Single-Arm Dumbbell Clean and Jerk
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Movement
- Clean · Standing
- Tracks
- Weight & Reps
Works
Full Body Shoulders Quadriceps Glutes Hamstrings Traps Forearms Back
How to do it
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and one dumbbell on the floor outside your working-side foot.
- Hinge at the hips and bend your knees, keeping your back flat, and grip the dumbbell.
- Explosively extend your hips and knees to shrug the dumbbell up close to your body.
- Drop your hips and pull under the dumbbell, catching it at shoulder height with the elbow down.
- Dip slightly at the knees and drive the dumbbell straight overhead until the arm locks.
- Stand fully upright with the weight stable overhead, then lower it under control.
Common mistakes
- Letting the torso lean or twist toward the working side during the pull or lockout.
- Swinging the dumbbell out away from the torso.
- Pressing the weight up slowly instead of using the dip and drive.
- Failing to lock the elbow out completely at the top.
- Leaning too far forward during the catch phase.
- Using a load that is too heavy for one arm, forcing the lower back to compensate.
Safety
Keep the wrist straight when catching the dumbbell to avoid strain.
Do not attempt heavy single-arm loads before the dip and drive mechanics are solid.
Stop the set if the lower back starts to round or the torso twists under the load.
Tips
- Brace the core hard and keep the ribcage stacked over the pelvis to resist the sideways pull.
- Keep the dumbbell close to your body during the pull.
- Punch the hand up aggressively and lock the elbow fully before standing tall.
- Keep the working-side shoulder packed down at the catch rather than letting it shrug up.
- Alternate sides set to set to keep strength balanced.
Details
- Base movement
- Clean
- Load position
- Overhead
- Arms
- One
- Body position
- Standing
- Stance
- Shoulder-width
