core lifts manual
DESCRIPTION
AR Core Lifts Teaching ProgressionsTRANSCRIPT
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CORE LIFTSFundamental Teaching Progressions
WIL FLEMING, CSCS, YFS-2
TOBY BROOKS, PhD, ATC, CSCS, YFS-3
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Core Lifts: Fundamental Teaching Progressions© 2010, Athletic Revolution International PO Box 1539 Elizabethtown, KY 42702888.785.0422All rights reserved
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tableofcontents
10-13: Hang Clean................................................................................................4
10-13: Front Squat..................................................................................................9
14+: Hang Snatch...................................................................................................12
14+: Deadlift...........................................................................................................17
14+: Power Clean..................................................................................................19
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hangclean10
-13
Prior to teaching the hang clean an athlete should have sufficient experience and ability in jumping and landing technique. This teaching progression can take as little as 2
sessions, or as long as necessary to insure that the athlete grasps each phase of the lift. Do not let the athlete progress all the way to catching the bar in the first session of training, allow the athlete to feel the positions and power associated with the high pull.
Level 1- Start Position
The start position in the hang clean is of the utmost importance. If an athlete is unable to acheive and maintain a proper start position, the chance for success in the hang clean is very low. The proper start position will allow not only allow for greater success but a significantly decreased chance of injury.
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein the thumbs are gripped inside of the index and middle fingers.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced. This posture should be maintained throughout the movement.
4. From the starting position, the athlete should move the bar down anterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. To move the bar upward, the athlete first initiates movement with the hips. The athlete’s knees will move forward in line with the toes at this point as well. This portion of the movement should slow and controlled.
7. The forward movement of the knees is perfectly acceptable as long as the movement is initiated at the knees. If the hips initiate the movement and the athlete’s knees move forward slightly, this is similar to the mechanics of jumping, and as such is acceptable.
8. The athlete should move the bar upward, extending the hips and knees simultaneously, and the toes should follow.
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9. The ending position should find the athlete standing upright with hips, knees, and ankles extended.
Level 2- Jumping with the Bar
Jumping with the bar will teach the athlete to use skills that they are already familiar with and the aggressive nature of the second pull in the hang clean.
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein their thumbs are gripped inside of their index and middle finger.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced. This posture should be maintained throughout the movement.
4. From the starting position the athlete should move the bar down the anterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. The previous steps are the same as preparing for the start position.
7. To begin the upward movement of the bar, the athlete should initiate movement with the hips. Once initiated, the knees will move slightly over the toes (in accordance with proper jumping mechanics).
8. The athlete will accelerate upward and leave the ground, jumping with the hands grasping the bar. The bar should remain down and against the hips, with the arms doing no work in this phase of teaching.
9. The athlete should land in a proper landing position, with their hips back and feet flat on the ground. Their knees should be slightly bent, but again the primary point of movement upon landing will be in the hips.
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Level 3- High Pull
The high pull portion of teaching allows the athlete to see what the purpose of the arms are in the lift, up until this point the athlete has been asked to keep their arms straight and uninvolved in the action. It is important to acknowledge that, as coaches, we know that they are wondering how the arms are involved in the movement and at this stage the athlete is learning this information.
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein their thumbs are gripped inside of their index and middle finger.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced. This posture should be maintained throughout the movement.
4. From the starting position, the athlete should move the bar down the anterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. The previous steps are the same as preparing for the start position and jumping with the bar.
7. To begin the upward movement of the bar, the athlete should initiate movement with the hips. Once initiated, the knees will move slightly over the toes (in accordance with proper jumping mechanics).
8. The same force that is applied in the jump portion should be applied here but in this phase the athlete should not leave the ground. Instead, they should rise to the toes, while extending the knees and hips just prior to ankle extension.
9. During all phases, the athlete’s arms should be relaxed. The action of the hips should propel the bar upward and the arms should be used as a guide to keep the bar close to the body. A great coaching cue at this point is that the athlete should feel the bar move upward without any effort from their upper body. The bar should begin to feel weightless.
10. The athlete’s arms should move upwards and out with the top position resembling that of a reverse scarecrow.
11. Remind the athlete that the elbows should always be above the bar. Elbows behind or under the bar will slow the path of the bar, or make it loop away from the body, decreasing efficiency.
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12. The athlete should not bring their chest to the bar in the high pull, this teaches a bad habit of not fully extending the hips.
13. The completion of the high pull should have the athlete finish tall through the toes, hips and knees extended with their elbows up.
Level 4- The Catch
This phase will require a leap of faith on the part of the athlete as they will be asked to perform two new tasks simultaneously: Driving the elbows around, and sitting under the bar.
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein their thumbs are gripped inside of their index and middle finger.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced.
4. From the starting position, the athlete should move the bar down the anterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the
athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. The previous steps are the same as preparing for the start position and jumping with the bar.
7. To begin the upward movement of the bar, the athlete should initiate movement with the hips. Once initiated, the knees will move slightly over the toes (in accordance with proper jumping mechanics).
8. The same force that is applied in the jump portion should be applied here but in this phase the athlete should not leave the ground. Instead, the athlete should rise to the toes, while extending the knees and hips just prior to ankle extension.
9. During all phases, the athlete’s arms should be relaxed. The action of the hips should propel the bar upward and the arms should be used as a guide to keep the bar close to the body. A great coaching cue at this point is that the athlete should feel the bar move upward without any effort from their upper body. The bar should begin to feel weightless.
10. The athlete’s arms should move upward and outward with the top position, resembling that of a reverse scarecrow.
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11. Remind the athlete that the elbows should always be above the bar. Elbows behind or under the bar will slow the path of the bar, or make it loop away from the body, decreasing efficiency.
12. The bar should begin to feel weightless in this high pull position. During the moments when the bar is “weightless,” the athlete should now drive the elbows under and around the bar. It should be noted that the hands are not moving in space during this time and are most certainly not looping away from the body, but rather remaining close.
13. Simultaneously, the athlete should retract and lower the hips, similar to earlier landing technique and front squat technique, to sit underneath the bar. The athlete should catch the bar on flat feet just as if they are ready to squat. The feet should be about shoulder width apart during the catch phase of the lift.
14. The athlete should be instructed to catch the bar at the moment that it reaches its peak before it begins to descend toward the ground.
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frontsquat10-13
The front squat should be taught after teaching the bodyweight squat technique. This teaching system is for progressive loading starting with the first loading of a squat and
leading to the actual front squat.
General teaching for a squatting movement should be as follows:
1. The athlete’s feet should be about shoulder width apart and flat on the ground. The athlete is in a tall standing position.
2. The athlete should breathe in and brace the abdominals. To cue bracing the abdominals, the coach should ask the athlete to find the iliac crests pointing out the landmarks on the sides. Next, the coach should instruct the athlete tp place the hands just above the iliac crests and brace the abdominals, feeling the active muscles contract in this area.
3. As the athlete begins descending, movement should be initiated with backward motion at the hips, cueing the “hip hinge.”
4. As the athlete descends, the knees should move slightly lateral but never medial into valgus collapse. Cue the athlete to pull the ground apart with their feet. This does not mean to roll to the outer portion of the feet but rather to apply pressure throughout the feet. Despite the focus on the outer portion of the feet, weight should be evenly distributed between the “tripod” on each foot.
5. The bottom position should include thighs parallel to the ground and the shins close to a vertical position. The knees may have drifted forward but should not be past the toes and the feet should remain flat.
6. The athlete’s upper body should be nearly
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vertical while in the bottom position.
7. The athlete should push through the heels back to the top position.
8. Upon the ascent, the athlete should continue pushing the knees apart. If the athlete has collapse to the inside, a simple fix is for the coach to place the hands to the outside of the athlete’s knees, asking the athlete to push into your hands.
The progressive loading system below will lead to teaching a front squat.
Level 1- Medicine Ball Front Squat
This level will be fairly easy but a sufficient introduction to loading the squat pattern.
