Power Clean Progression

Shrug & Toe
High Pull
Front Squat Catch

These three exercises are the staple for teaching the youth athlete the proper mechanics required to Power Clean.  Coaches cannot forget that Olympic lifting (Power Cleaning) is a sport unto itself.  Youth Athlete’s cannot simply walk through the High School doors on the first day of summer training freshman year,  and be expected to be proficient on the platform.  Quite honestly, if we only have an athlete for a 4-6 week summer training block,  we aren’t going to power clean at all.  I don’t care if it’s an 8th grader or Pro Level football player.    Our exercise index on Dynamic Lower days include: Jump Variations (Broad, Box, Reactive, Vert’s, Split squats, Squat Jumps, Hex Dead Jumps), Ballistic Med ball Throws, (Bomb, Overhead, Chest pass) Hypers & KB Swings, and sled pushes and pulls.   The intent of the athlete is what matters most, drills need to be short and concise, truly working the rate of force development.

Olympic lifts needed to be given the respect and time necessary, with attention to detail,  if they are going to have any positive carry over to the field of sport.  If the proper time needed for a progression is not available, wait until the winter off-season months to teach Olympic lifts.   

Here we have a very advanced Youth Athlete that has progressed for an entire year before we started implementing any sort of Olympic lift movement.   

Please watch the accompanying video below:

Coach Dan Goodman
dgoodman@varsityhousegym.com
twitter.com/dan_goodman78