Exercise Library
Muscle Clean
The muscle clean is essentially a clean without any movement under the bar that allows a focus on the upper body mechanics of the third pull.
Set your clean starting position and push with the legs against the floor through the whole foot similarly to a squat, maintaining approximately the same back angle until the bar is above the knee. Continue aggressively pushing against the floor with the legs and extend the hips violently, keeping the bar as close to the body as possible and ensuring full contact at the top of the extension.
Extend the entire body close to vertically rather than leaning the trunk farther back as you would in a clean. Keep the legs tight and pushing into the floor as you pull the elbows up and out to maintain as much bar speed as possible, shrugging up and back as you do.
Keeping the legs extended, spin the elbows around the bar and bring it smoothly into the rack position. The goal is to deliver it directly into a secure position without any bouncing or adjustment.
Purpose
The muscle clean is helpful at lighter weights to learn and reinforce the proper upper body mechanics of the turnover (third pull) of the clean—in particular, it’s useful for learning how to deliver the bar precisely and smoothly into the rack position for lifters who have a tendency to allow the bar to crash on them. At more challenging weights, the muscle clean will help strengthen the turnover of the clean.
Programming
The muscle clean can be performed early in a training session as a technique primer, or as a training exercise. It can also be performed at the end of a training session as accessory work. Use 3-5 reps per set generally, although the muscle clean can also be done for heavy singles and doubles.
Variations
The muscle clean can also be performed from the hang or from blocks. Straps can be used if desired, but straps will limit wrist and hand mobility and prevent a proper rack position for most lifters. The muscle clean can also be done without a hook grip to strengthen the grip.
Set your clean starting position and push with the legs against the floor through the whole foot similarly to a squat, maintaining approximately the same back angle until the bar is above the knee. Continue aggressively pushing against the floor with the legs and extend the hips violently, keeping the bar as close to the body as possible and ensuring full contact at the top of the extension.
Extend the entire body close to vertically rather than leaning the trunk farther back as you would in a clean. Keep the legs tight and pushing into the floor as you pull the elbows up and out to maintain as much bar speed as possible, shrugging up and back as you do.
Keeping the legs extended, spin the elbows around the bar and bring it smoothly into the rack position. The goal is to deliver it directly into a secure position without any bouncing or adjustment.
Purpose
The muscle clean is helpful at lighter weights to learn and reinforce the proper upper body mechanics of the turnover (third pull) of the clean—in particular, it’s useful for learning how to deliver the bar precisely and smoothly into the rack position for lifters who have a tendency to allow the bar to crash on them. At more challenging weights, the muscle clean will help strengthen the turnover of the clean.
Programming
The muscle clean can be performed early in a training session as a technique primer, or as a training exercise. It can also be performed at the end of a training session as accessory work. Use 3-5 reps per set generally, although the muscle clean can also be done for heavy singles and doubles.
Variations
The muscle clean can also be performed from the hang or from blocks. Straps can be used if desired, but straps will limit wrist and hand mobility and prevent a proper rack position for most lifters. The muscle clean can also be done without a hook grip to strengthen the grip.
