Start of Pull
Top of Pull
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Start of Receive
Receive
The Squat Clean from blocks (hip) is a natural teaching progression from the clean pull that is taught from the same height before you or your athlete/client attempt this movement you must be able to front squat and pull from the blocks competently.
This teaching progression can also be preformed out on the platform from the hip. There are
also a number of drills that can be used prior to using this drill that can make life easier for the
coach and athlete these will be touched on briefly in the discussion.
Squat Clean From the Hip.
Start of Pull.
- Set your self up in exactly the same way as a clean pull (traps long, knees bent, wrists and chest out).
- Initiate the pull by thinking about shrugging the bar first and the knees and hip will follow.
- Extend upwards through the middle of the foot as fast and forcefully as possible.
Top of Pull/Start of Receive
- When you reach the top of your second pull (shrug) start to pull yourself under the bar.
- Pulling yourself under the bar using your arms drop from you pull foot position to your front squat position.
- As you come to meet the bar think about moving around it in space.
- Whip your elbows through to catch the bar in the rack position.
Squat/Finish.
- As you catch the bar in your rack position immediately start to squat.
- This may involve starting to control the decent or cutting the bar short by squatting upwards (in the instance of a power clean)
- When you reach full extension the clean portion of the lift is completed.
Discussion.
The squat clean is a reasonably difficult lift to learn with correct form however that is not to say
it is impossible. With a competent coach with a lot of tools and progressions learning the clean
doesn’t have to be that difficult or painstaking. As with all olympic lifts timing and technique are key
these will allow you to use your full potential (power and strength) to shift the bar any break down
in technique will only result in poorer performance.
This is a great teaching progression to teach a novice lifter the second pull/receive portion of the clean
which is probably the most difficult to get right. It may also be used to sharpen up or improve the
receive of a intermediate lifter.
Athletes can use this as a natural progression to the pull they will receive a similar benefit in the
training of explosive hip extension however this will also be accompanied by the motor skills/co-ordination
and quick change of direction of the hips that come from this kind of lifting.
Teaching tools.
- Start with some front squats before attempting this as it will give the lifter a reference point.
- Don’t be too quick to throw extra weight on the bar as it will make any bad habits instantly worse.
- If they are using their arms too early try limit to a shrug – shrug and squat to try and hammer home the point of them moving round the bar.
- A good warm up drill is to start in your deadlift position on the toes dropping into a full front squat
Till next time happy lifting.
