Legs
Clean
A foundational Olympic lift designed to develop explosive lower-body power and total-body coordination.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell positioned over the midfoot.
Hinge at the hips and grip the bar just outside your knees with your back flat and chest up.
Drive through the floor to lift the bar, keeping it close to your shins and maintaining a constant back angle.
Once the bar reaches mid-thigh, explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles while shrugging your shoulders.
Pull your body rapidly under the bar as it reaches peak height and catch it across the front of your shoulders.
Lower the bar to the ground in a controlled manner by unrolling it down your thighs to the starting position.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Pulling with the arms too early instead of using hip drive
- Letting the bar drift away from the body during the ascent
- Rounding the lower back during the initial pull from the floor
- Failing to fully extend the hips before attempting the catch
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.