Olympic Cleans: Benefits, Step-by-Step Guide, and Safety Considerations

How to Do Olympic Cleans: A Comprehensive Guide

The Olympic Clean is a complex, multi-joint exercise that develops explosive power, strength, and coordination by rapidly lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in one fluid motion, culminating in a front squat.

What is the Olympic Clean?

The Olympic Clean is one of the two lifts contested in the sport of Olympic weightlifting (the other being the Jerk, which often follows the Clean to complete the "Clean & Jerk"). It is a full-body, dynamic movement that demands significant athleticism. Unlike a power clean, which typically involves catching the bar above a parallel squat, the Olympic Clean requires catching the bar in a full front squat, necessitating greater mobility and strength. Mastering the Clean translates to improved performance in various sports and daily activities due to its emphasis on power output and full-body coordination.

Benefits of Incorporating the Clean

Integrating the Clean into your training regimen offers a multitude of benefits, extending beyond mere strength gains:

• Explosive Power Development: The Clean is unparalleled in its ability to train the triple extension (simultaneous extension of ankles, knees, and hips), which is crucial for jumping, sprinting, and throwing.
• Full-Body Strength: It engages virtually every major muscle group, including the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, back extensors, traps, shoulders, and core.
• Enhanced Coordination and Timing: The lift requires precise sequencing of muscle activation and body positioning throughout its phases.
• Improved Mobility: Successful execution necessitates excellent mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders, promoting functional range of motion.
• Increased Proprioception and Body Awareness: The dynamic nature of the lift sharpens your ability to sense your body's position and movement in space.
• Metabolic Conditioning: High-intensity, multi-joint lifts like the Clean can significantly elevate heart rate and contribute to improved cardiovascular fitness.

Prerequisites for Performing the Clean Safely

Before attempting the full Olympic Clean, ensure you possess adequate foundational strength, mobility, and body awareness to minimize injury risk and maximize learning efficiency.

• Mobility:
  • Ankle Dorsiflexion: Sufficient range to achieve a deep front squat without heels lifting.
  • Hip Mobility: Ability to squat deep with knees tracking over toes.
  • Thoracic Spine Extension: Crucial for maintaining an upright torso in the front squat and during the catch.
  • Shoulder External Rotation and Flexion: Essential for achieving a comfortable and stable front rack position with elbows high.
• Foundational Strength:
  • Proficient Deadlift: Ability to lift heavy loads from the floor with a strong, neutral spine.
  • Strong Front Squat: Confidence and stability in a deep front squat with proper posture.
  • Overhead Strength and Stability: While not directly part of the Clean, it indicates overall upper body and core stability.
• Body Awareness: Understanding how to brace the core, maintain spinal neutrality, and coordinate hip and knee extension.

Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Clean

The Clean is typically broken down into distinct phases, each engaging specific muscle groups:

• Starting Position/First Pull (Floor to above Knee):
  • Primary Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae.
  • Biomechanics: Initial leg drive off the floor, maintaining a constant back angle relative to the floor.
• Transition/Scoop (Above Knee to Power Position):
  • Primary Muscles: Hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae.
  • Biomechanics: Knees re-bend and move under the bar, allowing the torso to become more upright, preparing for the explosive second pull.
• Second Pull (Power Position to Full Extension):
  • Primary Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, gastrocnemius (calves), trapezius, erector spinae.
  • Biomechanics: The "explosion" phase, characterized by rapid and powerful triple extension (ankles, knees, hips) and a powerful shrug of the shoulders. The bar accelerates vertically.
• Turnover/Catch (Under the Bar):
  • Primary Muscles: Deltoids, biceps, triceps (stabilization), quadriceps, glutes, core.
  • Biomechanics: As the body achieves full extension, the lifter pulls themselves under the rapidly rising bar, rotating the wrists and elbows around the bar to secure it in the front rack position, simultaneously dropping into a full front squat.
• Recovery (Standing Up):
  • Primary Muscles: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, erector spinae.
  • Biomechanics: Standing up from the deep front squat, maintaining core tension and an upright torso.

Step-by-Step Guide to Performing the Olympic Clean

Learning the Clean is a progressive process. Start with light weight or a PVC pipe and focus on mastering each phase before combining them.

1. Setup/Starting Position

• Foot Placement: Feet approximately hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly out.
• Bar Position: Bar over the middle of your foot, about 1-2 inches from your shins.
• Grip: Hook grip (thumb wrapped around the bar, then fingers wrapped over the thumb) is recommended. Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, allowing arms to hang straight down.
• Body Position: Hips slightly lower than shoulders. Chest up, shoulders pulled back and down. Lats engaged. Eyes forward. Core braced.

2. First Pull (Lift-off to above Knee)

• Initiation: Begin by driving through your heels, pushing the floor away.
• Leg Drive: The legs initiate the movement. The hips and shoulders should rise at approximately the same rate.
• Back Angle: Maintain a consistent back angle relative to the floor. The bar should stay close to your shins.

