Strength Training · Olympic Weightlifting
Block Clean
The block clean is an explosive barbell lift from raised blocks into a full front squat. It trains leg and hip power, upper-back strength, and coordination under the bar.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 3 min
How to do it
- Position the loaded bar across matched blocks, with the plates supported and the bar around knee height.
- Take an overhand grip just outside your legs, with your feet about hip-width apart beneath the bar.
- Set your hips back with your shoulders slightly ahead of the bar, arms straight, and back flat.
- Push through your feet to lift the bar toward your upper thighs.
- Extend your hips and knees explosively to accelerate the bar upward.
- Pull yourself beneath the rising bar, rotating your elbows forward.
- Receive the bar across the fronts of your shoulders in a full squat, with your elbows pointing forward.
- Stand fully upright with the bar balanced across your shoulders.
Form cues
- Brace before the pull.
- Keep the bar close.
- Push your knees along your toes.
- Meet the bar; don't let it crash.
Common mistakes
- Rocking the bar before liftingBegin each rep from a complete stop rather than rolling or bouncing the bar on the blocks.
- Bending your arms too earlyLet your legs and hips accelerate the bar before using your arms to move underneath it.
- Throwing your head backwardKeep your gaze forward as you finish the pull rather than leaning back to gain height.
- Catching the weight in your handsSupport the load on your shoulders with a relaxed grip instead of holding it with your wrists.
Safety
A missed catch can strain your wrists, shoulders, or back, especially when load or fatigue disrupts timing. An uneven block setup or a bar dropped onto block edges can cause an unpredictable bounce.
- Check that the blocks are stable on a level platform and the plates are secured with collars.
- Practice front squats and safe missed-lift releases with light loads before attempting heavy catches.
- Keep a clear bumper-plate landing area; release finished lifts there rather than trying to drop them precisely onto the blocks.
- End the set when your receiving position becomes unstable or your timing slows.
If you cannot reach a comfortable full squat or shoulder-supported front rack, use a lighter drill and seek physiotherapist advice if pain limits either position.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Bumper Plate
- Knee Sleeves (optional)
- Lifting Belt (optional)
- Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
- Pulling Blocks
- Weightlifting Platform
- Wrist Wraps (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 1–3 reps
- Rest
- 3 min
Use a load that allows fast, consistent repetitions, resetting the bar securely between reps.