How to Master the Barbell Clean and Press
Master the Clean and Press with our step-by-step guide. Learn proper form to build explosive power and shoulder strength with this barbell classic.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell over your mid-foot, then hinge at the hips to grip the bar just outside your legs.
- Keep your back flat and chest up as you pull the bar vertically by extending your hips and knees explosively.
- Once the bar reaches mid-thigh, shrug your shoulders and pull your body under the bar, catching it on the front of your shoulders in a slight squat.
- Stand up straight with the bar in the front rack position, ensuring your elbows are slightly in front of the bar.
- Press the bar directly overhead by extending your arms fully until your elbows are locked out and the bar is aligned with your spine.
- Lower the bar back to your shoulders with control, then return it to the floor by hinging at the hips and knees.
Common Mistakes
- Curling the bar with the arms instead of using hip drive
- Leaning too far back during the overhead press
- Allowing the bar to drift away from the body during the pull
- Failing to engage the core, leading to an arched lower back
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Shoulders
Stabilizers
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Triceps
- Upper Back
Related Guides
- Arm Raises (T/Y/I) — Shoulders
- Arnold Press — Shoulders
- Australian pull-ups — Shoulders
Shoulders · Shoulders