Introducing

NASA's Competition Division

Copyrighted 2007 by NASA & Rich Peters

This event will consist of the Power Clean and the Bench Press, for a Total. Lifters will be placed according to their Total, i.e. their best successful Bench Press attempt and their best, successful Power Clean attempt added together for a Total. This Division is offered for male lifters only in the HS Nationals only.

NASA's standard Bench Press Rules apply for the Bench Press portion of this event.

Here is one example of the correct way to perform a Power Clean:

since 8.17.07

This is a description of the Power Clean

This exercise is used for the development of speed-strength qualities and for warming up. This lift can be started with the bar either on the ground or from a hang clean position. Stand over the barbell. Position your feet underneath the barbell with your feet at hip width. The bar should cross your feet at the metatarsal toe joints, just in front of your ankles. Point your toes slightly out. Hold your head erect and tighten your spinal muscles. Rotate your shoulders forward. Now bend over while squatting down and grasp the bar with a shoulder width grip. Lock your elbows and position your body so that your arms are vertical to the bar with wrists flexed. Keeping your back muscles contracted, take a 3/4 breath. Using your legs, explode the bar off the floor. When the barbell passes your knees, push in with your hips. Your knees will shift back down and under the bar. At the same time you bring your hips in, start to pull the barbell up with your back. This action will bring the bar into contact with your legs at mid-thigh. At the moment of contact, accelerate the bar upward with your legs and back until your body reaches a full extension. At full extension contract your calves and Trapezius muscles simultaneously, raising up on your toes and shrugging your shoulders. This movement puts maximum momentum into the barbell, allowing it to continue to rise while you drop under it. Bend your elbows, pulling the bar up with your arms as you jump your feet out to the sides. Descend into a half squat as quickly as possible. With the bar moving up and your body moving down, twirl your elbows under it. The barbell should come to rest on your anterior deltoids and clavicle bones on or before your thighs become parallel to the floor. Keeping your back muscles contracted, stand upright with the bar.
 

Reasons for Disqualification of a Power Clean Attempt - Rules for the Power Press©:

*Failure to rest bar on the anterior deltoids and/or clavicle bones or in an upright controlled position until the Down Signal is given by the Head Referee

*Failure to stand erect, knees locked and controlled at the completion of the lift

*Any lowering of the bar after the weight clears the midsection of the lifter

*Any downward movement of the bar once the body starts an upward movement from the lifter's lowest position

*Any double bouncing of the bar after the weight clears the floor or after the bar starts an upward movement

*Any downward movement of the lifters body once the upward lift begins from the lowest squat position

* Failure to observe the Head Referee's Down Signal at the completion of the lift

* Lift may begin in a hang position OR from the floor. This is the lifters option

The Name and Rules of "Power Press" is copyrighted by NASA & Rich Peters - 2007

Bench Press Rules of Performance