Barbell Muscle Clean

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, with the barbell positioned over the mid-foot.
2. Hinge at the hips and grip the bar just outside your knees using an overhand or hook grip.
3. Lower your hips until your shins touch the bar, keeping your chest up, back flat, and shoulders slightly in front of the bar.

How to do it

1. Inhale to brace your core and initiate the pull by pushing through the floor, keeping the bar close to your shins and maintaining a constant back angle.
2. As the bar passes your knees, explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles (triple extension) while shrugging your shoulders upward.
3. Exhale and use the momentum to pull the bar vertically, quickly rotating your elbows forward and under the bar to catch it on your front deltoids.
4. Finish in a tall standing position with legs locked out, ensuring you do not bend your knees to 'receive' the weight.

Form checklist

• Keep the bar as close to the body as possible to maintain a vertical bar path.
• Ensure full hip extension is reached before the arms begin to pull the bar up.
• Do not 're-dip' or bend the knees once the bar has been caught on the shoulders.
• Maintain a neutral spine and braced core throughout the entire lift to protect the lower back.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'punching' your elbows forward and up as fast as possible during the turnover to secure a stable front rack.
• Think of the movement as a high pull that transitions into a press-under, emphasizing the speed of the hands and elbows.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement from a 'hang' position (starting with the bar at the knees) to remove initial momentum and increase the demand on the second pull.
• Incorporate a 2-second pause at the knee during the first pull to build positional strength and control.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell muscle clean work?

The barbell muscle clean primarily targets the erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the abs, biceps, deltoids, forearms, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell muscle clean?

The barbell muscle clean uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the barbell muscle clean good for beginners?

The barbell muscle clean is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Barbell Hang Clean High PullAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Snatch PullAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, trapezius, and triceps
• Kettlebell Sumo High PullIntermediate · adductors, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Smith Hang CleanAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius