Alan Thrall Teaches The Power Clean

[@alexandersheets1]

this is what personal training should look like, not putting someone on a machine and telling them to do reps

[@TheLouisianan]

I literally did my first set of power cleans (after doing it with an empty barbell for a few weeks) and there was a personal trainer at the gym coaching 2 guys and had them doing tricep kickbacks. smh

[@benrunsacross2935]

Amen! Men are not hamsters.

[@TheLouisianan]

@my mom oooff

[@joeberger3441]

nothing wrong with machine work for accessory movements, but i agree that a valuable trainer should be coaching free weight compounds as much as possible, given the client can actually perform them. (no injuries or severe mobility issues)

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Alan is a fantastic trainer and I feel blessed to have taken some coaching sessions with him at the amazing Untamed Strength gym.

[@AlanThrall]

I recorded this video in June 2017. My intention was to keep the video to myself so that I can see what I need to work on as a coach. After watching the video I realized Dag was jumping forward a bit on a couple of the reps. Admittedly, I didn't notice it during the session. This is why recording myself can be helpful. I talked to him about it and he has since corrected it. I am making this video public because it might be helpful for some of you. Stay tuned next week for some footage of me coaching the squat with a few clients.

[@edmund3504]

Alan Thrall papa

[@RoadToDocByRoidAlex]

Alan Thrall Why are you not teaching the third pull?

[@mauroaraujo7491]

I enjoy watching the vídeo. But i would apreciate some side view, even some slow motion like the "hookgrip" Chanel.

[@jakobmayr8696]

Alan Thrall What is the jump cue for tho? Is it so he learns to extend the ankles because he wont jump r anyways

[@jakobmayr8696]

* on higher weights?

[@te2dj]

Love how you attached the mic to your beard.

[@HAJIMEDJ]

Hahaha i noticed that like a third into the video and I laughed my ass off. Alan's beard is legendary.

[@NageekNoohac]

Lol but it is also practical. Where the hell else is he gonna put it with all that hair, on his nose!?

[@DawnSentinel]

I was about to post the exact same thing.

[@jjwp-ql5rv]

If he puts it on his shirt collar, like most people, all you'd hear is scratching and stuff from his beard covering it.

[@ashleyhoye3024]

I’m just glad he has a mic. Everytime I watch these videos I can’t even hear the person

[@HippoShemp]

Thought I heard "Dad" at first and was convinced this was Alan's dad for a few seconds lol

[@Sandarpan]

same...

[@bitsanbobs101]

#metoo

[@JesseGilbride]

#methree

[@madbear3512]

Me 4

[@notoriousjost243]

M5

[@mirandacooper4878]

Alan is such an excellent teacher.

[@nicomcconnell9772]

That's some serious coaching. Very good. I just noticed how the trainee lightend up when you praised him. Very cool.

[@adsasdsdasdasd3079]

Holy shit you are a very good teacher. Love how Dag is really trying and is correcting himself during the clean

[@flipflopchris]

I don't understand how anyone could give this video a dislike. Excellent coaching!

[@sergiotl7378]

+Chris Otoole Maybe people with a weightlifting background, where the clean is learned differently.

[@jordankroell]

+Chris Otoole You haven't trained around a lot of weightlifters, have you?

[@aspen8517]

Agreed everything is laid out so u can understand it and there isn’t a lot of unnecessary bs in there to make it seem like a lot more goes into it I mean it’s lifting weights not performing surgery

[@farukben]

It's the dirty plates giving dislikes

[@robbyhoffmann2975]

Realistic client selection. Glad it's not a 19 year old.

[@Michael-4]

Exactly. I bet the guy is doing really well with coaching like that despite his age and kinesthetic awareness challenges. LOL

[@jjwp-ql5rv]

I like Athlean X, but he demos on WWE stars etc. This is so much better. Watching him teach a realistic person.

[@johnnycheng2590]

Really helpful. As a beginner, this video breaks things down so clearly. Learning from the top down seems to be so much easier. I must try that next time. Thank you, Alan.

[@David247]

wow he is the coolest math teacher ive seen

[@HoangDuongLe0807]

About hip position, it seems like the distinction about clean first pull and deadlift is just an American think, from what I was taught in Vietnam and from what we can see in russians school lifter like Klokov or Torokhtyi's clean tutorial video: they don't mention the hip position at all, they just care about keep a tight flat back, weight over whole foot and shoulder cover the bar, the should position get special attention, usually. The hip position will depend on lifters, it just so happens that a lot of elite lifters have long torsos and short legs, so it appear that their hip position is low, and their torso angles more vertical.

