- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternPull
- Reps1 to 5 reps
- Joint loadWrist and Lower back
Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width apart. Grip the bar just outside your legs with a flat back and arms straight.
First cueKeep the bar close all the way up.
How to do the Power Clean
Set up. Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width apart. Grip the bar just outside your legs with a flat back and arms straight.
- Lift the bar off the floor as in a deadlift, keeping it close.
- As it passes mid-thigh, extend your hips, knees and ankles explosively.
- Pull yourself under the bar and turn your elbows forward to catch it on the front of your shoulders.
- Catch in a partial squat, then stand up and lower the bar under control.
Form cues
- Keep the bar close all the way up.
- Let the hips do the work, not the arms.
- Fast elbows into the catch.
Common mistakes
- Pulling early with the arms.
- Letting the bar swing away from the body.
Take care. This is a technical lift: learn it with a qualified coach and light weight, and use bumper plates on a suitable floor.
Muscles worked
Main target: Traps. The trapezius runs from the base of the skull across the shoulders and down the middle of the back. Its upper part lifts the shoulder blades in a shrug; its middle and lower parts draw them back and down.
On the way: Quads, Glutes and Upper back.
Its other side: Side delts and Triceps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Power Clean, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Upright Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
- Face Pull Same pull session: it trains the rear delts.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Power Clean first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Power Clean 3 × 1 to 5 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
- Face Pull 3 × 12 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Shrug
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Cable Shrug
Cable
Less load on the wrist
Barbell Shrug
The Power Clean loads the wrist by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Hang Clean.
Do before it: Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter), Hang Clean (same movement, lighter) and Thoracic Rotation (upper back range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Power Clean is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Power Clean?
Set up: Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width apart. Grip the bar just outside your legs with a flat back and arms straight. Steps: 1. Lift the bar off the floor as in a deadlift, keeping it close. 2. As it passes mid-thigh, extend your hips, knees and ankles explosively. 3. Pull yourself under the bar and turn your elbows forward to catch it on the front of your shoulders. 4. Catch in a partial squat, then stand up and lower the bar under control. Form cues: Keep the bar close all the way up. Let the hips do the work, not the arms. Fast elbows into the catch. Common mistakes: Pulling early with the arms. Letting the bar swing away from the body. Take care: This is a technical lift: learn it with a qualified coach and light weight, and use bumper plates on a suitable floor.
What muscles does the Power Clean work?
It trains the traps as its main target and works the quads, glutes and upper back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Power Clean?
At home: Dumbbell Shrug. In a gym: Cable Shrug. With less load on the wrist: Barbell Shrug. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Power Clean with?
Good partners in the same workout are Upright Row, Pull-Up and Face Pull.
How heavy should the Power Clean be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.