1. The athlete should hold a medicine ball at shoulder level with the elbows in front of the medicine ball.
2. The athlete should keep the eyes up and focused forward. Additionally, he/she should not hyperextend the cervical spine, as cervical hyperextension makes the athlete more likely to also hyperextend the lumbar spine.
3. All other steps are similar to normal squatting technique.
Level 2- Kettlebell Goblet Squat
Using a kettlebell will begin to make the loading harder and be more similar to the loading of a traditional front squat.
1. The athlete should grasp the kettlebell at the “horns” and hold it at shoulder level with the elbows down and forearms extended down at 45 degrees from the kettlebell. It is important for the athlete to brace the core tightly.
2. The athlete should Initiate the movement in the same way as in a bodyweight squat.
3. As the athlete pushes up from the bottom position, he/she should keep the chest and torso upright. The coach should remind the athlete that the hips should not rise faster than the chest.
4. The athlete should not not hyperextend the lumbar spine or cervical spine.
Level 3- Front Squat
In a traditional front squat, it may be necessary to have the athlete squat to a box for a reference of depth even if the athlete has not needed this assistance before this point. The new loading and movement pattern can make the adjustment without the assistance of a box difficult. A typical and appropriate height for most young athletes is 12-14”. 1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a shoulder
width grip. The athlete should rotate the elbows around the bar so that the upper arm is now parallel to the ground. Grip may be relaxed so that only 2-3 fingers are contacting the bar.
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2. The set up of the feet should be the same as in all other squatting.
3. The athlete should brace their abdominals and the eyes should be focused forward.
4. The athlete should push the hips back to initiate the movement. This movement does not include shifting the shoulders forward.
5. The athlete should maintain an upright posture throughout the movement.
6. When the athlete reaches the bottom position of the movement, they should push through the ground with their feet to return to the top position. At this point it is important that the elbows remain up and the upper arm remain parallel with the ground. This will help the athlete retain postural control.
7. The athlete should stand all the way up to complete the movement.
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hangsnatch14
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Prior to teaching the hang snatch, the athlete should have sufficient experience and ability in jumping and landing technique. This teaching progression can take as little as two
sessions, or as long as necessary to insure that the athlete grasps each phase of the lift. Do not let the athlete progress all the way to catching the bar in the first session of training. Instead, allow the athlete to feel the positions and power associated with the high pull.
The teaching progression in the hang snatch is the same as the hang clean up until the catch portion.
Some athletes that do not snatch but may do high pulls include athletes in the sports of baseball, volleyball, swimming, and tennis. American football quarterbacks should not snatch either.
Level 1- Start Position
The start position in the hang clean is of the utmost importance. If an athlete is unable to achieve and maintain a proper start position, the chance for success in the hang clean is very low. The proper start position will allow not only allow for greater success but a much lower chance of any injury occurring.
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip. The width of the grip should be equal to the distance from the athlete’s fingertip on the right hand to the humeral head on the left shoulder from a standing poation with the shoulders abducted to 90 degrees and the elbowa, wrists, and fingers fully extended. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein the thumbs are gripped inside of the index and middle fingers.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced. This posture should be maintained throughout the movement.
4. From the starting position, the athlete should move the bar down theanterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact
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with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. To move the bar upward, the athlete will first initiate movement with the hips. The athlete’s knees will move slightly forward in line with the toes at this point as well. This portion of the movement should slow and controlled.
7. The athlete should move the bar upward, extending the hips and knees simultaneously, and the toes should follow.
8. The ending position should find the athlete standing upright with hips, knees, and ankles extended the bar will be just above the hips at this fully extended position.
Level 2- Jump with the Bar
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip. The width of the grip should be equal to the distance from the athlete’s fingertip on the right hand to the humeral head on the left shoulder from a standing poation with the shoulders abducted to 90 degrees and the elbowa, wrists, and fingers fully extended. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein the thumbs are gripped inside of the index and middle fingers.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced.
4. From starting position, the athlete should move the bar down the anterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. The previous steps are the same as preparing for the start position.
7. To begin the upward movement of the bar, the athlete should initiate movement with the hips. Once initiated, the knees will move slightly over the toes in accordance with proper jumping mechanics.