[@MrBeardest]

The only time I really see them mention the hip position is when the trainee is already in the proper position over the bar, but they then for some reason instinctively lower or raise their hips (probably to get into a slightly more comfortable position). If the lifter has their shins touching the bar, flat back, and the bar is currently over mid-foot, any hip movement will either move the bar towards toes (if the hips drop -> shins go forward -> bar moves towards toes) or towards the heels (if the hips raise -> shins go back -> lifter pulls bar to touch shins and therefore pulls it towards the heels). Just my observations and understanding from reading and performing the power clean. I agree that hip position is technically irrelevant, as it will be different with every lifter. Shoulder position, bar over mid-foot and flat back are the most important aspects. Just easier to point at a trainee's hips rather than telling them to position over mid foot again. Telling them to move their hips higher or lower will naturally cause the rest of their body to position the bar properly again over mid-foot. Easier cue.

[@gotchaphil]

So in another video, the person doing the power clean/deadlift had their hips low. Once they started the lift, the hips went up - they could have just started in the “hip-up” position. It is a good cue to follow if you have this problem. More efficient.

[@fredkennedy719]

Hey, don't know if you will see this, but where did you learn weightlifting in Vietnam? I'm looking for a coach!

[@wodkametijs]

Best tutorial i have seen so far, i think i finally get it. Thanks!

[@chrisklaus5950]

This is the best instructional video I have ever seen for power cleaning. I can't wait to fix my power cleans

[@drewbsn]

Excellent teaching: realtime feedback, maximum/constant feedback, super simple effective cues, learn by doing. Wow. Bravo!

[@aaroncurtisyoga2]

Love seeing family training together! Super cool!!

[@jwallace410]

"Get off your heels Dag" lol. You're a good teacher bro.

[@Jerry7Msa]

Thought about starting to put explosive movements in my routine when I see a power clean tutorial from Alan Thrall. Thanks Alan, you're reading my mind.

[@nikolapetrov966]

Great tutorial Alan! That was the best so far i watched in youtube. It really gives a clear idea of the whole progression of the movement.

[@Cody.Tafoya]

Love seeing a Marine doing what they do best bringing people along and showing them what they are capable of.

[@osamafrballin]

I wish I have a coach like u cuz everybody I've asked so far hasn't clarified 100% of my questions. Great video man

[@jasonvegan5761]

Really nice, thanks for posting this!! I feel confident enough to give it a go next workout, with a nice low weight to focus on form!! Shoulders!! Mid foot!! Hips up!! Jump high!!! 😊

[@joelschneider2186]

Alan is thicc

[@zjabucay]

Thank you for this Alan. Been struggling with the jumping position, but this video made it clearer for me.

[@purplenadz96]

Alan "The Man" Thrall back again with another educational video with purpose

[@danielastone3005]

The best power clean tutorial on youtube, hands down 👏

[@Alejandro-te2nt]

Wow youre a really good trainer

[@juannieto9526]

Allan you're the best. I just started school again and in weight training we do power cleans twice a week and I've never done them before. Perfect timing 👌

[@RaimonTarou]

very good coach with clear instructions, impressive

[@antwannn111]

Wow I wish I could get a coach like this (small northern city...). Watching his progression throughout this vid was awesome. Elbows nice and high by the end even though he was reluctant to do so at the beginning. Not judging at all just noticing good cues and improvement! Thanks

[@ExtremeCommenterDude]

Thank you Alan. This is super helpful. Appreciate all the cues and breakdown. I want to bring power cleans back into my program and happy to to review form

[@jackwilson8446]

A very helpful video "again", Alan. Cheers for this!

[@Bayle-s9e]

Hey Alan, this type of video is very helpful! We get to see another novice performing the movement, and get to pause and rewatch to spot if we can make out any mistakes that were made. This is different than watching a 'tutorial' video performed by someone who already knows what they're doing. Thanks a bunch!

[@TheJaronH]

Great video Alan! The guy seems really excited lol, you did a really good job teaching and correcting and making it easy for him to understand what you mean as well

[@BeaulieuTodd]

Man. I feel this guy’s struggle. I’m approaching my two year mark in my journey. Is simple and maddeningly diffuse at the same time. And it changes every attempt. This guy has more thoughts than I do before swinging a club! 😂

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Excellent lesson on the power clean for us beginners Alan!

[@enricogarro5884]

As a soon to be PT this video is Gold! Thanks Alan

[@dunnjefferson5837]

I thought you were calling him dad the whole time! lmao

[@PsychoholicSlag83]

Great video. This is the last exercise of my routine and I have a hard time pulling it off

[@waltersteyger1215]

I always thought it just raw power but these weightlifting exercises are pretty technical. Just started olympic weightlifting and damn I suck at it. These video's help a lot ! Thanks for the upload.

