Avoid These Three Mistakes & You'll Improve Your Power Clean

If you're looking to improve your power clean and overall clean strength, avoid these three common mistakes! Clean up this lift with the help of former Olympic weightlifter Jeff Wittmer.
(0:09) The first big mistake that we see lifters make when performing power cleans is during the second pull. During the second pull as the bar approaches knee level, lifters will shift their knees forward towards the bar. This action will decrease the amount of power you can get from your legs which as a result means less weight. To help you body keep those knees back, we suggest going with a couple clean variations to improve your second pull.
The best exercises to improve your second pull and prevent those knees from coming forward are:
(0:29) Hang Clean
(1:00) Block Clean
(1:41) Pause Clean or Halt Clean
(2:14) The next most common mistake we see when performing cleans is the bar crash. As lifters go under the bar during the clean, you can see the bar fall anywhere from 2-5 inches onto the chest. As this happens, you'll see their elbows knockdown and from there they will have difficulty standing up with the weight. When it comes to fixing this issue, it's all about shifting the mindset. Most people think they need to pull as hard as they can and as high as they can then just get under the bar as fast as possible. This creates the gap that causes the bar crash. Instead, the mindset should be to bring your chest to where ever you are pulling the bar.
(3:34) Lastly, another mistake lifters make on the power clean is elbow positioning. As lifters go to wrap their elbows around the bar, they point their elbows out. This positioning of the elbow then shifts the weight into the index finger and can put you in a compromising position. When you're pulling, you want to keep your elbows tight to your body while keeping as many fingers on the bar as possible. The main thing you need to focus on is the repetition of the movement from a hang position. You don't need to go heavy but you just need to focus on keeping those elbows in and tight against the body as you're wrapping them around.
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[@skandalbanker]

Weightlifting exercises should be explained by ... Weightlifters! Here we are, excellent!

[@cheesechicken878]

For the longest time I’ve been trying to figure out why my wrists hurt like hell when I catch the bar. Thankfully I found your video and I now know to keep my elbows in close to my body, which eliminated virtually all the discomfort I was having. Appreciate it very much 👍

[@dtb5350]

Thanks, this was more helpful than the gym teacher who got mad at me for not being able to power clean very much and made me lift heavier and kept getting mad at me for not making any progress.

[@jackstoutamore8541]

Nightmare gym teacher, geez. Could’ve got you injured

[@dtb5350]

@@jackstoutamore8541 thanks man, I been working on it and I'm improving a lot on power cleaning, still can't do very much but I'm perfecting the technique. That gym teacher was a jerk, he even made fun of me and spread rumors around the football team about me saying I had a small manhood because of my handsize.

[@jackstoutamore8541]

@@dtb5350 :/ Well don’t worry about it man, focus on yourself and get those gains

[@dtb5350]

Thanks man, I'm in college right now to become a PE teacher, I'm excited and can't wait.

[@AGoodEgg_]

@@dtb5350 ignore that fool. Build your foundation first. Videos of Chinese and Ukrainian youngsters being drilled repeatedly with light dowels. They nail technique first. When they lift heavy they are crisp and incredibly efficient. Ego lifting gets you injured. Your instructor sounds like twit.

[@ryanfreebing2530]

Thank you for getting right into it!

[@ssawian]

How to catch the bar at 2.50 was such an eye opener for me! No one has explained it that well. Thank you :)

[@davidringwald9729]

This guy is a much better teacher than a gym coach I had, the gym coach I had always made me do a heavier weight even though I showed that I struggled with the lighter weight and got mad at me for not being able to lift the weight because he sucked at teaching.

[@mrhogey6062]

Thanks a lot, trying to learn more full body type workouts.

[@jonathanrich2395]

This guy is an amazing encouragement and help! Reminds me of the phrase: "Respect is earned, not demanded"

[@ericsanchez3253]

this was incredibly helpful , thank you

[@Steve-ks5bh]

would love to see more videos like this from Fitness Culture! great job.

[@ovale6]

I just need to practice, I'm new to cleans and I'm looking very akward still but I'm getting the idea of how to do it correctly. Thanks for breaking it down

[@eatdeliciousstayslim-delim1915]

simple and easy to understand. thanks

[@John-vf5rs]

Very helpful, teaching myself the power clean, thanks for posting.

[@dakotaspangler9318]

My power lean is only a 115 and thanks for the video... now I think I can lift more lol, just need to fix everything mentioned in the video... those are my main mistakes.

[@sudds82]

Very useful information. Thank you for your good work.

[@kevinlee7124]

Thank you for the excellent instruction!!

[@johnscards4633]

Great form...good stuff always

[@donspradley6912]

There is a lot of advice going around on you tube. This is some of the best tangible advice I’ve seen yet! Because if this video I AM SUBSCRIBING! Thanks guys!

[@nateosbornelife]

this was helpful thanks man!!!!

[@nanufisher]

Only video that helped me thanks

[@camerongray7767]

Very good tips. Thanks

[@chongching]

glad i found this video! did some cleans recently and noticed through playback that i was pulling too hard + catching too low, so it was crashing down on me. thanks for addressing it and giving tips on how to improve. #practicemakesperfect

[@cyclonewt]

Thanks - more like this!

[@ShortshowHi]

Well explained thank you

[@Pkilla80]

Thanks Jeff

[@xyzct]

Pure gold.

[@Andre-pd3rx]

maybe a series of "how to.." in weightlifting exercises ; but you did a great job !

[@RodrigoHernandez-wc4ej]

I have shortened forearm flexors and hamstrings. Could you do a video on that please 🙏🙏? By the way, great video 👌💪

[@mikeyshelton5025]

Im a 13 year old lineman and I lift for football and I can tell you it helps when everyone in the Weight room is screaming in your face it somehow makes you lift more

[@lilmggaming5851]

Better then my coaches thank you now I can go to state another year with this

[@Erousey]

This video is so helpful, and not super long! Thanks!

