Clean Deadlift
Clean Deadlift is a olympic weightlifting assistance – clean deadlift exercise involving Hamstrings. Use these steps to learn the movement and work with your coach to choose a suitable level.
Last updated: · DynPerformance
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Secondary muscles
- Forearms, Gluteus maximus, Erector spinae, Rhomboids, Middle trapezius, Quadriceps, Trapezius
- Exercise type
- Olympic weightlifting assistance – clean deadlift
Exercise technique
- Feet
Place the bar close to your shins with your feet under your hips.
- Grip
Take a shoulder-width double-overhand or hook grip.
- Setup
Lower your hips and position your shoulders slightly ahead of the bar.
- First phase
Push through your feet and move your knees back out of the bar path.
- Bar path
Keep your back angle largely unchanged until the bar passes your knees.
- Stand
As the bar approaches your thighs, extend your hips to stand upright.
- Return
Hinge at your hips and lower the bar to the floor with control, keeping it close.
Key technique points
- Use a clean starting position.
- Keep your arms straight.
- Move your knees out of the bar path.
- Raise your hips and shoulders together during the first phase.
- Keep the bar close to your shins.
- Do not perform an explosive clean at the top.
Common mistakes
Drifting into a powerlifting position
Do not raise your hips and completely change the clean pulling angle.
Moving the bar away
Do not loop the bar forward around your knees.
Adding a shrug
Do not turn this deadlift assistance exercise into a full clean pull.
Leaving the knees forward
Do not block the bar path and force a wide arc away from your body.
Rounding the back
Do not lose torso support when lifting off the floor.
Leaning back to lock out
Do not go beyond upright and arch your lower back.
Frequently asked questions
Clean Deadlift: why is “Drifting into a powerlifting position” a mistake?
Do not raise your hips and completely change the clean pulling angle.
Clean Deadlift: why is “Moving the bar away” a mistake?
Do not loop the bar forward around your knees.
Clean Deadlift: why is “Adding a shrug” a mistake?
Do not turn this deadlift assistance exercise into a full clean pull.
Clean Deadlift: why is “Leaving the knees forward” a mistake?
Do not block the bar path and force a wide arc away from your body.
Clean Deadlift: why is “Rounding the back” a mistake?
Do not lose torso support when lifting off the floor.
Clean Deadlift: why is “Leaning back to lock out” a mistake?
Do not go beyond upright and arch your lower back.
What should I focus on when doing Clean Deadlift?
Use a clean starting position. Keep your arms straight. Move your knees out of the bar path. Raise your hips and shoulders together during the first phase. Keep the bar close to your shins. Do not perform an explosive clean at the top.
Related exercises
- 45-degree Back Extension
- Cable Pull-through
- Conventional Deadlift
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- 90/90 Hamstring
- Exercise Guide
Add this exercise to your program with your coach
If you have a health condition, consult a qualified professional.