[@sammalik1390]

Great lesson and teaching style. Learnt lots of points to improve mine

[@RobHortn]

This is great. I learned a TON about this movement. Thanks Alan for posting it!

[@BAM85]

Wish you could be my teacher bro. For just a couple of sessions, I'd sure as hell learn a lot and increase my lifts with some of your pro tips. Stay beasty! Peace from the Netherlands!

[@lusky0311]

Well done! This is terrific instruction Alan. Thank you

[@ChrischrosBelgium]

DAmn, that dad is talented. He has really good form for just one training session.

[@Yan-rh7mj]

Looks easy with Alan in the place. Great coaching.

[@harrywoodley1073]

Also, shout out Dag for allowing you to do this.

[@ZMommie]

The best informative beginners videos I’ve found 👍🏼

[@iphonemusings]

You are a great teacher Alan, thx for the lesson :)

[@Kimomaru]

Alan, thanks for posting this. Your videos are great.

[@guykr10]

Please make more videos like this, it is very informative and helps understand my own mistakes :)

[@yernoaloodtaedaethat2780]

2:06 just heard Alan saying DO NOT MOVE THE BARBELL echoing from an unknown source

[@edwardguerra8370]

Nice job Alan! Thanks for sharing.

[@brianshishnia3278]

I trained hundreds of clients for many years and observed many other trainers in the gym I worked at and other gyms. I myself would have trained with maybe 5 % or less of these many trainers. This example is of a competent trainer having proper instruction, pace in moving a technique along, and positive reinforcement. The client done a great job of listening and adjusting to instructions also. 👍👍

[@abcwarrior01]

Absolutely love all of your vids alan, incredibly informative. Thanks

[@broodjebakpao1994]

Wish I had a trainer like you. I'll have to figure out my technique solo. Will take some time before I got it down I think.

[@JeffMartin2510]

You're a great coach.

[@dj_rushcity_mix6382]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you for this.

[@datemike1184]

now is the content im lookin for. well done sir

[@DORSIAKILL]

Great tutorial and an awesome student

[@frillylizzard]

Alan, thanks for posting this vid Why do you teach the same deadlift mechanics for the clean. I thought the hips go lower in the starting position. Then the weight transfers to your heels as you get into a romanian dead postion just below the knee. Is this just to simplify the learning position for a beginner trainee?.

[@AndrewB_NNA]

Is it possible for your forearms to be too long to be able to get into the rack position? It's physically impossible for me to get into that position, my elbows won't go high enough no matter how little I grab the bar with my fingers. It's not a flexibility issue btw, I can bend my fingers and wrist backwards WAY more than the guy in this video but I just cannot get my elbows high enough to be able to hold the bar comfortably.

[@Robo0595]

(from starting strength 3rd edition) "Long forearms may make the clean very hard to rack without a wide grip. People with very long forearms might not be able to use the exercise."

[@rayakame6740]

that brand new Rippetoe smell

[@davidmurray2829]

Outstanding video. Wish I lived in the area. If there is a coach in the Hampton roads va area training in this straight forward easy to understand way someone shout them out.

[@JaredPlane]

This is brilliant! Thank you Alan.

[@ak-ee1qv]

Such convenient timing, you read my mind Alan.

[@AlwaysHopeful87]

Thank you. Suggestion, in addition to talking the movements, demonstrate them. In education this is called, "I do, we do, you do." In more technical terms you would be building an image of the movement in Dag's brain that he could recall.

[@wef0711]

Alan, how do you teach the jumping position? Im not sure im asking correctly but im not 100% sure im at the correct position when I initiate my jump and catch. Essentially how do I know when the bar is resting in the correct thigh position. My clean has improved significantly just from squatting but I wonder if im getting everything I can from my training. Im self taught and Im sure I am making many mistakes. Thanks so much in advance and thanks so much for your service to our country. Wes

[@iainmunro7246]

Best video for teaching the clean.

[@ExtraIceGum]

I've been waiting for this one

[@chrisschiazza4321]

Thank you Alan you got me straightened out!

[@torpacio]

Thanks for sharing this video... At what point do you push off your heels or stay on your heels, if you do, during the dead lift and the power clean?

[@philipdebacker]

Hi Alan, I wish I had a coach like you where I live..

[@well_thatsucks2191]

so this is like the Rippetoe powerclean training technique here, in the old video from 2015 it was a more vertical powerclean. why is this version better? its like i generally am down with anything Rip or Alan put out there cause they seem like good sources but i was reading this article www.manlycurls.com/2012/02/starting-strength-truth-rippetoe-opinion-fitness/ arguably written by some guy ive never heard of but it just makes me wonder if maybe i need to learn how to clean/powerclean from an olympic lifter or if the Rip method is gonna be good enough. really it was the invocation of the dreaded crossfit in the article that got me spooked.

