Exercise Library
Tall Muscle Clean
The tall muscle clean is the isolated upper body motion of the third pull of the clean.
Stand with a clean grip on a bar hanging at arms’ length. Pull the elbows up and out as you shrug up and back, and pull the bar up and back into the shoulders while spinning the elbows around the bar to secure the clean rack position. The goal is to bring the bar smoothly into position without having to reach the body to the bar.
Purpose
The tall muscle clean is a good teaching drill for the clean turnover, and can also be used to practice, reinforce and warm up the turnover.
Programming
Sets of 3-10 reps with an empty bar is usually appropriate, but weight can be added if the goal is to develop strength in the motion. However, avoid changing the quality of the movement in order to add weight—that completely defeats the purpose.
Stand with a clean grip on a bar hanging at arms’ length. Pull the elbows up and out as you shrug up and back, and pull the bar up and back into the shoulders while spinning the elbows around the bar to secure the clean rack position. The goal is to bring the bar smoothly into position without having to reach the body to the bar.
Purpose
The tall muscle clean is a good teaching drill for the clean turnover, and can also be used to practice, reinforce and warm up the turnover.
Programming
Sets of 3-10 reps with an empty bar is usually appropriate, but weight can be added if the goal is to develop strength in the motion. However, avoid changing the quality of the movement in order to add weight—that completely defeats the purpose.
