Muscles worked
What the power clean trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Feet and bar. Stand with your feet about hip width and toes turned out slightly. The bar sits over the middle of your foot, close to your shins.
- 02
Grip. Grip just outside your legs, usually about a thumb's length wider than your thighs, so your hands sit near shoulder width. Most weightlifting coaches teach a hook grip: wrap your thumb around the bar, then hold it down with your first two fingers.
- 03
Arms long. Keep your arms straight with your elbows turned out to the sides. The arms are ropes in the pull, not levers.
- 04
Back flat, chest up. Hips higher than your knees and lower than your shoulders, back flat, and shoulders just in front of the bar. Look straight ahead.
- 05
Brace. Take a breath into your belly and tighten your trunk before the bar leaves the floor.
Step by step
How to do the power clean
- 01
First pull. Push the floor away and lift the bar smoothly and under control. Hips and shoulders rise together so your back angle stays the same, and your knees move back out of the bar's way.
- 02
Past the knees. As the bar passes your knees, keep it brushing your thighs and your shoulders over the bar. Stay patient and keep your arms long.
- 03
Explode. When the bar reaches the upper thigh, extend your hips, knees and ankles hard and fast, like a vertical jump, then shrug. The bar should stay close to your body.
- 04
Pull under. Once you are fully extended, pull yourself down under the bar, lifting your elbows and moving your feet out to your squat stance.
- 05
Catch. Whip your elbows around and forward so the bar lands on the front of your shoulders. Meet it in a partial squat above parallel, heels down and elbows high.
- 06
Stand and return. Stand up tall with the bar racked. Lower it to your thighs and then the floor under control, or drop it from the shoulders only with bumper plates and clear space.
Cues to say in your head
- Push the floor away
- Keep the bar close
- Arms long, stay patient
- Jump, then shrug
- Fast elbows
- Land flat, knees soft
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Pulling with the arms early
Keep your arms long until your hips, knees and ankles are fully extended. Bending the elbows early slows the bar and costs power.
Bar swinging away from the body
Keep the bar brushing your thighs and extend straight up through the floor. Banging the bar forward with your hips makes it loop out, which is hard to catch and pulls you forward.
Hips shooting up first off the floor
Raise your hips and shoulders together in the first pull. If your hips rise alone, lower the weight and slow the first pull down.
Slow, low elbows in the catch
Turn your elbows over fast and point them forward so the bar sits on your shoulders, not in your hands or on your wrists.
Catching on your toes or with stiff legs
Land flat footed and bend your knees to absorb the bar. A stiff legged catch jars your back and knees.
Rushing to heavy weight
Build the lift with an empty bar and light loads, often starting from the hang, until every rep looks the same.
Stay safe
The power clean is a technical lift, so learn it from a qualified coach, such as a USA Weightlifting or NSCA certified coach, before loading it heavily. Use bumper plates on a platform or clear floor, and keep people away from the space in front of you. If a rep goes wrong, do not fight to save it: push the bar away in front of you and step back so it falls clear. Stop and get help if you feel sharp pain in your back, wrists or elbows, or if your wrists hurt in the rack and loosening your grip to your fingertips does not fix it.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technique | 4 to 6 | 2 to 3 | 50–70% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
| Power | 3 to 5 | 2 to 3 | 75–85% 1RM | 2 to 4 min |
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 1 to 2 | 85–90% 1RM | 3 to 5 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Power sets
160–185lb
3 to 5 sets of 2 to 3 reps, 2 to 4 min rest. Every rep should be fast. Stop the set when bar speed or form drops.
Warm up to 175 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 10 + 10
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Power Clean questions
What muscles does the power clean work?
Mainly the glutes, hamstrings and quads, which extend your hips, knees and ankles, with the traps and calves helping to finish the pull. Your back, abs and grip hold everything rigid from the floor to the catch.
What is the difference between a power clean and a hang clean?
A power clean starts from the floor, while a hang clean starts with the bar held at the hips and lowered to above the knees or mid thigh. The hang version skips the first pull, so it is often used to teach the explosive extension and catch.
What is the difference between a power clean and a squat clean?
The pull is the same, but a power clean is caught above parallel and a squat clean is caught in a full front squat. Because you drop lower under the bar, most lifters can squat clean more weight than they can power clean.
Is the power clean good for beginners?
It can be, if a qualified coach teaches it with an empty bar or light weight first. Most people learn it in steps, usually starting from the hang, and it is worth having a solid deadlift and front squat before you load it.
How many sets and reps of power cleans should I do?
Keep reps low, usually 1 to 3 per set for 3 to 6 sets, so every rep stays fast and technically sound. High rep cleans tend to break down as you tire.
Do I need bumper plates for power cleans?
They are strongly recommended. Bumpers let you drop the bar safely from the hips or from a missed catch, which iron plates and most gym floors are not made for.
Train in Protocol
Log your power clean by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.