Clean and Press - Barbell
This exercise is to be done in a flowing movement which we have broken down into 3 stages to help explain.
Bend your knees to pick up the bar, standing with your feet hip width apart and with good posture (tummy tight; shoulders back; chest out; chin in), hold the bar with your hands shoulder width apart and palms facing into you. Take a small step back so that you have one foot in front of the other, by doing this you take the pressure of your lower back and give the body more stability.
Stage 1
Leading with your elbows bring the bar up to shoulder level in an "upright row" movement, when you have reached the highest point rotate your arms quickly whilst bending your knees so that your elbows are now below your hands and supporting barbell (your forearms should be vertical). Bending your knees allows you to rotate your arms at the shoulders without putting too much strain through your shoulders. Do not try and do it without bending the knees.
Stage 2
This is the shoulder press stage of the movement. Push the barbell up above your head, avoid locking your arms out and keep a small bend in your elbows at the highest point.
Stage 3
Now reverse the movement by lowering the barbell to your shoulder level flip the bar back over quickly so that your elbows are above your hands again and you are in the "upright row" position again. You may bend your knees to protect your shoulders during this movement as you did on the way up. Now lower the bar down until your arms are straight keeping the bar against your body.
Remember whilst we have broken this down into 3 stages it is supposed to be carried out in a fluid movement. These are not rest breaks!
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