb from the knurling” measure, but this can be over-generalised for people with differing limb and body proportions, after all, barbells are made a certain size and we are all made different.
1. Ensure the barbell gets in contact with your upper thigh in the standing position or the point of extension
2. Ensure that the barbell is able to clear your head in the overhead position
Must I have full grip on the bar when it is racked on my shoulders?
Ideally yes, it can help prevent the bar from “crashing” on your shoulders at the bottom of the clean, BUT this may not be ideal for everyone. If your mobility is poor or you are limited by your limb length, forcing a full grip may result in greater injury.
P.S. We refer to the bar resting on your "shoulders" but in actual fact the weight is fully loaded on your trunk instead of your shoulders or hands.
Phase 1 - Preparatory Position
1. Hands should be clean-grip* width apart
2. Feet in a power stance, hip-width apart, toes turned slightly outward
3. Balance: heels in full contact with the ground, with 70% of your weight on the balls of your feet
4. Shoulders slightly over the bar, arms lengthened, elbows soft, bar hanging on your hands, back in a straight or slightly arched position, spine lengthened & kept rigid. Head up, eyes forward!
Phase 2 - Pushing
Floor to Mid-Thigh:
Push your legs against the floor to let the bar hang on your body and lift off the floor to around mid-thigh height, maintaining the angle in your back.
Phase 3 - Extension
Mid-Thigh to End of Pull:
Legs still pushing hard against the ground, continue to open up the angle of your hips until your hips are fully extended. Keep your elbows rotated forwards and spin yourself down with your feet move into a squat stance. As you do this, lower your body, and dive down fast to squat at the bottom.
Phase 4 - Catching
End of Pull to Catching Bar at Bottom:
Pull yourself under the bar and drop quickly into a squat, shifting your feet into a squat stance. Catch the bar on your shoulders and above your collarbone in an upright squat position.
To-note for your grip: Be sure to not grip the bar tightly as you finish the turnover—gripping tightly will slow the turnover of the elbows in the front rack position. Start relaxing the tension and slide the thumb out of the hook grip as the elbows are coming around in front to ensure a quick, fluid motion into their final position.
Phase 5 - Standing Up
Maintain the bar in an upright position and ensure that you maintain control as you stand up. Once you’ve stood to full extension with the bar securely on your shoulders, you can either lower the bar in front of you safely, having completed the lift (if it’s just a clean) or regrip the bar to prepare for a jerk (in a full clean and jerk movement).
Why should I train the Clean?
For Olympic Weightlifters
Since the clean and jerk is one of the two competitive lifts in Olympic weightlifting competitions, it is an essential lift to train. Lifters have to train the clean often for the purpose of improving their clean and jerk numbers.
For Sports Performance
While the Clean is a very specialised olympic lift, its training has transference to other sports as well. In a sport that trains maximal power and speed, the Clean can be used in training to develop power output and coordination. This movement is often used to develop power output & coordination for high performance sports, for example: American football. Judo, or rowing etc.
- Sequence in Training: Start on your dynamic lifts (Snatch, Clean and Jerk) right after warming-up, and before additional strength training accessory work such as deadlifts or squats.
- Weight/rep/set: The general training weight would be prescribed around 70-100% of the best lift depending on the desired adaptation for the training session.
- Rest: We recommend anywhere between 90 - 120 seconds of rest. If you are in a heavy training day, up to 5 mins of rest can be considered.
- Frequency: 2-3 times/ per week.
- Sequence in Training: Start on your dynamic lifts (Snatch, Clean and Jerk) right after warming-up, and before additional strength training accessory work such as deadlifts or squats.
- Weight/rep/set: The general training weight would be prescribed around 70-100% of the best lift depending on the desired adaptation for the training session.
- Rest: We recommend anywhere between 90 - 120 seconds of rest. If you are in a heavy training day, up to 5 mins of rest can be considered.
- Frequency: 2-3 times/ per week.
Variations
The primary variations of the clean include power clean & jerk, hang clean & jerk,etc.
Want to improve your clean and other lifts? Check out online Programs!
Hi, I Am Gaby
Head Coach of Venus Weightlifting
Greetings! I'm Gaby, Head Coach of Venus Weightlifting club, the first of its kind in China. Curious how weightlifting can advance without exhaustive efforts and stiff bodies? I've unraveled this secret by integrating Chinese medical training and my innovative BAT (Body Alignment Training), catapulting thousands to their personal bests.
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