Barbell Clean

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Stand with feet hip-width apart and grip the bar just outside your legs.
2. 2Keep your back flat and chest up as you pull the bar off the floor.
3. 3Extend your hips and knees violently to accelerate the bar upward.
4. 4Shrug your shoulders and pull your elbows high as the bar reaches hip height.
5. 5Drop under the bar quickly to catch it on your front shoulders.
6. 6Stand up fully with the bar racked and elbows pointing forward.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Bending the arms too early during the initial pull from the floor.
• Catching the bar with elbows dropped instead of high and forward.
• Leaning too far forward over the toes during the catch phase.
• Failing to extend the hips fully before pulling the body under.

TIPS

• Keep the bar close to your shins throughout the first pull.
• Think of jumping vertically rather than just lifting the weight.
• Punch your elbows up and forward immediately upon catching the bar.
• Drive through the mid-foot to maintain balance during the catch.

SAFETY

• Ensure wrists are mobile enough to support the bar in the front rack position.
• Do not attempt heavy loads without mastering the technique of dropping under the bar.

DETAILS

Muscles

Full Body

Equipment

Barbell

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Weight & Reps

TECHNIQUE

Base movement

Clean

Load position

dumbbell held between feet

Arms

Both

Legs

Both

Hand orientation

Pronated (palms down / away)

Grip width

Shoulder-width

Body position

Standing

Stance

Shoulder-width