Hit Extension Without Banging the Bar Off Your Thighs
Written by Ricky Moore
Banging the weight off the thighs to hit extension in the snatch and clean is common in lifting so you’re not alone. But it isn’t ideal as it bumps the barbell away from the body, forcing you to chase it, and more likely miss it out front. There are a variety of different ways to address this and below is a progression that takes a couple of months to work you into extension without using the bounce.
Progression #1: Tempo Clean Deadlift + High Hang Clean
The first I suggest is spending 2-3 weeks doing a tempo clean deadlift + high hang clean. I like the tempo clean deadlift because it should reinforce you to use proper technique in the first two stages of the clean and you can feel where the balance is in your feet, legs and upper body. The high hang clean promotes full extension from the top and forces you to use your legs. I would recommend doing this 2x a week for 5-7 sets of 2-3 reps from 70% to almost 90%.
Progression #2: Cleans w/ a Pause Sightly Above the Knee
Second would be to spend another 2-3 weeks of progression to cleans with a pause slightly above the knee for at least 2 seconds. This is where things really get fun. In this position it will bring IMMEDIATE feedback of whether you are hitting full extension or banging the bar. I would recommend doing this only 1x a week and staying between 60-80% for 5-6 sets and also 2-3 reps.
Progression #3: Cleans from Blocks
The third and final progression would be to go off blocks if you have them. If you don’t that is fine, you could stack up plates but it’s just not as safe. This will be the hardest progressions and the toughest to execute, that is why I put it last. But it can also give you the most bang for your buck! Start with the blocks from the high hang and start at 40-50% for 5 sets of 3 reps for about 2 weeks. Then progress down to the mid-thigh for 6 sets of 2 reps @ 60-75% for another two weeks. Then progress further to slightly down to around the knee and keeping these as singles and 6-8 sets up to 80-90%.
I give varying percentages because I want you to go buy feel but also something to shoot for. With this I would like to recommend recording yourself and watching where you continue to see faults and also look for the improvements! Olympic lifting is a long game and an investment. This will not be an overnight fix or even a 10 week fix. It takes reps and time and extreme patience to master this craft. But it is one of the funnest and best “Ah-HA!” moments to have and to witness.