Toolbox Aid

May 23rd, 2023 4:39 PM Mr. Q Categories: Barbell

Type:

Equipment:

The barbell power clean is a explosive and dynamic weightlifting exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including the legs, hips, back, shoulders, and arms. It involves lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in a quick and powerful movement. The power clean helps improve strength, power, and coordination.

Possible Stretches to do prior to exercise:

• Leg stretches
• Hip stretches
• Shoulder stretches
• Wrist stretches

Warmups to do prior to exercise:

• Perform light cardio exercises like jogging or jumping jacks to increase blood flow and warm up the body.
• Do some dynamic stretches for the legs, hips, shoulders, and wrists, such as leg swings, hip circles, arm circles, and wrist rotations.
• Perform a few sets of lighter weight exercises that engage the legs and back, such as squats or deadlifts.

How to select the proper weight: Choose a weight that allows you to maintain proper form and control throughout the exercise. Start with a lighter weight if you’re new to the exercise and gradually increase the weight as you become more comfortable and stronger. It’s important to focus on technique and mastering the movement pattern before adding heavy weights.

Proper form:

1. Start with the barbell on the floor in front of you. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
2. Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to lower your body into a partial squat position, keeping your chest up and back flat.
3. Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Explosively extend your legs, drive your hips forward, and pull the barbell upward with a quick and powerful movement.
5. As the barbell reaches its peak, quickly drop your body under the bar and rotate your elbows forward to catch the bar across your front delts, resting it on your shoulders.
6. Stand up tall, straightening your legs and keeping your core engaged, with the barbell resting on your shoulders.
7. Lower the barbell back to the starting position by reversing the movement, bending your knees and hinging at the hips to lower it to the floor.
8. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining a fluid and explosive motion.

How to reduce the difficulty: To make the exercise easier, you can:

• Use a lighter weight or even just a barbell to focus on mastering the technique and maintaining proper form.
• Perform the exercise with a slower and controlled movement, focusing on the pull and catch positions.

How to increase difficulty: To make the exercise more challenging, you can:

• Increase the weight you’re using, gradually adding more weight plates to the barbell.
• Increase the speed and explosiveness of your movement, generating more power during the pull and catch.
• Perform the exercise from a deficit by standing on a raised platform or weight plates, which increases the range of motion.

Reps:

• Beginner: 8-12 reps
• Intermediate: 12-15 reps
• Advanced: 15-20 reps

Estimated time for exercise: 10-15 minutes