Hang Clean Coaching Points

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By Sal | March 17, 2010

The hang clean is an incredibly effective exercise and clients of all ages and ability levels will benefit from learning and performing this movement.  All personal trainers and strength coaches should be well familiar with the hang clean coaching points.

[caption id="attachment_552" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Personal training client performing hang clean"][/caption]



These coaching points reflect the philosophy of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and can be found in numerous NSCA publications and free instructional videos are available on the NSCA’s web site.  The hang clean is a challenging exercise for personal trainers to teach and for many clients to learn, and both fitness professional and client need to work hard and maintain an attention to detail when working with the hang clean.

Procedure for the hang clean (From the NSCA’s Fly Solo Program “Flight Manual”):

  1. In a standing position the shoulders, hips and knees should be in alignment with the bar and held at arms’ length touching the top part of the thigh

  2. Lower the bar to the top of the knees by flexing at the hips

  3. Extend the hips explosively

  4. Simultaneously extend up on the balls of the feet while aggressively shrugging the shoulders, jumping with chest up and shoulders back, keeping bar close to body

  5. Pull yourself down and under the bar, leading with elbows pointed up and out

  6. Rotate elbows down and then up ahead of the bar

  7. Elevate the feet and move into a squatting stance

  8. Catch the bar on the front portion of the shoulders and re-bend the knees to a quarter squat depth, keeping weight on the heels with elbows high

  9. Flex the knees and hips to absorb the weight of the bar.  The feet will re-contact the floor in a slightly wider stance than the starting position but not wider than 36-inches.

  10. After gaining control and balance, stand up to a fully erect position

  11. In the finishing position the bar should be caught with the head facing forward; neck neutral or slightly hyper extended; wrists hyper extended; elbows fully flexed; upper arms parallel to the floor; back flat or slightly arched; knees and hips slightly flexed to absorb the impact of the weight; feet flat on the floor; body’s weight over the middle of the feet.


The hang clean is a great exercise that will help all clients learn to execute triple extension – extension of the ankles, knees and hips – and generate maximum force.

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