8. The athlete will accelerate upward and leave the ground, jumping with the hands on the bar. The bar should remain down and against the hips, with the arms doing no work in this phase of the movement.
9. The athlete should land in a proper landing position, with the hips back and feet flat on the ground. The knees should be slightly flexed, but again the primary point of movement upon landing will be in the hips.
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Level 3- High Pull
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip. The width of the grip should be equal to the distance from the athlete’s fingertip on the right hand to the humeral head on the left shoulder from a standing poation with the shoulders abducted to 90 degrees and the elbowa, wrists, and fingers fully extended. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein the thumbs are gripped inside of the index and middle fingers.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced. This posture should be maintained throughout the movement.
4. From the starting position, the athlete should move the bar down theanterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. The previous steps are the same as preparing for the start position.
7. To begin the upward movement of the bar, the athlete should initiate movement with the hips. Once movement is initiated, the knees will move slightly over the toes in accordance with proper jumping mechanics.
8. The same force that is applied in the jump portion should be applied here but in this phase the athlete should not leave the ground. Instead, he/she should rise to the toes, while extending the knees and hips just prior to ankle extension.
9. During all phases, the athlete’s arms should be relaxed. The action of the hips should propel the bar upward and the arms should be used as a guide to keep the bar within 4-5 inches of the body. A great coaching cue at this point is that the athlete should feel the bar move upward without any effort from their upper body. The bar should begin to feel weightless.
10. The athlete’s elbows must remain above the bar in this phase.
11. The athlete should finish in triple extension (ankles, knees, hips) with the eyes and head up and facing forward. The elbows should be above the bar, with some space between the body and the bar. The coach should instruct the athlete to have the most shallow arc possible through the high pull position.
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Level 4- The Catch
The catch portion of the snatch is, again, a leap of faith on the part of the athlete. The athlete will be asked to simultaneously sit beneath the bar and punch overhead to receive the snatch.
**It is important to note that a very crucial part of the snatch is teaching the athlete to effectively get rid of the bar should it not be in a safe position (over the ears) while overhead. During the learning portion the athlete should not go above a weight that they can control overhead, but again if the athlete is uncomfortable overhead, effectively getting rid of the bar is an important part of the teaching process.Instruct the athlete to jump forward out from under a snatch that is caught too far back behind the head and to push the bar away from the body if the snatch is too far forward at the catch.**
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip. The width of the grip should be equal to the distance from the athlete’s fingertip on the right hand to the humeral head on the left shoulder from a standing poation with the shoulders abducted to 90 degrees and the elbows, wrists, and fingers fully extended. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein the thumbs are gripped inside of the index and middle fingers.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. When standing, the athlete should rest the bar across the hips and should have a completely upright posture with their shoulder blades retracted and chest up. The abdominals should be tight and braced. This posture should be maintained throughout the movement.
4. From the starting position, the athlete should move the bar down theanterior aspect of the thighs, slightly flexing the knees. However, the primary source of movement should be from the hips. This motion downward should mimic that which an athlete goes through when preparing to jump.
5. The bottom position should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
6. The previous steps are the same as preparing for the start position and jumping with the bar.
7. To begin the upward movement of the bar, the athlete should initiate movement with the hips. Once movement is initiated, the knees will move slightly over the toes in accordance with proper jumping mechanics.
8. The same force that is applied in the jump portion should be applied here.
9. During all phases, the athlete’s arms should be relaxed. The action of the hips should propel the bar upward and the arms should be used as a guide to keep the bar close to the body. A great coaching cue at this point is that the athlete should feel the bar move upward without any effort from their upper body. The bar should begin to feel weightless.
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10. The athlete’s elbows should be above the bar, never behind it during this portion of the pull.
11. The athlete should finish in triple extension (ankles, knees, hips) with the eyes and head up and facing forward. The elbows should be above the bar, with some space between the body and the bar. The coach should instruct the athlete to have the most shallow arc possible through the high pull position.
12. At this point the athlete’s actions diverge from the high pull. While the bar continues on an upward path, the athlete begins to sit beneath the bar.
