Barbell Clean and Press

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Stand with feet hip-width apart and grip the bar just outside your legs.
2. 2Pull the bar off the floor by extending your knees and keeping your back flat.
3. 3Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles to shrug the bar upward.
4. 4Drop under the bar and rotate your elbows forward to catch it on your shoulders.
5. 5Stand fully upright with the bar racked across your front deltoids.
6. 6Press the bar straight overhead until your arms are fully locked out.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Pulling with the arms instead of driving with the legs.
• Catching the bar with elbows pointing down instead of forward.
• Leaning too far back during the overhead press portion.
• Bouncing the bar off the chest before pressing.

TIPS

• Keep the bar close to your shins and thighs throughout the pull.
• Think of jumping vertically to generate maximum upward momentum.
• Punch your head through your arms at the top of the press.
• Drive through the mid-foot during the initial pull from the ground.

SAFETY

• Ensure wrists remain stacked directly over elbows during the catch to prevent joint strain.
• Do not attempt this movement without a secure rack or safe failure zone.

DETAILS

Muscles

Shoulders

Equipment

Barbell

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Weight & Reps

TECHNIQUE

Base movement

Clean

Load position

Front rack

Arms

Both

Legs

Both

Hand orientation

Pronated (palms down / away)

Body position

Standing

Stance

Shoulder-width