Alternating Hang Clean

How to do the Alternating Hang Clean

1. Place two kettlebells between your feet. To get in the starting position, push your butt back and look straight ahead.
2. Clean one kettlebell to your shoulder and hold on to the other kettlebell in a hanging position. Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulders. Rotate your wrist as you do so.
3. Lower the cleaned kettlebell to a hanging position and clean the alternate kettlebell. Repeat.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	hamstrings
Secondary	biceps, calves, forearms, glutes, lower back, traps
Equipment	kettlebell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No kettlebell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Dumbbell Clean Dumbbell Natural Glute Ham Raise Bodyweight Power Clean Barbell Floor Glute-Ham Raise Bodyweight Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift Dumbbell Snatch Pull Barbell

Easier than the Alternating Hang Clean

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Clean Deadlift beginner · Barbell Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift beginner · Machine Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift beginner · Dumbbell

Harder than the Alternating Hang Clean

Open Palm Kettlebell Clean expert · Kettlebell Power Snatch expert · Barbell Split Snatch expert · Barbell

Superset the Alternating Hang Clean with

Opposing quads work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Front Squats With Two Kettlebells quads Goblet Squat quads Kettlebell Pistol Squat quads One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats quads

Common questions

What muscles does the Alternating Hang Clean work?

The Alternating Hang Clean primarily works the hamstrings, with the biceps, calves, forearms, glutes, lower back, and traps as secondary movers. Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean, Dumbbell Clean, and Power Clean train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Alternating Hang Clean?

Kettlebells. Without kettlebells, Dumbbell Clean, Natural Glute Ham Raise, and Power Clean train the same muscle, and 20 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Alternating Hang Clean suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Clean Deadlift, Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift, and Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift and work up.

Where should the Alternating Hang Clean go in a workout?

Early — the Alternating Hang Clean is compound, working 7 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Front Squats With Two Kettlebells and Goblet Squat later.

Similar exercises

Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Kettlebell Dumbbell Clean Dumbbell Power Clean Barbell Kettlebell Dead Clean Kettlebell Kettlebell Hang Clean Kettlebell Snatch Pull Barbell