13. Simultaneously, the athlete begins an active motion of “punching” overhead. The cue “punching” will be much more effective than “pushing.” The athlete should punch to a position just over the ears. An effective cue at this point is to ask the athlete to visualize a boxer and the idea that a boxer remains relaxed in their arms prior to delivering a punch, this allows for a much faster motion.
14. The athlete should receive the bar at the instant it no longer has upward momentum. The receiving position (catch) should find the athlete with arms over the ears, hips retracted and lowered (a squatting position), knees slightly flexed, and feet flat on the ground.
**Bonus coaching opportunity: To effectively teach the athlete where they are to catch the bar, grasp a 5 pound plate in your hand begin to lightly toss it in the air above your head. After tossing it, first catch the plate as it travels downward at waist height. On a sec-ond toss, instead catch the plate above your head at the peak of its travel. Ask the question where is it eas-ier to catch the plate, and have the athlete take part in the same demonstration. The answer is clear and will demonstrate to the athlete the importance of an active punch and receiving the bar at the height of its travel.**
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deadlift14+
Single KB Deadlift: Starting Position
1. One kettlebell should be in between the athlete’s feet and their feet should be hip width apart.
2. The athlete should grasp the handle of the kettlebell with both hands in an overhand grip.
3. Drop and retract the hips, so that the upper body is at a 45 degree angle to the floor.
4. The lower leg should be close to vertical, and the feet should be flat on the ground. Do not allow the athlete’s knees to go over the toes.
5. The chest, head, and ribcage should be pulled up with the abdominals braced and tight.
6. To begin the action the athlete should exhale and drive the torso up and backward. The hips should be moving up and forward and the torso and the hips should rise at the same rate. The athlete should avoid letting the hips come up first.
7. Moving smoothly, the athlete should push the feet into the ground and not round the back, pull backward on the kettlebell and keeping it close to the body.
8. The rep is completed when the athlete is standing straight and their hips are fully extended.
2 KB Suitcase Deadlift
1. The athlete should be standing between two kettlebells placed just outside the feet.
2. The athlete should grasp the bar while it is at rest on the ground. The hands should centered in the middle of the handle to insure that the kettlebells remain level throughout the lift.
3. The feet should be about hip width apart and the feet flat on the ground with weight evenly distributed between the feet.
4. The athlete should drop and retract the hips so that the upper body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground and the lower leg is nearly as close to vertical as possible.
5. The chest, head and ribcage should be pulled up and the abdominal muscles should be tightened and braced.
6. To start the movement, the athlete should exhale and drive the torso upward and backward while the hips are moved upward and forward. Insure that the athlete is moving both the torso and the hips at the same rate. Do not allow the hips rise at a faster rate than the torso.
7. The athlete should push through the heels into the ground keep the back flat, and head up, then stand up completely to extend the hips.
8. The athlete should return to the ground in a controlled manner by retracting and lowering the hips. To maintain a good position, the athlete should not rest in between reps. The coach should only have the athlete touch the ground with the weight and begin the next rep.
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Barbell Deadlift:
1. The athlete should be standing with the barbell on the ground and the feet hip width apart with shins touching the bar.
2. The athlete should grasp the bar with an alternating grip: one hand overhand, the other underhand. Between reps the athlete should change which hand they have overhand and which they have underhand.
3. The athlete should keep the spine neutral, positioned at a 45 degree angle to perpendicular in regards to the floor.
4. The athlete should drop and retract hips so that the thighs are parallel to the ground.
5. The athlete’s shoulders should be positioned directly over the bar. This is not the same as in the Olympic lifts where the shoulders are in front of the bar.
6. The athlete’s feet should be flat and bodyweight evenly distributed.
7. The athlete’s chest, head and ribcage should be pulled up and the abdominal muscles up and in.
8. At the bottom of the movement, the athlete should inhale.
9. To start the movement, the athlete should exhale and drive the torso upward and backward and the hips forward.
10. With a fluid movement, the athlete should push the feet into the ground, extend the knees and, without rounding the back, pull backward on the bar with the upper back and shoulders until arriving at a vertical position. The shoulders should not be elevated or the head lowered and the knees should be maintained in a neutral alignment.
11. The rep is completed when the athlete is standing straight and hips are fully extended.
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To effectively teach the power clean, it is important to first have the athlete be comfortable with the technique associated with the hang clean movement. The following
teaching progression should begin with the athlete in the start position of the hang clean.
A demonstrated ability to have success with the hang clean is important to show the athlete through this method of reverse chaining that success with the power clean is not far off.
powerclean14+
Level 1-Start position
1. Have the athlete grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein their thumbs are gripped inside the index and middle fingers.
2. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart.
3. The start position for power clean teaching should be just above the knee, with the chest in front of the bar and the athlete’s hands. The bar should be in contact with the thighs at this time and the athlete’s gaze should be forward.
4. With this hang clean position, the athlete should descend toward the floor in a controlled manner. The bar will remain in contact with the shins on the way down, with the shoulders remaining in front of the bar.
5. The hips should lower as the bar lowers toward the ground while the chest remains over the bar.
6. At the ground level, the athlete should have the shoulders in front of the bar, the back should be flat and the eyes should be forward. The bar should be at rest over the midpoint of the foot.
7. This is the finish point for finding the correct start position.
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Level 2- Clean Pull to Knee Now that an effective starting position has been found through reverse chaining, the athlete will need to practice the first pull of the movement from the ground. The starting position is critical to the success of the lift. Once the lift is initiated, insure that the athlete is not allowing the hips to move up too rapidly.
1. When the athlete approaches the bar, the midpoint of the foot should be directly under the bar.
2. The athlete should grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein their thumbs are gripped inside the index and middle fingers.
3. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart. The feet should be flat on the ground.
4. The athlete’s shoulders should be in front of the bar and the shins should be close to vertical.
5. The athlete’s back should be flat and the abdominals should be tight and braced.
6. To begin the movement, the athlete should lift the bar from the floor, extending the knees slightly faster than the hips. In this way, the athlete will be able to maintain shoulder position in front of the bar. The athlete’s hips should not rise above the chest at any point.
7. The knees should not extend so fast that the athlete’s hips look like they are “shooting up.” A controlled pull from the floor is just as effective, or more so than a fast pull, and much more effective than one in which the hips rise at a much faster rate than the chest. An effective teaching cue is to tell the athlete to get their “knees out of the way.” From the lateral perspective, the bar should look like it is moving in a slightly backward path.
8. The shoulders should remain in front of the bar throughout the movement.
9. The top position will have the bar at the athlete’s knee level.
10. The athlete should return to the floor starting position and should find themselves with no change in position from the original starting position.
Level 3- The Whole Movement
1. Once to this level, there is as much skill acquisition as skill refinement and the connection of the two movements with which the athlete should be familiar at this point.
2. When the athlete approaches the bar, the midpoint of the foot should be directly under the bar.
3. The athlete should grasp the bar with a double overhand grip, just outside of shoulder width. The athlete’s hands should be in a hook grip, wherein their thumbs are gripped inside the index and middle fingers.
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4. The athlete’s feet should be between hip width and shoulder width apart, the feet should be flat on the ground.
5. The athlete’s shoulders should be in front of the bar, and the shins should be close to vertical.
6. The athlete’s back should be flat and their abdominals should be tight and braced.
7. To begin the movement, the athlete should lift the bar from the floor, extending the knees slightly faster than the hips. In this way, the athlete will be able to maintain shoulder position in front of the bar. The athlete’s hips should not rise above the chest at any point. An effective teaching cue is to tell the athlete to get their “knees out of the way.” From the lateral perspective it should look as though the bar is moving in a slightly backwards path.
8. The shoulders should remain in front of the bar throughout the movement.
9. Once to the level of the knee, the athlete will find themselves in the same position as the hang clean. Athletes at this point should make the same movement as the hang clean, until completion when the bar is resting across the shoulders.
10. It is important that the transition from a clean pull to knee and the hang clean be smooth. At no time should the upward movement of the bar be actively stopped, but rather eccentrically caught on its initiation of return to the floor.
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