clean from the platform

Clean from the platform (Full Clean, Squat Clean, Classic Clean, Regular Clean) — is a key Olympic weightlifting exercise involving lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in one seamless movement. The clean targets various muscle groups, including the legs, hips, back, and shoulders, making it a compound exercise. It requires a combination of strength, power, speed, and flexibility. Widely used in competitive weightlifting, it is also a staple in the training programs of athletes and fitness enthusiasts, contributing to overall strength and conditioning.

performing

Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Barbell should be positioned over balls of feet. Grasp the barbell with overhand grip, fist wider than shoulders. Move shins toward barbell. Keep back straight, chest up and shoulders over the bar.

Begin the lift by pushing through your legs, keeping your back straight and the bar close to your body. As the barbell passes your knees, extend your hips and knees explosively, generating upward momentum. Keep your arms engaged, but not bent.

The point of contact should be in the space between the mid-thigh and the hip crease. 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 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

Periodization, progressive overload, and consistency are the keys to progress in the Clean and in weightlifting overall.

Programming

Cleans are often included in Olympic weightlifting programs, Crossfit routines, or general strength and conditioning programs. Programming 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 might incorporate the snatch into Olympic weightlifting routines, focusing on specific Clean variations, and varying intensity and volume over time.

Periodization is a system for designing a program using training variables: intensity, volume, frequency, and exercise specificity. In the simplest mesocycle, it is a linear type of periodization with increasing intensity and decreasing volume of the Clean from start to finish. It starts with 50−60% of 1RM and goes up to 90−100%.

Consistency is one of the most important components when working to achieve goals in the gym. With consistency and a balanced training program, the body has an easier and safer way to adapt.

Progressive overload is a method of strength training that uses a gradual increase in load as the athlete’s musculoskeletal and nervous systems adapt to the existing load. This means that you should increase reps, sets, and weights (in this order is best) to challenge your adaptive systems and make progress.

In the Clean programming repetitions vary from 3−5 at 50−80% load for a conditioning phase to 1−2 at up to 100% load for a strengthening phase. Sets also vary at the same rate.

The Clean is a coordination demanding exercise and is usually performed before a  Pull or Squat, but after a Snatch or Power Clean.

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Variations

Different variations of the Clean used to train specific aspects:

Hang Clean. Start the lift from a different hanging position, focusing on the second pull, positioning and timing.

Power Clean. Catch the barbell in a partial squat instead of a full squat, emphasizing power and explosiveness.

Muscle Clean. Lift the barbell without a squat, targeting the shoulders and upper body.

High Clean Pull. Isolated pull phase with pulling the barbell as high as possible without the squat under.