[@lefousuisse]

Alan Thrall, it's very efficient like you exlpain but can you do the same video for hang squat clean (or squat clean) ?

[@1111poul]

Steph Mat you mean the hang clean? Pretty sure its a clean that starts at the jumping position, and ends in the hole of a front squat

[@travisgreer8497]

excellent video and coaching AT

[@matthewjohnvu8104]

Thought Alan was gonna slap him when he said “crossfit”.

[@joandarc1160]

Same lol

[@mr_aliff]

Amazing !!! How much time would you say you edited out of the video? IE how long did it take to teach

[@BxCortez2050]

AWESOME !!!! I need this in my life

[@Blessed2354]

Question. I naturally do better with wider grips on deadlifts and my jump patterns are naturally wider and outside shoulders (not as heel under seen here). What is the disadvantage of doing a wider stance clean? L

[@illwill18]

Thanks for sharing video Alan, like seeing a variety of ways teaching the power clean. Always nice to review your own basics, etc, and for my wife who is new to weightlifting in general, maybe this will help stop the clean from being a dramatic curl?!? :P

[@kirktitgen6395]

Damn! I lived in Sacrament for 2 years, and used to go to fitness first and see all those "Bros" doing everything wrong and copying each other. I wish, I knew of Alan's gym. I would have learned so much from him. To this day, I am not sure if my deadlift is good, but I am going to improve watching his video over and over again.

[@frankdunlop9570]

Man I really hope you were near Canada so you could be m coach

[@modfie]

awsome video looks like you are having fun coaching Dag :D

[@philj212]

dag is a norwegian name and it is the word for "day" in our language:) if anyone was wondering....

[@1111poul]

philj212 no one was thinking about that bro 😂

[@madbear3512]

Thanks but no thanks Casue no one was thinking that

[@asifsays9849]

Why does everyone leave out the part about which upper body muscles will be active in racking the bar?

[@JulianKlimczyk]

Can you make a video series for beginners?

[@jamesmcnally8762]

solid video this is a good vibe

[@sunahamanagai9039]

My god, Alan's such a drill sergeant.

[@Cysubtor_8vb]

A weightlifting class I took used the term "jump" yet emphasized that we shouldn't literally jump, but instead extend through the pull. Yeah, for someone completely new to weightlifting, it helps to have them think of the muscles used in jumping, hence starting with "jump and shrug" yet I've never seen anyone literally tell someone to jump "higher." Maybe "harder" to emphasize the power aspect, but "jumping" was always more of a mental cue than physical action. Either way it seems like his first session, so it may already be something he has advanced beyond and this is a moot point as you have moved on to more technical points, but I haven't seen so much emphasis put on going beyond your toes before.

[@powskier]

My elbows don't go up. They never did, even in high school. So i am unable to power clean. What can i do?

[@mw5fitness]

This is awesome!! Great coaching bro

[@jimmybalantyne5545]

Really good instruction. Dag did well!

[@joshuaworsham120]

Did these poorly last night. Just barely started incorporating these to have active recovery for deadlift.

[@winnyxway]

Why would u teach a Clean from deadlift position?

[@unclesam6572]

Thomas13 for a beginner its to had to keep a straight back in the proper clean starting position they don't have the thoracic mobility

[@simeoneiacovacci3376]

Cause the motherfucking clean is a really explosive deadlift that you rack.

[@sergiotl7378]

@@simeoneiacovacci3376 No. That's the problem when your source to learn a variation of an olympic lift is Starting Strength

[@jackedkangaroo1948]

@@sergiotl7378 starting strength is the gospel for them until they stay around long enough to realise its just a generic, basic guide on how to train as a novice for 3 months. kind of like how everyone gets into metal as a kid thinking disturbed is the best band ever.

[@JW-nc3zr]

Alan, I noticed in your "How to Power Clean" video your hips were in a much lower position at the start than in this video. The starting position you present here seems to be the same as the dead lift position only with a wider grip. Is this an adjustment that you have learned to improve form? or is there a difference in the types of power clean that I am not seeing?

[@GeorgeLocke]

This version is the "Starting Strength power clean." If you watch video of Rippetoe teaching the power clean, Alan's doing it just that way. Another difference vs. the "How to Power Clean" video: Alan didn't emphasize straight arms - it looked like he had bent arms in the jumping position. During the pull itself, he'd straighten them, as you could see in the slow-mo, but Rip's rubric ingrains that pattern.

[@3441ars]

Alan I notice you wearing your body bearer shorts every now and then. Still got any silkies from the Corps?

[@Twghost]

May I ask why wouldn’t you want to drop the hips in position 1?

[@Mo-fu5oi]

Can you do one for the snatch? Please Thanks