Clean from Blocks

Clean from Blocks is an exercise that focuses on the explosive power of the legs. It starts with the lifter in a starting position with a barbell on boxes or stands of the desired height, with an overhand or hook grip just outside the legs. The lifter then drives through the heels and extends the knees in the first pull. The second pull is the main source of acceleration, and involves extending the hips, knees, and ankles in a jumping motion. The lifter then transitions into the receiving position by shrugging and flexing the arms with the elbows up and out, and racks the bar onto the protracted shoulders. The lifter then recovers by driving through the heels and returning to a standing position. Clean from Blocks is an excellent exercise for building lower body explosive power.

1. Place a barbell on boxes or stands at your desired height.
2. Take an overhand or hook grip just outside your legs.
3. Lower your hips with the weight focused on your heels.
4. Keep your back straight, head facing forward, and chest up.
5. Position your shoulders just in front of the bar. This is your starting position.
6. Drive through your heels and extend your knees to begin the first pull.
7. Maintain the same back angle and keep your arms straight with elbows pointed out.
8. As the bar approaches the mid-thigh position, start extending through your hips.
9. Use a jumping motion to accelerate the bar by extending your hips, knees, and ankles.
10. Do not actively pull through your arms to accelerate the weight.
11. At the end of the second pull, fully extend your body and lean slightly back.
12. Keep your arms extended and aggressively shrug while flexing your arms with elbows up and out.
13. Pull yourself down and rotate your elbows under the bar to receive it in a front squat position.
14. The depth of your squat will depend on the height of the bar at the end of the third pull.
15. Rack the bar onto your protracted shoulders, lightly touching your throat with relaxed hands.
16. Continue descending to the bottom squat position to aid in the recovery.
17. Immediately recover by driving through your heels and keeping your torso upright.
18. Keep your elbows up as you rise to a standing position.
19. Return the weight to the boxes for the next repetition.

1. Ensure that the barbell is securely placed on the boxes or stands before starting the exercise.
2. Maintain proper form throughout the exercise by keeping your back straight, head facing forward, and chest up.
3. Focus on driving through your heels during the first pull to engage the leg muscles and prevent excessive strain on the lower back.
4. During the second pull, use the power from your hips, knees, and ankles to accelerate the barbell upwards, avoiding the need to forcefully pull with your arms.
5. When transitioning into the receiving position, aggressively shrug and flex your arms with the elbows up and out to properly catch the barbell.
6. As you descend into the front squat position, ensure that the barbell is properly racked onto the protracted shoulders and lightly touching the throat.
7. Maintain control and stability during the recovery phase by driving through your heels and keeping your torso upright.
8. Return the weight to the boxes or stands after each repetition to ensure a safe and controlled exercise.
9. Start with a weight that is appropriate for your fitness level and gradually increase the load as you become more comfortable and confident with the exercise.
10. Always warm up properly before attempting Clean from Blocks to prevent injuries and enhance performance.

Clean from Blocks can be incorporated into workouts as a compound exercise for lower body explosive power. Here are a few ways to include it: 1. Strength Training: Include Clean from Blocks as part of your leg day routine. Perform 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps, focusing on proper form and explosive power. This exercise can be done at the beginning or towards the end of your workout. 2. Olympic Weightlifting: If you are training specifically for Olympic weightlifting, Clean from Blocks is a valuable exercise to improve your clean technique and power. Include it in your snatch and clean & jerk training sessions, performing multiple sets with lighter weights for higher reps to focus on speed and explosiveness. 3. Circuit Training: Add Clean from Blocks to a circuit training workout to target multiple muscle groups and improve overall power and strength. Combine it with other compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses for a full-body workout. 4. HIIT Workouts: Incorporate Clean from Blocks into a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout. Perform the exercise for a set amount of time, such as 30 seconds, followed by a short rest period. Repeat for multiple rounds, alternating with other explosive exercises like box jumps or kettlebell swings. Remember to start with lighter weights and focus on proper form before gradually increasing the load. Always warm up properly before performing Clean from Blocks or any other exercise to prevent injury.