How to perform cleans… Pound for pound, cleans are one of the most effective exercises for building full body strength. If you are looking to maximise the amount of body fat burnt per repetition then this movement is also for you. You can also add the overhead press (using legs to assist) to up the ante, and you will burn even more fat and build more strength.
Executing cleans is 90% technique and 10% actual strength. The more sound your mastery of the intricate parts of this movement then more weight you will be able to lift.
Main Muscles: Full Body
Key Points:
– Grab the bar outside of shoulder width with your feet just inside and toes slightly turned outwards
– Keep your ass out, lower back concaved and core tight
– Drive your feet through the floor and thrust your hips forward in an explosive manner
– Get your elbows up and under the bar as quickly as possible while bending your knees to drop down yourself underneath the bar
– Avoid leaning backwards in order to protect your lower back (push your bum out and keep your heels flat so that your glutes take the load)
Core strength is best built whilst balancing a weight in an overhead position. In this case with a barbell. Exploding upwards from the floor as to defy gravity with this movement improves the transition of strength into power.
Muscles Focused: Abdominals
Key Points:
– Lay flat on the floor with your knees bent
– Take a wide grip on the barbell (outside of shoulders width) with your elbows locked out
– Drive your lower back into the floor using your core strength to explode upwards whilst keeping your arms locked with the bar above your head
– Keep your chest high
This is a cool lil’ exercise for core that is designed to hit all of the abdominal muscles at once. The resistance caused by the band will engage transverse abdominis (inner core), the sit-up rectus abdominis (six pack) and the twisting obliques.
Main Muscles: Abdominals, Obliques
Key Points:
– Keep your chest high and core tight
– Sit in a Z position with your knees bent and heels on the floor
– Extend your arms in front of your chest and lock your elbows while holding the handle with both hands
– Drive your lower back into the floor when exploding upwards
– Twist your torso so that your hands draw a quarter circle around you from 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock and then 12 o’clock to 9 o’clock when working the other side
– Train both sides evenly
This is an intermediate level exercise that is great for core stability. The example in the video is done with a kettle bell, but realistically you can also use a dumbbell, powerbag, or something similar.
Main Muscles: Core
Key Points:
– Keep your back straight, hips up and core tight throughout the set
– Begin with the KB on the outside of your left shoulder
– Reach across your chest with the right arm and pull the KB across your body to the outside of your right shoulder
– Use your hands and feet to walk sideways until the KB is once again outside of your left shoulder and repeat
The climbing plank is an intermediate level exercise for core. You will require some basic chest and shoulder strength, but once you are up to an intermediate level, climbing is a great way to advance the movement.
Main Muscles: Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis
Key Points:
– Keep your back straight & core tight
– Make sure that your hips don’t sink too low or rise too high – your body should be as straight as a board
– Begin with your elbows underneath your chest and push yourself up onto your hands one at a time and repeat
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