Dumbbell Clean

How to do the Dumbbell Clean

1. Begin standing with a dumbbell in each hand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Lower the weights to the floor by flexing at the hips and knees, pushing your hips back until the dumbbells reach the floor. This will be your starting position.
3. To initiate the movement, violently jump upward by extending the hips, knees, and ankles to acclerate the weights upward. Maintaining a neutral grip on the dumbbells, keep the arms straight until full extension is reached.
4. After full extension, rebend the hips and knees to receive the weight in a squat position. Allow the arms to bend, guiding the dumbbells to your shoulders.
5. Upon receiving the weight in the squat position, extend the hips and knees to finish in a standing position with the weights on your shoulders.

Muscles worked

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

No dumbbell? Train the same muscles with these

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

Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Kettlebell Natural Glute Ham Raise Bodyweight Alternating Hang Clean Kettlebell Kettlebell Dead Clean Kettlebell Kettlebell Hang Clean Kettlebell One-Arm Open Palm Kettlebell Clean Kettlebell

Easier than the Dumbbell 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 Dumbbell Clean

Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift expert · Barbell Power Snatch expert · Barbell Open Palm Kettlebell Clean expert · Kettlebell

Superset the Dumbbell Clean with

Opposing quads work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Dumbbell Rear Lunge quads Dumbbell Squat To A Bench quads Dumbbell Step Ups quads Dumbbell Lunges quads

Common questions

What muscles does the Dumbbell Clean work?

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

What equipment do you need for the Dumbbell Clean?

Dumbbells. Without dumbbells, Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean, Natural Glute Ham Raise, and Alternating Hang Clean train the same muscle, and 20 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Dumbbell 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 Dumbbell Clean go in a workout?

Early — the Dumbbell Clean is compound, working 8 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Dumbbell Rear Lunge and Dumbbell Squat To A Bench later.

Similar exercises

Power Clean Barbell Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Kettlebell Clean Barbell Hang Snatch Barbell Hang Snatch - Below Knees Barbell