Use this progression to thoroughly warm you up to clean. The most important pieces to progression are making sure you hit the correct power position and the receiving position. The power position is the last moment before you initiate the jump. The receiving position is the position after the power position where the bar is secured on your shoulders and allows you to finish the squatting part of the lift. Make sure these two components your priority.
Let’s get to it!
Grip
Grasp the bar 1 thumb length away from the smooth part. Depending on the size and length of your arms you may have to adjust the grip width.
Front Rack Delivery
Take the bar and elevate it while keeping it close you your body, pointing your elbows up then rotating around the bar and secure it on the front delts. Reenforce the front rack shelf by loosening the grip, pointing the elbows up and shrugging up. Done correctly it should allow clearance between the bar and your clavicle and it should be lightly touching your neck. Drop the Bar, grazing the body and repeat for 5 reps.
Tall Clean
While standing tall, squeezing the glutes and quads elevate the bar by bringing the elbows up and out into a high pull. The bar should be grazing your body. The height on the bar will indicate how high the bar will need to go. Repeat this three times. On the third reps at the maximum height of the of the high pull drop under the bar then quickly securing it in the front rack position. Pause when you catch it so you can make sure the elbows are up, you are shrugging and you are balance. When you confirm all three go down into a front squat and repeat 5 times.
Jump Drill
Stand with hips and knees fully locked out, hinge slightly forward, sliding the bar down the thighs while keeping the shoulders in front of the bar. The bar should be about half way between the hip and knee then pause. Make sure you are positioned correctly and you’re are properly balanced. This is the power position. The spot at which you’ll initiate the explosive hip and knee extension of the clean. After you confirmed you correct position jump as high as you can while keeping the bar in contact with the thighs. Repeat 5 times.
Power position Clean
Start from the locked-out hang position and lower the bar to the jump position. It is the same position as the jump drill but the differences are you’ll jump then catch the bar on the shoulders, receive the bar in the proper position and then finish the squat. Repeat this 3 times.
Hang Clean from the Knee
Start from the locked-out hang position and lower the bar to the knee, pause and confirm correct shoulder position and balance then slowly slide the bar up the thighs until you hit the power position, jump, catch, pause, elbow position up, shrug, balance then squat. Repeat 3 times
Hang Clean from Mid Shin
Start from the locked-out hang position and lower the bar to mid shin, pause confirm shoulder position and balance then while maintain your back angle slowly slide the bar up the shins, keeping shoulders forward of the bar and staying balanced slide the bar up the thighs until you hit the power position, jump, catch, pause, elbow position up, shrug, balance then squat. Repeat 3 times
3 position Clean
Power position – lower the power into the power position, shoulders forward of the bar keeping the bar on the thighs jump, catch and squat
Knee – Lower the bar to the knee, balance and bring it up to the power position, jump, catch and squat
Mid shin – Lower the bar to the mid shin, balance. Maintain back angle until the bar passes the knees then hit the jump position, jump, catch and squat.
Word of advice – If you’re just starting out, it would look pretty especially in the receiving position. This is why I advocate to pause, to reinforce balance and proper positions before finishing the movements. Make positions your top priority in this lift. Proper power position and proper receiving position, pause and go slow as needed. Keep in mind the only thing that cannot be done slow is the jump. Once you build the proper positions incase the speed of the movements but keep eye on your positions and pull back as needed. Master this progression and you’ll be on your way to master the clean.