Smith Machine Hang Power Clean
The Smith Machine Hang Power Clean is an explosive strength exercise that utilizes a fixed vertical path to build power in the posterior chain and upper back. It simplifies the technical demands of the traditional clean, making it an excellent variation for developing speed and coordination safely.
Because this plyometric movement demands high central nervous system output, the AI analyzes your sleep quality and HRV to determine if you are recovered enough for explosive training effectively. If you report wrist or shoulder discomfort, the app recalls this association and can suggest alternatives like high pulls to avoid the forced rack position of the Smith machine, while real-time RPE tracking ensures you are generating true power rather than just grinding through reps.
Form Cues
- Start with the bar resting against your mid-thighs
- Thrust your hips forward explosively to initiate the movement
- Shrug your shoulders aggressively as the bar rises
- Drop under the bar quickly to catch it across your shoulders
- Drive your elbows high and forward in the catch position
- Don't pull the weight up using your biceps
- Don't let your lower back round during the setup
- Don't catch the bar with your elbows pointing down
- Don't land with stiff legs or locked knees
- Don't let the bar drift away from your body
Common Mistakes
- Reverse curling the weight
- Lack of explosive hip drive
- Catching with low elbows
- Starting the pull too low
- Landing flat-footed and heavy
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the glutes, quadriceps, and erector spinae through the explosive triple extension of the hips and knees. It also heavily engages the upper back, specifically the trapezius and posterior deltoids during the pull, while the core works dynamically to stabilize the catch.
Primary
Secondary
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