Clean Pull

How to do the Clean Pull

1. With a barbell on the floor close to the shins, take an overhand or hook grip just outside the legs. Lower your hips with the weight focused on the heels, back straight, head facing forward, chest up, with your shoulders just in front of the bar. This will be your starting position.
2. Begin the first pull by driving through the heels, extending your knees. Your back angle should stay the same, and your arms should remain straight and elbows out. Move the weight with control as you continue to above the knees.
3. Next comes the second pull, the main source of acceleration for the clean. As the bar approaches the mid-thigh position, begin extending through the hips. In a jumping motion, accelerate by extending the hips, knees, and ankles, using speed to move the bar upward. There should be no need to actively pull through the arms to accelerate the weight; at the end of the second pull, the body should be fully extended, leaning slightly back, with the arms still extended. Full extension should be violent and abrupt, and ensure that you do not prolong the extension for longer than necessary.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	forearms, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, traps
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

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

Mountain Climbers Bodyweight Iron Crosses (stretch) Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Alternate Leg Diagonal Bound Bodyweight Bench Jump Bodyweight Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight

Easier than the Clean Pull

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

Sandbag Load beginner · Other Equipment Backward Drag beginner · Other Equipment Cable Deadlifts beginner · Cable Machine

Harder than the Clean Pull

One-Arm Side Deadlift expert · Barbell Snatch from Blocks expert · Barbell

Common questions

What muscles does the Clean Pull work?

The Clean Pull primarily works the quads, with the forearms, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and traps as secondary movers. Hang Clean, Hang Clean - Below the Knees, and Power Snatch from Blocks train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Clean Pull?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Mountain Climbers, Iron Crosses (stretch), and Squats - With Bands train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Clean Pull suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Sandbag Load, Backward Drag, and Cable Deadlifts and work up.

Where should the Clean Pull go in a workout?

Early — the Clean Pull is compound, working 6 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh.

Similar exercises

Hang Clean Barbell Hang Clean - Below the Knees Barbell Power Snatch from Blocks Barbell Snatch from Blocks Barbell Split Clean Barbell Snatch Barbell