Clean Pull
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Clean Pull
- With a barbell on the floor close to the shins, take an overhand or hook grip just outside the legs. Lower your hips with the weight focused on the heels, back straight, head facing forward, chest up, with your shoulders just in front of the bar. This will be your starting position.
- Begin the first pull by driving through the heels, extending your knees. Your back angle should stay the same, and your arms should remain straight and elbows out. Move the weight with control as you continue to above the knees.
- Next comes the second pull, the main source of acceleration for the clean. As the bar approaches the mid-thigh position, begin extending through the hips. In a jumping motion, accelerate by extending the hips, knees, and ankles, using speed to move the bar upward. There should be no need to actively pull through the arms to accelerate the weight; at the end of the second pull, the body should be fully extended, leaning slightly back, with the arms still extended. Full extension should be violent and abrupt, and ensure that you do not prolong the extension for longer than necessary.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Clean Pull
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Hang Clean
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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2
Hang Clean - Below the Knees
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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3
Split Clean
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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4
Clean from Blocks
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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5
Power Snatch from Blocks
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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6
Snatch
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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7
Heaving Snatch Balance
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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8
Frankenstein Squat
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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9
Olympic Squat
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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10
Snatch Balance
An intermediate compound Olympic weightlifting exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do clean pull work?
Clean Pull primarily works the quads. The forearms, glutes, hamstrings, lower back and traps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for clean pull?
Clean Pull uses barbell.
Clean Pull: is it suitable for beginners?
Clean Pull is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.
What can I do instead of clean pull?
Hang Clean, Hang Clean - Below the Knees, Split Clean train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my clean pull reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; clean pull can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Clean Pull with AI
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