Power clean

A power lift: the bar goes from the floor to the shoulders in a single explosive pull. It trains rapid force production; technique beats load and it is not a hypertrophy exercise.

• Compound
• Barbell
• Advanced

How to do it

• First pull slow and controlled up to the knee
• Extend hip, knee and ankle together and all the way
• Fast elbows through to receive on the deltoids
• Catch in a quarter squat, not a full squat

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 3–5 explosive, clean reps · leave 3–4 RIR (quality, not failure)

Tempo: Explosive hip and knee; land or receive the load by absorbing it

Common mistakes

• Pulling with the arms before the hip extends
• Letting the bar drift away from the body during the pull
• Chasing reps to failure: technique breaks before the muscle does

Muscles worked

Primary

• Glutes

Secondary

• Hamstrings
• Quads
• Traps
• Anterior deltoid

Alternatives

• Barbell Clean and Press
• Power Snatch
• Conventional Deadlift