Block clean above the knee
Block Clean above the knee (High block Clean, High box Clean) — is a Clean variation where the athlete begins with the barbell resting on blocks positioned above the knee level, allowing for a shortened range of motion and focuses on the explosive extension and quick catching. By focusing on this segment of the lift, athletes can develop greater power, speed, and coordination in the critical mid-range portion of the lift. This can be a useful variation for improving extension, catching, turnover and maintaining correct back angle before the second pull.
performing
Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Barbell should be positioned over balls of feet. Keep your back straight, chest up, knees bent and shoulders over the bar.
Begin the lift by pushing through your legs, keeping your back straight and the bar close to your body. Extend your hips and then knees explosively, generating upward momentum. Keep your arms engaged, but not bent.
Once your hips and knees are fully extended, shrug your trapezius and get up on toes. Simultaneously pull the barbell upward with arms.
While the barbell reaches its highest point, slide your feet to the sides, catch the barbell on your deltoids and squat into a deep position. The bar should be aligned with your mid-foot, your chest up, and your elbows pointing in front of you.
Stand up from squat and extend hips and knees fully while stabilizing barbell. Control the descent of the barbell back to starting position.
The Block Clean is a full-body exercise that engages multiple muscle groups.
- During the initial pull, the glutes and quadriceps are activated, providing the force to lift the weight off the ground.
- As the lift continues into explosive hip extension, the glutes team up with other powerful muscles to generate the force needed for full extension.
- During the second pull, the calf muscles play a crucial role in plantarflexing the foot, and the upper trapezius muscles lift the shoulder blades, while the biceps and deltoids help keep the bar close to the body and pull even higher.
- Afterwards, the glutes and quads become the main muscles that drive the transition into a deep squat. Rising also requires the use of adductors.
- The erector spinae, abdominals and other core muscles that support the spine are responsible for the safety and stability of the lift.
- The stabilizers in the pull are also the calves, lats, and hamstrings. The rotator cuff, serratus anterior and rhomboid muscles stabilize the shoulder and scapula.
Muscles working
Programming
Programming Clean variations can vary depending on an individual’s goals, experience level, and overall training plan. For beginners, it’s crucial to focus on learning proper technique and gradually increasing the weight. More advanced lifters may incorporate specific Clean variations into Olympic weightlifting routines and vary the intensity and volume over time.
This Clean variation skips the most difficult part of the pull — the starting and transition phases. On the one hand, starting from a strong position allows some athletes to perform it with weights above Clean Max. On the other hand, the acceleration distance is extremely short, so athletes may struggle with it, especially if they have a weak extension or bottom position.
The Block Clean is usually performed before a Jerk, Pull or Squat, but after a Snatch or Power Clean if the goal is to improve strength, power or positioning. This can also be used as a light weight finisher for technique work.
In the Block Clean above the knee, programming repetitions usually vary from 1 to 5 at 50−100% (75-80% is typical) of the best Clean. Sets can vary from 1−3 with a heavy weight to 5 for light technique work.
Variations
Different variations of the Hang Clean used to train specific aspects:
Block Power Clean above the knee. Reduce the squat phase, focusing on the explosiveness, catching and turnover.
Block Clean below the knee. Reduce the ROM of lift, focusing on the extension and quick catching.
Hang Clean Pull above the knee. Isolated partial pull with pulling the barbell from a hanging position to increase the time under tension.