Smith Hang Clean

Description

How to do Smith Hang Clean

1. 01
   Setup

   Stand with your feet hip-width apart, directly under the Smith machine bar. Grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders, with the bar resting across your upper thighs.

2. 02
   Setup

   Initiate a slight hip hinge and bend your knees, allowing the bar to lower to just above your knees while maintaining a flat back and engaged core. Your shoulders should be slightly ahead of the bar.

3. 03

   Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously, driving the bar upward with a powerful shrug of your shoulders. Keep the bar path as vertical and close to your body as possible.

4. 04

   As the bar accelerates, quickly drop into a quarter to half-squat position, rotating your wrists under the bar to catch it in the front rack position across your anterior deltoids. Ensure your elbows are driven high and forward.

5. 05

   Once the bar is secured in the front rack, stand up fully by extending your hips and knees to complete the clean. Control the bar back to the hang position or carefully lower it to the floor.

Tips

• Focus on a powerful triple extension of your ankles, knees, and hips; this explosive drive, not arm strength, generates the upward momentum for the bar.
• Keep the bar close to your body throughout the entire lift by 'sweeping' it upwards, which optimizes leverage and efficiency for a smoother catch.
• Practice the 'rack' position without weight to ensure your elbows can get high and forward, creating a stable shelf for the bar across your shoulders.
• Timing is crucial for the transition from the pull to the catch; think of it as pulling yourself under the bar quickly rather than just pulling the bar up.

Common mistakes

• Rounding the back during the hang position or initial pull compromises spinal safety and reduces power; maintain a neutral spine by keeping your chest up and shoulders pulled back.
• Pulling with your arms too early before full hip extension diminishes the power transfer from your legs and hips; prioritize the explosive leg and hip drive before initiating the shrug and arm turnover.
• Catching the bar with low elbows or a loose grip makes the front rack unstable and places stress on the wrists; actively drive your elbows high and forward to create a secure shelf for the bar.