From the hang, rip it and catch high.
Catch it standing tall in a power position, if you're squatting deep to receive it, the pull was too weak.
From mid-thigh, the hang power clean is all finish: the quads punch through triple extension to launch the bar, the glutes drive the hips open, and the shoulders shrug hard before you snap under into a tall catch. Catching above parallel means the pull has to do everything, there is no riding the bar down into a squat to save a weak rep. That makes it one of the best honest tests of pulling power and a staple for athletes chasing explosiveness without deep-squat mobility demands.
The catch height. A power clean is received standing tall or in a quarter dip, above parallel, while a full clean is caught in a deep front squat. Power variations cap the load but sharpen the pull.
It helps a lot once weights climb. Wrapping your fingers over your thumb locks the bar in without a death grip, keeping your arms loose so they can whip under fast. It feels awful for a week, then you never go back.
Because the pull was not strong enough for that weight, so you are diving under to rescue it. Lighten the bar and finish taller through the hips. If you cannot catch it high, it is a clean, not a power clean.
