Strength Training · Olympic Weightlifting
Clean Deadlift
The clean deadlift is a controlled barbell lift from the floor to standing using the starting position of a clean. It builds leg, hip, and back strength for the clean’s initial pull.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 3 min
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart beneath the bar, with the bar over your midfoot.
- Take an overhand grip just outside your legs, with your knees bent.
- Set your hips below your shoulders, with your shoulders slightly ahead of the bar.
- Push through the floor to lift the bar to knee height, keeping your back angle steady.
- Extend your hips to stand upright with the bar against your thighs.
- Move your hips backward to lower the bar past your knees.
- Bend your knees to return the plates to a full stop on the floor.
Form cues
- Brace your trunk before each pull.
- Keep pressure through your whole foot.
- Keep your arms long.
Common mistakes
- Hips shooting up firstLet your chest rise with your hips rather than straightening your knees before the bar leaves the floor.
- Bar drifting forwardKeep the bar close to your shins as it rises instead of swinging it around your knees.
- Adding an explosive finishFinish smoothly without jumping, shrugging, or pulling with your arms.
- Leaning backward at the topFinish with your ribs over your pelvis rather than arching your lower back.
Safety
Heavy loads place substantial demand on your lower back; fatigue or loss of trunk position can lead to a strain. Jerking the bar off the floor adds sudden stress before you have established control.
- Secure the plates with collars before lifting.
- Warm up with light sets before adding weight gradually.
- Take the tension out of the bar before driving it upward.
- End the set when you can no longer maintain your lifting position.
If you cannot reach the floor comfortably or have back, hip, or knee pain, use an elevated starting position and seek advice from a physiotherapist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Bumper Plate
- Lifting Belt (optional)
- Lifting Straps (optional)
- Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
- Weightlifting Platform
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 3–5 reps
- Rest
- 3 min
Choose a load that leaves about two reps in reserve while preserving your clean starting position.