Clean Pull
A barbell exercise that mimics the pulling phase of a clean without the catch, building explosive hip and leg power for the full lift. It suits lifters already familiar with the clean technique.
How to do the clean pull
- Set up with the bar close to your shins, gripping it just outside your legs with your hips low.
- Keep your back straight, your chest up and your shoulders slightly in front of the bar to start.
- Drive through your heels to lift the bar past your knees, keeping your arms straight.
- As the bar reaches your thighs, extend your hips, knees and ankles explosively to accelerate the bar upward.
- Finish tall with your body fully extended, then lower the bar back to the floor under control.
Original library instructions (3 steps)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Common mistakes
- Bending the arms to pull the bar higher; keep the arms straight and let the legs do the work.
- Rushing the first pull past the knees, which reduces the speed available for the final extension.
- Rounding the back at the start; set a flat back before you begin each pull.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 sets of 3 reps, 2 to 3 minutes rest |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 5 reps, 2 minutes rest |
| Endurance | 3 sets of 6 reps, 90 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Practice this movement with a light bar first, since the timing of the final extension takes some repetition.
- Use a spotter or safety pins if you are working with a loaded bar and lifting alone.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the clean pull good for beginners?
It suits lifters who already have some technical experience, since it trains the same explosive extension used in a full clean without the added skill of catching the bar.
What muscles does the clean pull work?
It mainly works the quads, with the biceps, glutes, hamstrings and back all contributing to the pull off the floor.
