Kettlebell Two Arm Clean

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place two kettlebells on the floor between your feet, spaced slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat and shins nearly vertical.
3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip, ensuring your thumbs are pointing slightly back or toward each other.
4. Engage your lats and look slightly ahead to maintain a neutral spine.

How to do it

1. Drive through your heels and explosively extend your hips and knees to pull the kettlebells upward vertically.
2. Keep the kettlebells close to your body as they rise, 'taming the arc' to prevent the weights from swinging away from your midline.
3. As the bells reach chest height, quickly rotate your hands around the handles and catch the bells in the 'rack position' against your outer forearms and chest.
4. Exhale sharply during the explosive hip drive and inhale as you reverse the movement to return the bells to the floor.

Form checklist

• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid rounding your lower back during the hinge.
• Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs once you reach the rack position.
• Avoid letting the kettlebells 'flop' and bang against your forearms; guide them into position with a loose grip.
• Ensure your core is braced and your glutes are squeezed at the top of the movement.

Pro tips

• Think about 'punching' your hands through the handles at the top of the movement to secure the rack position quickly and smoothly.
• Focus on the hip drive for power rather than 'muscling' the weight up with your arms; your hands are simply guides.

Make it harder

• Perform a 'Clean and Press' by adding a strict overhead press immediately after catching the bells in the rack.
• Incorporate a 'Dead Clean' by coming to a complete stop on the floor between every rep to eliminate elastic energy.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the kettlebell two arm clean work?

The kettlebell two arm clean primarily targets the deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and triceps, and also works the abs, obliques, and rotator cuff as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the kettlebell two arm clean?

The kettlebell two arm clean uses kettlebell.

Is the kettlebell two arm clean good for beginners?

The kettlebell two arm clean is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Barbell Clean And PressAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps
• Baseball HitAdvanced · biceps, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, lats, obliques, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps
• Dumbbell One Arm SnatchIntermediate · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps
• Kettlebell Clean And JerkAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps