Starting Position

1. Stance shoulder width apart, feet flat on the floor, toes slightly pointed out
2. Bar very close to the shins or slightly touching
3. Grip slightly wider than shoulders with wrist turned under
4. Arms straight with the elbows rolled to the outside
5. Back is straight, flat and very tight
6. Head in line with the spine, looking forward
7. Chest is up, shoulders blades are pinched and the traps are relaxed
8. Shoulders in front of or over the bar
9. Inhale before pulling the bar off the floor

First Pull

1. Squeeze the bar off the floor slowly
2. Hips and shoulders come up at the same rate
3. Back remains at the same angle and very tight, rigid
4. The bar moves straight up, the knees move out of the bar path to allow the bar to come up
5. Shoulders stay over the bar with the arms straight
6. Body weight is evenly distributed on the feet

Second Pull

1. Lifter reaches the power position
2. Back is straight and slightly arched Shoulders stay over the bar as long as possible
3. Shoulders are thrust up and backward
4. Hips are thrust up and forward
5. Bar brushes against the top part of the thighs and must stay close to the body
6. Shrug the traps to elevate the bar, at the same time extend up on to the toes
7. Arms remain straight as long as possible before the lifter pulls with them
8. When the lifter does bend at the arms the elbows come up and out to the sides

The Rack or Catch

1. Drop from the toes to the heels into a good squat stance
2. Elbows rotate around the bar
3. The weight rest across the front of the shoulders
4. Release the grip somewhat to allow the elbows to come forward and up

COMMON MISTAKES OF THE POWER CLEAN

Bad Starting Position

1. Bar away from the shines
2. Stance too far apart with weight on the toes
3. Shoulders behind the bar
4. Back round and not rigid
5. Not getting a bite of air
6. Grip too wide or narrow

Bad First Pull

1. Trying to pull the bar off the floor too explosively
2. Allowing the hips to come up first and at a different angle than the back
3. Bending and rounding of the back
4. Pulling with the arms and bending of the elbows

Bad Second Pull

1. Pulling too soon with the arms
2. Allowing the bar to get away from the body
3. Moving the hips forward too much and not up enough
4. Stopping the pull before it is finished (to anxious to get under the bar)
5. Shooting the hips up and in to early causing a very low brush on the thighs
6. Rounding of the back, not staying tight enough to finish

Bad Rack or Catch

1. Spreading of the feet too much or not at all
2. Staying too tall, not dropping the hips and legs into a quarter squat stance
3. Trying to make the bar rotate around the elbows, reverse curling the bar
4. Catching the bar with the wrist instead of the shoulders
5. Elbows down under the bar