Power Clean: What it involves and how to do it

If you’re a CrossFitter, you will definitely have heard of a power clean. Just like with our other posts, we’re going to discuss another very common exercise for training in the box. The power clean is a weightlifting movement that has become very popular in our sport as it is a weightlifting basic for various types of training, enabling us to improve explosive power in the lower body and this benefits other exercises such as the clean and jerk or the snatch, for example.

What is a power clean?

The power clean is an Olympic lift that involves lifting a loaded barbell from the floor to the shoulders in two different movements: the pull and the catch. It is a popular exercise among athletes, weightlifters, and body builders, as well as people seeking to improve their strength, explosive power, and coordination.

Step by step guide to a power clean:

The basic power clean process involves the following steps:

1. Starting position: Position yourself behind a loaded barbell on the floor. Place your feet at the same width as your shoulders and grip the bar by positioning your hands slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your back straight and your shoulders in front of the bar.
2. Pull: With an explosive pull, extend your hips and legs quickly as you pull the bar up. Flex your elbows outwards and bring the bar close to your body.
3. Second pull: Once the bar has reached the highest point in the pull, quickly position your body under the bar. Flex your elbows and knees as you move under the bar in a squat position.
4. Catch: With the bar close to your chest, catch the bar on your shoulders as you stand up tall from the squat position. Extend your hips and knees fully.

The power clean is a complete exercise that requires proper technique and strength to perform it effectively and safely. It is commonly used in training programs to develop explosive strength in the lower half of the body, and also to improve coordination and body control.

Watch this video to learn how to perform a power clean, step by step:

Which muscles are worked when you do a power clean?

The power clean is a compound exercise that involves several of the body’s main and secondary muscle groups. The muscles worked during a power clean include:

• Lower body muscles:

• Quads: Work to extend the legs during the pull.
• Hamstrings: Help stabilize the knees and are also involved in extending the legs.
• Glutes: Involved in extending the hips during the pull.

• Upper body muscles:

• Trapezius: Helps raise the shoulders and pull the bar during the pull.
• Deltoids: Activated when the bar is brought up to the shoulders and in the catch.
• Forearm muscles: Work to keep a steady grip on the bar throughout the movement.
• Back muscles: These include muscles in the lumbar and dorsal areas, which are activated to keep the back straight throughout the movement.

• Core:

• Abdominal and lumbar muscles are involved to keep the torso stable during the pull and catch.

• Calf muscles:

• Activated to stabilize the body throughout the movement and to stand up at the catch.

• Grip and wrist muscles:

• The wrist and forearm muscles work to maintain a solid grip on the bar.

Exercises that will help you perform the power clean

To improve your ability to do the power clean effectively, it is important to work on developing strength, explosive power, coordination, and technique. Here are some exercises that can help you with this:

• Lifts:

• Hang Power Clean: This exercise focuses on the pull and catch stages of the power clean. It starts in a half squat position and involves the pull and catch movement.
• Hang High Pull: Similar to the hang power clean, but focusing on the pull and lift from the elbows. It helps improve coordination between the hips and elbows.

• Squats:

• Back Squat: Squats strengthen lower body muscles, which is essential for the squat pull and catch phase of the power clean.
• Front Squat: This specifically works on the squat catch position of the power clean.

• Lifts from the floor:

• Deadlift: Strengthens the posterior chain muscles and improves the technique of lifting from the floor, which is essential for the pull phase of the power clean.
• Romanian Deadlift: Helps strengthen the hamstrings and the lower back, which is beneficial for the pull phase.

• Jumps and jumping exercises:

• Box Jumps: Improve explosive power and the ability to generate rapid strength in the legs.
• Jump Squats: Develop power in the legs and the ability to quickly jump from a squat position.

• Working the back and shoulders:

• Pull-Ups: Strengthen the muscles in the back, the trapezius, and the biceps, which are important for the pull phase.
• Military Press: Develops strength in the shoulders, which is essential for lifting the bar towards the shoulders in the power clean.

• Core exercises:

• Planks: Improve core stability, which is crucial for maintaining the right posture throughout the movement.
• Russian Twists: Strengthen abdominal and oblique muscles, helping bring stability to the torso.