The hang clean is multi joint exercise that uses all the major muscles groups in the body. The hang clean is used to teach athletes the correct transition from the end of the first pull to the catch phase of the clean/power clean.

The hang clean should be explosive, generating high power outputs when performed correctly. Therefore it is a useful exercise for increasing speed and power.

1. STARTING POSITION
The starting position for the hang clean is just above knee level. To arrive at this position the athlete must first deadlift the bar to waist height. Grip and feet placement are exactly the same as the deadlift. Standing up straight the athlete starts by bending forward at the waist while keeping the back in its natural curve. Keep the arms straight; knees slightly bent continuing until the shoulders are over the front the barbell above the knee (Picture 1). It is important that the elbows point along the bar so that the barbell can be pulled close to the chest.

3. CATCH
At maximal shoulder elevation the athlete pulls the barbell higher by bending the elbows similar to the second pull during the high pull. As the elbows bend the lifter must quickly re-bend the knees and whip the elbows under the bar. The bar is then caught on the front of the shoulders in a ¼ front squat position as shown in Picture 3. The depth of the front squat will depend on the load on the barbell i.e. heavier loads require a deeper catch position.

4. FRONT SQUAT
Once the lifter has caught the barbell on the front of the shoulders a front squat completes the hang clean (Picture 4). It is important that the elbows remain high with the back straight and strong during this stage of the lift.

Once the movement has been completed the lifter returns the barbell down to the ground by re-bending the knees and straightening the arms bringing the bar to waist height. The bar may then be returned to the ground using good deadlift technique. If a lifting platform and rubberised discs have been used the load may be lowered in a controlled drop.

Other flaws to look out for include the inability to use the full power of the legs and hips in the initial stages of the movement. Inexperienced athletes will muscle the barbell up using the upper back and arm muscles swinging the bar onto the shoulders. The coach should make sure the lifter has reached full extension at the end of the pull (Picture 2). To fix this break the hang clean up into stages (clean pull from knee level, high pull from the knees, drop clean, front squat) working on the various parts of the lift. Often with beginners it is advisable to coach the lift this way before completing the full hang clean.

Poor flexibility in the wrists or upper back can lead to failure to catch the bar on the front of the shoulders. Lifters may need to work on flexibility for a period before executing the movement properly. The lifter may experience wrist soreness if they have never performed a front squat before therefore low loads should be lifted with the resistance increasing slowly.

Athletes should be comfortable with a front squat ensuring the elbows are kept high in order to catch the bar properly. Other mistakes include catching the barbell with the knees going forward instead of moving into a good front squat position as shown in Picture 3. Also not dropping low enough to catch the bar that results in overuse of the back muscles.

Athletes also make the mistake of increasing stance width when catching the bar. While a small increase is ok, lifters should try and avoid this position as it increases the stress on the muscles around the inside of the upper legs.

As with all exercises when teaching an athlete proper technique very low loads should be used. The hang clean is a technically difficult lift for a novice weightlifter to perform. The novice has to cope with many different movements occurring throughout the lift. Good coaching and patience is important for developing sound technique. Do not sacrifice technique for an increase in weight on the bar. It may take a period of 4-6 weeks before technique is perfected, using low/moderate loads.