Home/hinge/Power Clean

Power Clean

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Advancedhinge

Home Setup

Use a loaded backpack, heavy duffel bag, or water jugs to practice the movement pattern with lighter loads, focusing on the explosive hip extension and catch position

Heavy backpackDuffel bag with booksWater jugsSandbag

💡 Pro tip: Practice the receiving position (front rack) separately by holding household items at shoulder height to build comfort and mobility

Gym Setup

Olympic barbell with bumper plates on a lifting platform or rubber flooring, with adequate space around you for safe bar drop if needed

Safety: Always warm up thoroughly with PVC pipe or empty bar work, ensure proper front rack mobility before loading heavy, and use bumper plates to protect equipment if dropping the bar

💪 Muscles Worked

HamstringsGlutesQuadricepsTrapeziusDeltoidsForearmsCoreCalves

⭐ Why This Exercise?

The power clean develops explosive power, speed, and coordination while building total-body strength. It's a cornerstone movement in CrossFit that translates directly to improved performance in other lifts and metabolic conditioning workouts, while teaching efficient force transfer from the ground through the kinetic chain.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Hang Power Clean

barbell + weight plates

Starts from hang position (mid-thigh) eliminating the complex first pull from the floor, allowing focus on hip extension and catch

2. Dumbbell Power Clean

dumbbells

Lighter load and simpler mechanics with dumbbells reduce technical complexity while building similar movement patterns

3. Kettlebell Clean

kettlebell

Single-arm movement breaks down the pattern into manageable pieces and requires less weight and technical precision

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Squat Clean

barbell + weight plates

Catching in a full front squat rather than partial squat requires greater mobility, speed under the bar, and allows heavier loads

2. Clean and Jerk

barbell + weight plates

Adds the overhead jerk component, creating a more complex full-body movement requiring additional shoulder stability and power

3. Cluster

barbell + weight plates

Combines a clean with a thruster in one rep, dramatically increasing metabolic demand and total-body coordination requirements

↕️ Similar Movements

Deadlift
Shares the initial pull mechanics and hip hinge pattern that forms the foundation of the power clean
Front Squat
The receiving position of the power clean is a partial front squat, requiring similar mobility and strength
High Pull
Isolates the explosive pulling portion without the catch, useful for developing power and speed in the second pull
Push Press
Often paired in complexes, shares the front rack position and teaches explosive hip drive transferred to upper body
Snatch
Sister Olympic lift with similar explosive hip extension but wider grip and overhead receiving position

Form Checklist

✓Start with shoulders over the bar, weight in mid-foot, and tight back
✓Explode through the hips with violent extension, keeping bar close to body
✓Shrug and pull elbows high and outside as bar rises
✓Drop under the bar quickly, rotating elbows through to front rack position
✓Catch with bar on shoulders, elbows high, in a partial squat with feet in landing position
✓Stand to full hip and knee extension to complete the rep

Common Mistakes

  • •Pulling with arms too early instead of driving through legs and hips first
  • •Letting the bar swing away from the body, creating inefficient bar path
  • •Not fully extending hips before pulling under the bar
  • •Catching with elbows down or bar in hands instead of proper front rack on shoulders
  • •Landing with feet too wide or narrow instead of in strong squat stance
  • •Rushing the setup position with poor back tension or weight distribution

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can consistently perform 3 sets of 3 reps at 70-75% of your 1RM with perfect technique, fast bar speed, and confident catches. You should demonstrate solid front rack mobility, explosive hip extension, and quick feet in the transition phase before adding significant load or advancing to more complex variations.