Power Clean

ForearmsDeltoidsGlutesCalvesTrapeziusHamstringsQuadricepsBicepsRhomboidsBarbellBeginner
Start with feet hip-width apart and a barbell on the floor in front of you. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the barbell with an overhand grip. Stand up explosively, extending your hips and knees while pulling the barbell up close to your body. As the barbell reaches hip level, quickly drop underneath it by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Catch the barbell with your elbows pointed forward, creating a front rack position, and your thighs slightly below parallel. Stand up with the barbell using the power from your legs and hips. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions. Remember to maintain a strong and stable core throughout the movement.

How to perform the Power Clean

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Power Clean using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your forearms.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your forearms rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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