3. Transition/Scoop

• Knees Under Bar: As the bar passes your knees, allow your knees to re-bend and move forward, positioning themselves under the bar.
• Torso Upright: Your torso becomes more upright as the bar moves towards your hips.
• Maintain Tension: Keep the bar close to your body, maintaining tension through your lats and hamstrings.

4. Second Pull (Explosion/Extension)

• Power Position: The bar should be at your upper thigh/hip crease. This is your most powerful position.
• Triple Extension: Explode upward by powerfully extending your ankles, knees, and hips simultaneously. Drive through the balls of your feet.
• Shrug: As you reach full extension, powerfully shrug your shoulders towards your ears. Your arms remain straight until the very end of the extension.
• Bar Trajectory: The bar should travel vertically, very close to your body.

5. Turnover/Catch (Rack Position)

• Pull Under: As you finish your extension and shrug, quickly pull yourself under the bar.
• Elbows High: Aggressively pull your elbows up and around the bar, rotating your wrists to secure the bar on your shoulders.
• Front Rack: The bar should rest comfortably on your anterior deltoids, with your elbows pointing forward and high. Your fingers should be under the bar, but most of the weight is on your shoulders.
• Deep Squat: Simultaneously, drop into a full front squat position, receiving the bar with a stable, upright torso.

6. Recovery

• Stand Up: From the deep front squat, drive through your heels and stand up powerfully, maintaining a stable core and an upright posture until you are fully erect.

Common Errors and How to Correct Them

• Pulling Too Early with Arms: Using the arms to lift the bar too soon, rather than relying on leg and hip drive.
  • Correction: Focus on keeping arms relaxed and straight until full triple extension. Practice clean pull drills.
• Not Finishing Extension: Failing to achieve full triple extension before pulling under the bar. This limits power and makes the catch harder.
  • Correction: Emphasize jumping and shrugging drills. Practice power cleans to feel the full extension.
• Crashing the Bar: Not pulling under the bar fast enough or effectively, leading to the bar "crashing" onto the shoulders.
  • Correction: Focus on speed under the bar. Practice high pulls to front squat, emphasizing the quick transition.
• Poor Rack Position: Elbows too low, bar not resting on shoulders, leading to discomfort or instability.
  • Correction: Improve thoracic and shoulder mobility. Practice front squats with an empty bar, focusing on elbow position.
• Bar Drifting Away: The bar moves too far forward or away from the body during the pull.
  • Correction: Focus on keeping the bar path vertical and close to the body throughout the lift. Use a PVC pipe or empty bar to practice the close bar path.

Progression and Drills for Learning the Clean

Mastering the Clean is a journey, not a sprint. Break down the movement into smaller, more manageable components:

• Deadlift: Builds foundational strength from the floor.
• Clean Pulls: Focuses on the first and second pull, emphasizing powerful extension without the catch.
• High Pulls: Similar to clean pulls, but with a higher pull of the bar to emphasize the shrug and arm pull under.
• Front Squats: Essential for building strength and stability in the catch position.
• Power Cleans: A partial clean where the bar is caught above parallel, allowing you to practice the explosive pull and turnover without the deep squat.
• Hang Cleans: Starting the lift from above or below the knee, focusing on the second pull and catch.
• Clean from Blocks: Starting the lift from elevated blocks, allowing focus on specific phases (e.g., second pull).

Safety Considerations and When to Avoid

The Olympic Clean is an advanced movement that requires significant respect and attention to safety.

• Warm-up Thoroughly: Always perform a dynamic warm-up that includes mobility drills for ankles, hips, and thoracic spine, as well as light cardio and specific clean warm-up drills.
• Prioritize Form Over Weight: Never sacrifice proper technique for heavier weight. Start light and progressively increase load only when technique is flawless.
• Seek Qualified Coaching: Given the complexity, hands-on coaching from an experienced Olympic weightlifting coach is highly recommended to learn proper technique and correct errors.
• Listen to Your Body: Do not train through pain. If you experience sharp or unusual pain, stop immediately.
• Spotting: While traditional spotting for cleans is not common due to the dynamic nature, ensure you know how to safely bail out of a lift if you miss the catch (push the bar forward away from you).
• Contraindications: Individuals with pre-existing spinal, shoulder, wrist, knee, or ankle injuries should consult a medical professional or physical therapist before attempting the Clean. Avoid if you have acute pain or limited range of motion in the involved joints.

Conclusion

The Olympic Clean is a highly effective and rewarding exercise that, when performed correctly, offers unparalleled benefits in power, strength, and athleticism. Its complexity demands patience, dedication, and a methodical approach to learning. By understanding its biomechanics, practicing diligently, and prioritizing safety through proper progression and expert guidance, you can unlock the immense potential of this foundational lift.