Hang Clean Form Guide: Build Explosive Power
Master the hang clean with our expert guide. Learn the proper technique, common mistakes to avoid, and how to increase your total-body explosive strength.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grip the barbell just outside your thighs using an overhand or hook grip.
- Deadlift the bar to a standing position, then lower it under control to just above your knees by unhinging at the hips and keeping your back flat.
- Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously while shrugging your shoulders to drive the bar upward.
- Pull your body actively under the bar as it reaches maximum height, rotating your elbows forward quickly to catch the bar across the front of your shoulders.
- Stand up completely to finish the lift, ensuring your elbows stay high and the weight is balanced over your midfoot.
- Lower the bar back to the hang position or the floor with control to complete the repetition.
Common Mistakes
- Curling the bar with the arms instead of using hip drive
- Allowing the bar to drift too far away from the body during the pull
- Landing in a excessively wide stance or on the toes during the catch
- Failing to fully extend the hips before initiating the pull under the bar
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Full Body
Stabilizers
- Hamstrings
- Trapezius
- Glutes
- Forearms
Related Guides
- Dumbbell Snatch — Full Body
- Man Maker — Full Body
- Power Clean — Full Body
Full Body · Full Body