[@FitnessCulture]

You're welcome!

[@maelcaval5611]

This is going to bless my wrist, I recently got them injured cause of how my elbows were positioned, now since i watched this, im ready to practice it in the gym 😁

[@beyoubodyuniversity6563]

I soooooo need this! I've been trying to fall under 😩

[@Pandakiller523]

2nd day doing cleans after not doing any for 5 years and my elbows are sticking out I totally forgot it was because my elbows are too far out thanks man hopefully I can get back to my max 😅😅😅😅

[@yemmeth]

Bit late, but great tips! Really helpful

[@stephenross521]

This is a great video and excellent tutorial! Helping to keep the lifts...clean LOL.

[@FitnessCulture]

Glad you liked it!!

[@enduraman1]

What I like most in this video was you drop down to the highest level that you pull. So, If you can pull to the bottom of your chest, then you drop down to that same level.

[@alexkarr5696]

Sumo deadlift video would great!

[@murali1790able]

Thanks! I was happy because I was making hip contact. I think I'm moving my knees forward so that bar touches my hip which is wrong. I think I should keep my knees as is and move only uppper body. thanks for the tips.

[@bridgetc9484]

This video is great! I’m going to practice with an empty bar.

[@camerongray7767]

Testing 1rm power clean and jerk today, hoping to hit 💯

[@Jafmanz]

Really strange to come here today and find this fairly randomly through looking at clean and press video's I had no space at the gym today so had to to my power cleans in the squat rack. Well that bar rests just below the knee and I suppose those were hang/block cleans (in a way) and straight away after my warmups I noticed what are you are saying about the knees... mine were coming to meet the bar, well not anymore!

[@rubyctruong]

AWESOMENESS 😀😍🤩

[@andredavis4101]

This video is one of those "that's all you had to say videos"👌

[@administrativepersonnel8463]

Can you go over the catch and where your feet should be

[@RideTheGamer]

Sup and subbed bro

[@zandermarkavo3543]

Hi I have a problem with visual nystagmus (up and down movement in my vision)what would be a good drill technique to help with balance.

[@willkruse1517]

So I’m at a 290 power clean at 200bw my I’d say my tech is very good my elbows are always able to wrap around and face forward and my hitting with my upper thigh/hips with that 3” space you mentioned is there anything I can do to get me to a 300+?

[@coreyworthingtonii9230]

I had limited wrist flexibility due to surgery. Is it possible to practice the catch and improve my shoulder flexibility so that there’s only little stress placed on my left wrist?

[@MrMcconville]

I just came across this, but I have something to say about it. I grew up skateboarding, rollerblading (when it was cool) and BMX riding. My best bud, and I could bunny hop 4+ feet. A bunny hop motion is the same as a clean. By the time we were seniors in high school, and I had had two back surgeries already. We could do 300 and 305 (me 300 him 305) And it was because of riding bikes. With three back operations now, I can still throw up 265. Teach the children to Bunnyhop bikes It will make them strong

[@merleclark4019]

How much time do you spend breaking up the Olympic lifts into sections vs training the whole lift at once?

[@davek9412]

you do them on leg day or back day?

[@hungdaddy2026]

any exercises to strength wrists? In the clean, having trouble bending wrist to support the bar at shoulder level

[@maxoflo2]

.

[@christiandavis7103]

.

[@Elizebeth20]

Whats your total and where do i see you do it?

[@patelawesome12]

Currently doing a PPL program and wanted to add hang cleans into my routine. Which day would it be better to add to? Thanks!

[@jeffwittmer4298]

Hey Sagar, I would recommend adding it to your pull day, the hang cleans will serve as a good warm up prior to moving into your pull routine. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

[@patelawesome12]

Jeff Wittmer thank you! What if I want to get stronger in this particular exercise as well? I usually do deadlifts on my pull day. Is there a good way to balance those and get stronger in both?

[@jeffwittmer4298]

Yes, absolutely, I would focus on doing cleans prior to your strength work since more technique and speed is required. You can definitely work in cleans to your programming on a weekly basis or twice a week basis. If you continue to work on your pulling and squatting movements, you can see an increase in your clean as well.

[@blazejohnson6068]

Bro thank you I’m 13 in the 8th grade and I weigh 160 and I bench 210, squat 315 but I only powerclean 170. I really need to raise that.

[@markkgarza9263]

😂😂😂 🧢

[@blazejohnson6068]

@@markkgarza9263 it’s not cap tho

[@stevetodd5267]

If you don’t pause it doesn’t count

[@mrbongalpr]

I have trouble getting my chest under the bar and you didn't really address that. What are some ways to be more efficient at that? TIA

[@NoahHornberger]

lower the weight until you can get the chest in a good position

[@kdog9198]

Hook grip?

[@sc7244]

Are you setting up similar to a deadlift?

[@4gNick]

This is not a power clean, this is a clean

[@stephenb.2185]

a snatch video ! please

[@jeffwittmer4298]

Hey Stephen! We will also be releasing some snatch videos in the near future.

[@rosendopaz868]

Upload some clean or clean and jerk videos

[@chasefernandez958]

I’m just too scared to get under the weight

[@Judgeshred88]

Your physique is quality massive but in proportion. I want to be like that

[@sc-zo1dm]

I've seen this kid at the gym, everytime he does this lift his legs spread out on the jump and his legs go inwards. Seems like it's gonna cause an injury to me

[@akkhapolhuse2628]

L

[@mariolp2999]

Excellent info but you need to increase your A.I intake, you look very bloated..

[@PacmanLickThisGuysAs]

This man has pythons for arms