Perfecting the Power Clean

Q: How do I master the hang clean? How do I do the hip drive and the triple extension of the hips, knees, and the feet but not feel the arm soreness because of the heavy weight? I watched lots of videos teaching the hang clean from coach Mike Burgener, etc. Would you give me some advice?

Thank you so much for your time and kindness!

Take care,
Mike


My Answer: People tend to use the arms too much with hang cleans as opposed to power cleans.  Depending on your goals this may or may not be a good thing. If you're looking for overall mass development, then sloppy technique on the hang clean would be a good thing since it builds up the biceps, back and traps.

If you're looking to lift more weight on the hang clean, then you need to pay more attention to technique.  If you're feeling it more in the biceps, then you're doing more of a cheat curl as opposed to a hang clean. With cleans, you got to move your body around the bar, not move the weight around you.  You have to accelerate the bar close to your body in a straight line, instead of throwing it outwards away from your body.

I suggest you do power cleans instead of hang cleans, since you have to use better form to do the lift.