Barbell Clean Exercise Guide
Reviewed by
Valerie Zeller
Printable version
Barbell Clean is a strength exercise that works your traps, hamstrings, deltoids, quadriceps and side deltoids.
Barbell Clean is a great challenging move. When done correctly, it can effectively target your buttocks, hips, legs, lower body, neck, shoulders, upper back, upper body and upper legs.
It requires barbell to do.
How to do Barbell Clean
Exercise
With a barbell on the floor close to your shins, take an overhand (or hook) grip just outside your legs. Raise the weight with your hips. Keep your back straight, head facing forward, chest up, and shoulders just in front of the bar. Begin the first pull by driving through your heels and extending your knees. Your back angle should stay the same, and your arms should remain straight. Move the weight with control passed your knees. Start the second pull at mid-thigh, the main source of acceleration for the clean. Extend through your hips, knees, and ankles. At full extension, shrug and flex your arms then receive the bar in a quarter squat. Repeat.
Illustrated Guide
Learn how to do barbell clean from this step-by-step illustrations:
Muscles Worked
The muscles used for barbell clean may change slightly based on the your trained range of motion and technique, but in the most general case, the muscles used for barbell clean are:
Primary Muscles
- Traps
- Hamstrings
- Deltoids
- Quadriceps
- Side Deltoids
Synergyst Muscles
- Biceps
- Rear Deltoids
- Transverse Abs
Frequently Asked Questions
Training, Progressions and Regressions
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Barbell Clean Training and Progressions
Standards and Averages
Wonder how do others perform in Barbell Clean and how should you?
Barbell Clean Standards and Averages
Alternatives
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Variations
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Discover more
Classification
| Type(s) | Strength, Compound, Crossfit, Weightlifting |
| Muscles Worked | Trapezius, Biceps Brachii, Biceps Femoris, Deltoids, Quadriceps, Lateral Deltoids, Posterior Deltoids, Transverse Abdominis |
| Difficulty Level(s) | Challenging, Hard, Moderate |
| Equipment | Barbell |
| Location | At Gym |
Muscles Worked
| Target muscle(s) | Traps, Hamstrings, Deltoids, Quadriceps, Side Deltoids |
| Synergyst muscle(s) | Biceps, Rear Deltoids, Transverse Abs |
