Barbell Hang Clean

Description

How to Do Barbell Hang Clean

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders, letting it hang at arm's length. Hinge at your hips and slightly bend your knees, letting the barbell hang just above your knees while keeping your chest up and back flat.

2. 2

   Initiate the movement by explosively extending your hips and knees, driving the barbell upwards. Keep the bar close to your body as you pull it towards your navel.

3. 3

   As the bar reaches mid-thigh, powerfully shrug your shoulders and pull your elbows high and out to the sides, continuing the upward momentum. Drive through your heels to maximize power.

4. 4

   As the bar reaches its peak height, quickly drop under the bar by bending your hips and knees into a squat position. Rotate your wrists and elbows forward, catching the barbell in a front rack position across your shoulders with elbows high.

5. 5

   Once the bar is securely racked, stand up tall by fully extending your hips and knees, maintaining an upright torso. Lower the barbell safely to the floor or return to the hang position for subsequent repetitions.

Tips

• Maintain a vertical bar path by keeping the barbell close to your body throughout the entire lift, almost brushing your torso, to maximize efficiency and power transfer.
• Explode through your hips: The primary power for the hang clean comes from a powerful, rapid hip extension, so focus on driving your hips forward and up, not just pulling with your arms.
• Quick elbows are crucial for the catch; aggressively drive your elbows forward and up as you transition under the bar to quickly secure it in the front rack position.
• Practice the 'dip and drive' without weight to perfect the explosive leg and hip extension, which is fundamental for generating the upward force needed for the clean.

Common Mistakes

• ×Avoid rounding your back during the initial hinge and pull; instead, keep your chest up and maintain a neutral spine to protect your lower back and ensure proper power transfer.
• ×Do not initiate the lift by pulling with your arms too early; instead, drive primarily with your legs and hips to generate momentum before the arm pull becomes active.
• ×Prevent catching the bar with low elbows pointed down; instead, drive your elbows high and forward to create a stable shelf for the barbell on your shoulders, preventing it from crashing down.