Clean Technique and Mobility

Above is a video of Mike Burgener, one of the premier Olympic lifting coaches, coaching an athlete toward a PR clean and jerk. As many of you know from experience, Olympic and power lifts require a great deal of technique. Even professional lifters constantly work on improving and tweaking technique to improve power output and efficiency (i.e., lift more weight). Timing and positioning are key for success, particularly for the clean. Hip extension must be complete and explosive, the shrug must occur at the top when the hip is fully extended to propel the bar farther upward, and the elbows must swing around at ludicrous speed to get the bar on the shoulders. Below, Mike's daughter, Sage, offers some helpful hints on improving your clean (and jerk) technique.

10 things to do to improve your clean and jerk.. from start to finish

#1: Discontinue your day job at the strip club…you’re better than that. (Shoulders, hips, and bar move up together off the ground).
#2: God gave you lats to activate. Do NOT disappoint him (Set your lats before the bar leaves the ground, or you WILL pull with your arms)
#3: The bar’s main goal in life is to pull you forward and down. CRUSH that bar’s dreams (Shift to your heels IMMEDIATELY off the floor)
#4: On a hot day, milk is a bad choice, but using your legs is ALWAYS a good choice even on non climatically - perfect days. (Jump HARD)
 #5: A wise woman once said, “My hips don’t lie” (Your hips must move UP and DOWN in a matter of milliseconds. Slow hips = slow bar)
 #6: You’re not on the dance floor. “Dropping it like it’s hot” is not recommended. (Do not dive or drop. PULL yourself under the bar)
 #7: 99% of the population has suffered from the deadly disease MonoSyphiSlowElbow. Will you be one the them?(Fast elbows = brownie points)
 #8: Favorite alliteration: Petunia Practiced Perfect Posture… On Her Jerk…wait… (The jerk dip: chest up, toes out, weight on heels)
 #9: Chewing gum instead of brushing your teeth counts for nothing, but jumping up and punching down on the jerk, counts for a lot.
#10: Weight on your hips doesn’t always mean you have love handles (Receive your jerk with ALL the weight centered on your hips) 

I would add #0, which comes before #1, and that is MOBILITY. The better your flexibility, the better your range of motion, the better your positioning, the better your technique! So before a WOD, after a WOD, or on a rest day: stretch out those wrists to improve that front rack position. This will keep your palms under the bar, which is stronger, more stable positioning when the weight is overhead. Stretch those ankles and hips for better, deeper, and more stable squats. Stretch those crunchy shoulders and back muscles for better, more stable overhead positioning. Review my post on Being a Leopard. Position is power. You'll reduce the likelihood of injury, you'll be able to lift more weight for a longer duration, you'll feel less achy and crunchy, you'll be able to take less time off from the gym (1 rest day versus 1 rest week) and you won't have to modify your movement halfway through a WOD. Soap box vacated.