Major muscles involved: Gluteus maximus, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, soleus, gastrocnemius, deltoids, trapezius
Starting position:
Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip.
Grip should be slightly wider than shoulder-width (clean grip).
Step under the bar and position the feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other.
Move up to the bar to place it on top of the anterior deltoids and clavicles.
Extend the hips and knees to lift the bar off the supports.
Step back away from the supports and stand in the middle of the lifting platform.
Position the feet hip- to shoulder-width apart and even with each other with the toes pointed slightly outward.
All repetitions begin from this position.
Preparation phase: dip
Flex the hips and knees at a controlled speed to move the bar in a straight path downward.
Continue the dip to a depth not to exceed a quarter squat, the catch position of the power clean, or 10% of the athlete’s height.
Keep the feet flat on the floor, the torso erect, and the elbows underneath or slightly ahead of the bar.
Upward movement phase: drive
Catch (for the push press):
After the hips and knees are fully extended and the bar is overhead from the drive phase, press it up the rest of the way until the elbows are fully extended.
In this position the torso is erect, the head is in a neutral position, the feet are flat on the floor, and the bar is slightly over or behind the ears.
Downward movement phase:
Lower the bar by gradually reducing the muscular tension of the arms to allow a controlled descent of the bar to the shoulders.
Simultaneously flex the hips and knees to cushion the impact of the bar on the shoulders.
At the end of the set, step toward the rack and place the bar in the supports.
Major muscles involved: Gluteus maximus, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, soleus, gastrocnemius, deltoids, trapezius
Starting position:
Grasp the bar with a closed, pronated grip.
Grip should be slightly wider than shoulder-width (clean grip).
Step under the bar and position the feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other.
Move close to the bar to place it on top of the anterior deltoids and clavicles.
Extend the hips and knees to lift the bar off the supports.
Step back away from the supports and stand in the middle of the lifting platform.
Position the feet hip- to shoulder-width apart and even with each other with the toes pointed slightly outward.
All repetitions begin from this position.
Preparation phase: dip
Flex the hips and knees at a controlled speed to move the bar in a straight path downward.
Continue the dip to a depth not to exceed a quarter squat.
Keep the feet flat on the floor, the torso erect, and the elbows underneath or slightly ahead of the bar.
Upward movement phase: drive:
Catch (for the push jerk):
After the hips and knees are fully extended and the bar is being driven overhead, quickly flex the hips and knees to a dipped position while simultaneously fully extending the elbows so that the bar is received overhead at the same moment that the bar reaches its highest position.
Catch the bar with the torso erect, the head in a neutral position, the feet flat on the floor, and the bar slightly over or behind the ears.
Recovery phase:
After gaining control and balance, stand up by extending the hips and knees to a fully erect position with the feet flat on the floor.
Keep the elbows locked while the bar is stabilized overhead.
Downward movement phase:
Lower the bar by gradually reducing the muscular tension of the arms to allow a controlled descent of the bar to the shoulders.
Simultaneously flex the hips and knees to cushion the impact of the bar on the shoulders.
At the end of the set, step toward the rack and place the bar in the supports.
Major muscles involved: Gluteus maximus, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, soleus, gastrocnemius, deltoids, trapezius
Starting position:
Stand with the feet placed between hip- and shoulder-width apart with the toes pointed slightly outward.
Squat down with the hips lower than the shoulders and grasp the bar evenly with a pronated grip.
Place the hands on the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, outside of the knees, with the elbows fully extended and pointing out to the side.
Place the feet flat on the floor and position the bar approximately 1 inch (3 cm) in front of the shins and over the balls of the feet.
Position the body with the:
back neutral or slightly arched,
scapulae depressed and retracted,
chest held up and out,
head in line with the vertebral column or slightly hyperextended,
heels in contact with the floor,
shoulders over or slightly in front of the bar, and
eyes focused straight ahead or slightly upward.
All repetitions begin from this position.
Upward movement phase: first pull
Lift the bar off the floor by forcefully extending the hips and knees.
Keep the torso-to-floor angle constant; do not let the hips rise before the shoulders.
Maintain a neutral spine position.
Keep the elbows fully extended, pointing out to the side, and the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar.
As the bar is raised, keep it as close to the shins as possible.
Upward movement phase: transition
As the bar rises just above the knees, thrust the hips forward and slightly flex the knees to move the thighs against and the knees under the bar.
Keep the back neutral or slightly arched and the elbows fully extended and pointing out to the sides.
Upward movement phase: second pull
Rapidly extend the hips, knees, and ankles.
Keep the bar as close to the body as possible.
