Hang Power Clean Above Knee

The hang power clean above knee is commonly abbreviated as “H. P. Cl. Ab. Kn.” or simply “H. P. Cl.”

The hang power clean above knee is a partial lift where the athlete learns multiple aspects of the clean while performed at full speed. The hang power clean is used to learn proper position, balance and timing. Unlike the power clean, the hang clean snatch begins from the “hang” position, where athlete’s barbell is resting in the hip/upper third thigh. Similar to a power clean, the goal of the athlete is to receive the barbell in a manner where their hips do not lower below the height of their own knees.

To properly execution of the hang power clean above knee, the athlete should set up as with the barbell against the hip/upper third of thigh, typically where the athlete would make contact when executing a classic clean. The athlete will then lower the barbell to the bottom of their thighs, above the knee, while the maintaining the same torso angle as a clean pull to hip. When the barbell is above the knees, the athlete must aggressively and violently extend their legs then hips to propel the barbell vertically. As the barbell reaches and makes contact with the hip/upper third of thigh, the athlete will use their upper body to continue the vertical momentum overhead. After fully extending their lower body, the athlete shall move their feet from the starting position to their squatting position. Making sure their knees and hips are bent, the athlete should focus on keeping the barbell close to the body and becoming flat-footed at the same time as the barbell is locked out overhead.

We recommend performing the hang power clean as 3-6 sets of 2-4 repetitions.