hang cleans vs power cleans

I like both Power Cleans from the Hang and Power Cleans from the Deck.

The formula for Power is:

Power = Force x Distance / Time (aka Power = Work / Time)

What this tells us is that Power can be developed either by adding more Force (Force = Mass x Acceleration) or by adding to the distance the bar travels. Time is extrememly important at all times as the faster the bar is moved, the more power is being developed.

The most important component of the clean (assuming technique is solid) is the speed of the bar, in my opinion. In my experience, using the strength-speed method has produced the greatest results in power developement. We do this by using a weight in the 55-80% range and focus on "snapping" the bar up to the catch position. The position of the legs at the catch position are not important to me. If a player wants to catch in a full olympic clean position, that is fine. If a player wants to catch in a 45 degree leg bend, that is fine too. The only thing I don't want is to see player's catching the bar with the legs perfectly straight (aka Muscle Clean) as this usually means that no hips/legs/back were used in propelling the bar at all.

We have had the most success in TEACHING the proper clean mechanics by way of the Power Clean from the Hang. But of course, we have had the highest weights lifted when performing the Power Clean from the Deck.

I feel that the Hang Position forces the player to focus on hips more, because he has less distance to "build up" speed before propelling the bar from the hip region to the catch. This will force the athlete to concentrate on "popping the hips" to get the bar up. We always make sure that our players "reset" after each rep, so that proper hip movement is performed. We teach our players to propel the bar from the hips to the catch in the time it takes to "snap a finger". This has been a HUGE coaching point that really allows the players to visualize just how fast a clean needs to be performed.

As I said earlier, I like both methods, but if I had to choose just one, I would go with Power Cleans from the Hang.

Just my way.

We always work in the 3-6 sets x 1 - 6 range.

I listed the percentages as a guideline only. The most important thing about a clean (techniqe aside) is the speed of the bar. It needs to be a 'snap' from hips to the catch. There is nothing wrong with using heavy weights on the clean, I am just more of advocate of the strength-speed method for developing power. That's not to say we never go heavy, because we DO max out on the Power Clean from the Deck every 4 weeks to measure progress.

During our In Season program, we have been progressively increasing the percentage of the weight on cleans and working on technique and bar speed only. The results have been very good as many of our kids who would just "man handle" the weight before, are now actually using hips and trying to snap the bar up, using technique rather than just using brute strength.

We started with 50% and emphasized the following checkpoints:

1) Arched Back before the pull
2) Keeping elbows straight (and letting hips to do the work)
3) Snapping the bar up with a hip "pop"
4) Keeping the bar close to the body throughout the pull
5) Catching the bar with the chest up and elbows up and straight ahead.

Bar speed was priority number one. As the kids began understanding what we wanted, they were able to increase the weight gradually and keep their technique. Now we have many guys who are (or almost are) back to the weight they were lifting in the offseason, but with MUCH better technique. As we get into our offseason program here in a few weeks, I expect our clean maxes to go up drastically. We will have to wait and see.

With our newly arriving 8th graders we will get in a few weeks, we will work the Power Clean in an 8 x 2 set/rep scheme with light weight for the reasons the coach you mentioned in your post gave you. Our focus points will be what is numbered above. Technique and bar speed will be the emphasis.

Hope this helps some.