Keep the back neutral and the elbows pointing out to the sides.
Keep the shoulders over the bar and the elbows extended as long as possible.
When the lower body joints reach full extension, rapidly shrug the shoulders upward with the elbows still fully extended and pointing to the sides.
As the shoulders reach their highest elevation, flex the elbows to begin pulling the body under the bar.
Due to the explosive nature of this phase, the torso is erect or slightly hyperextended, the head is tilted slightly back, and the feet may lose contact with the floor.
Upward movement phase: catch
After the lower body has fully extended, pull the body under the bar and rotate the arms around and under the bar.
Simultaneously, flex the hips and knees to a quarter-squat position.
Once the arms are under the bar, lift the elbows to position the upper arms parallel to the floor.
Rack the bar across the front of the clavicles and anterior deltoids.
Catch the bar with:
a nearly erect torso,
the shoulders slightly ahead of the hips,
a neutral head position, and
flat feet.
After gaining control and balance, stand up by extending the hips and knees to a fully erect position.
Downward movement phase:
Lower the elbows to unrack the bar from the anterior deltoids and clavicles; then slowly lower the bar down to the thighs.
Simultaneously flex the hips and knees to cushion the impact of the bar on the thighs.
Squat down with the elbows fully extended until the bar touches the floor or drop the bar to the platform if rubber bumper plates are being used.
Major muscles involved: Gluteus maximus, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, soleus, gastrocnemius, deltoids, trapezius
Starting position
Stand with the feet placed between hip- and shoulder-width apart with the toes pointed slightly outward.
Squat down with the hips lower than the shoulders and grasp the bar evenly with a pronated grip. If a stronger grip is needed, use a hook grip.
The grip width is wider than for other exercises; a way to estimate it is to measure and use one of these distances for spacing the hands: (1) the distance from the edge of the clenched fist of one hand to the opposite shoulder when the arm is straight out at the side, or (2) the elbow-to-elbow distance when the arms are straight out to the sides.
Extend the elbows fully and point them out to the side.
Place the feet flat on the floor and position the bar approximately 1 inch (3 cm) in front of the shins and over the balls of the feet.
Position the body with the — back neutral or slightly arched, — scapulae depressed and retracted, — chest held up and out, — head in line with the vertebral column or slightly hyperextended, — feet flat on the floor, — shoulders over or slightly in front of the bar, and — eyes focused straight ahead or slightly upward.
All repetitions begin from this position.
Upward movement phase: first pull
Lift the bar off the floor by forcefully extending the hips and knees.
Keep the torso-to-floor angle constant; do not let the hips rise before the shoulders.
Maintain the neutral spine position.
Keep the elbows fully extended, pointing out to the side, and the shoulders over or slightly ahead of the bar.
Upward movement phase: transition
As the bar rises just above the knees, thrust the hips forward and slightly flex the knees to move the thighs against and the knees under the bar.
Keep the back neutral or slightly arched and the elbows fully extended and pointing out to the sides.
Note: The transition phase is similar to the Romanian deadlift; in fact, weightlifters use the RDL to strengthen this movement pattern.
Upward movement phase: second pull
Rapidly extend the hips, knees, and ankles. (Note: It is important that the heels stay in contact with the floor for as long as possible in order to maximize force transference to the barbell.)
Keep the bar as close to the body as possible.
Keep the back neutral and the elbows pointing out to the sides.
Keep the shoulders over the bar and the elbows extended as long as possible.
When the lower body joints reach full extension, rapidly shrug the shoulders upward with elbows still fully extended and pointing out to the sides.
As the shoulders reach their highest elevation, flex the elbows to begin pulling the body under the bar.
Due to the explosive nature of this phase, the torso is erect or slightly hyperextended, the head is tilted slightly back, and the feet may lose contact with the floor.
Upward movement phase: catch
After the lower body has fully extended, pull the body under the bar and rotate the hands around and under the bar.
Simultaneously, flex the hips and knees to a quarter-squat position.
Once the body is under the bar, catch the bar over and slightly behind the ears with — fully extended elbows, — an erect and stable torso, — a neutral head position, — flat feet, and — the body’s weight over the middle of the feet.
After gaining control and balance, stand up by extending the hips and knees to a fully erect position.
Stabilize the bar overhead.
Downward movement phase:
Lower the bar from the overhead position by gradually reducing the muscular tension of the shoulders to allow a controlled descent of the bar to the thighs.
Simultaneously flex the hips and knees to cushion the impact of the bar on the thighs.
Squat down with the elbows fully extended until the bar touches the floor or drop the bar to the platform if rubber bumper plates are being used.
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