The Kettlebell Clean and Press will make your dreams come true!

Okay, this isn't true if your dream is hooking up with Britney Spears before she became fat and crazy, but if your goal is kick ass power, speed and jacked body to boot then kettlebell clean and presses are the real deal. Don't believe me, watch the Olympic lifters this year. A life time of clean and jerks, snatches and front squats have made these athletes into perfect power machines!

Clean and presses are a simpler version of clean and jerks so I recommend and use them extensively. They can be done with a kettlebell, a barbell, a dumbbell or even with a sandbag. The exercise is some simple anyone can do it, but so tough few will. They can be used for developing power, increasing hypertrophy or burning fat. But first I must answer the eternal question, what does it work?

Done properly a clean and press will work the whole body. All your muscles must work together to force the weight up and over head. If you need more detail, do a 45 minutes workout of clean and presses only, the next day when everything from your ankles to your neck is crazy sore, tell me what it worked!

Why are they effective? They are an effective exercise for a multitude of goals because as I wrote above, they force the entire body to work together. Cleans can be grouped with squats, deadlifts or bench presses as the exercises that make the entire body grow bigger and stronger. A hard session of clean pressing will force your body to "adapt or die" as Brooks Kubik loves to say.

How do you do them? Simple really. Pick the weight up off the ground with a neutral spine, when your hands get to your knees jump! As your hips fly forward pull your elbows up as high as possible. When the weight reaches your neck, tuck the elbow under and catch the weight under your shoulders. Then, dip into a mini front squat, and drive the weight over head explosively. For a better explanation, check out Dan John's lifting and throwing website .

Want power? Use a heavy weight, keep the reps low and the rest high.

Want hypertrophy (hugeness)? Use a lighter weight, keep the reps moderate 3-8 and the rest shorter.

Want to burn fat? Use a light weight, use high reps and keep the rest as short as possible. Do not use a barbell for high rep cleans as they can put the back at risk. Kettlebells and sandbags are safer for higher reps.

Like all new techniques, start with a light weight and focus on learning perfect technique. Watch some youtube video, ask a qualified trainer (most don't know the Olympic lifts), and pay attention to the feel of the movement. Clean and Presses will make you an athlete, but only if work hard and safe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2WhkQxHd5E