Clean Pull
Clean Pull is a olympic weightlifting power – clean pull exercise involving Quadriceps. Use these steps to learn the movement and work with your coach to choose a suitable level.
Last updated: · DynPerformance
- Primary muscles
- Quadriceps
- Secondary muscles
- Forearms, Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Erector spinae, Trapezius
- Exercise type
- Olympic weightlifting power – clean pull
Exercise technique
- Setup
Keep the bar close to your shins and use a clean-width overhand or hook grip.
- Start
Lower your hips and position your shoulders slightly ahead of the bar.
- Floor pull
Extend your knees with arms straight while maintaining your torso angle.
- Transition to thighs
Keep pressure through your midfoot as you bring the bar close along your legs.
- Explode
Quickly extend your hips, knees and ankles to accelerate the bar upward.
- Finish
Allow your shoulders to rise naturally and finish the pull without receiving the bar on your shoulders.
- Lower
Control the bar’s deceleration and return it to the floor along a close path.
Key technique points
- Generate acceleration at thigh level.
- Keep your arms long throughout extension.
- Do not throw the bar forward.
- Do not prolong full extension unnecessarily.
- Do not catch the bar in a clean.
- Begin the lift from the floor with control.
Common mistakes
Curling the bar
Do not bend your arms early and reduce bar speed.
Incomplete extension
Do not finish the pull before your hips and knees extend.
Excessive backward lean
Do not confuse explosive extension with arching your lower back.
Bouncing off the hips
Do not collide with the bar and send it forward.
Slow heavy pulling
Do not choose a load so heavy that it defeats the speed objective.
Turning it into a clean
Do not move under the bar and catch it in the rack at the end of the pull.
Frequently asked questions
Clean Pull: why is “Curling the bar” a mistake?
Do not bend your arms early and reduce bar speed.
Clean Pull: why is “Incomplete extension” a mistake?
Do not finish the pull before your hips and knees extend.
Clean Pull: why is “Excessive backward lean” a mistake?
Do not confuse explosive extension with arching your lower back.
Clean Pull: why is “Bouncing off the hips” a mistake?
Do not collide with the bar and send it forward.
Clean Pull: why is “Slow heavy pulling” a mistake?
Do not choose a load so heavy that it defeats the speed objective.
Clean Pull: why is “Turning it into a clean” a mistake?
Do not move under the bar and catch it in the rack at the end of the pull.
What should I focus on when doing Clean Pull?
Generate acceleration at thigh level. Keep your arms long throughout extension. Do not throw the bar forward. Do not prolong full extension unnecessarily. Do not catch the bar in a clean. Begin the lift from the floor with control.
Related exercises
Add this exercise to your program with your coach
If you have a health condition, consult a qualified professional.