Strength Training · Olympic Weightlifting · Functional Fitness
Hang Clean
The hang clean is an explosive barbell lift from above the knees to your shoulders, caught in a deep squat. It trains leg and hip power, whole-body coordination, and strength in the catch.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Advanced
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 3 min
How to do it
- Grip the bar on the floor just outside your legs, with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Lift the bar to a standing position.
- Lower the bar to just above your knees by pushing your hips back with a slight knee bend.
- Drive through the floor with explosive hip and knee extension.
- Pull yourself under the rising bar.
- Receive the bar across the fronts of your shoulders in a deep squat, with your elbows pointing forward.
- Stand fully upright with the bar supported on your shoulders.
- Return the bar to the platform before resetting.
Form cues
- Pause briefly at the hang.
- Brace before you drive.
- Keep arms long until your legs extend.
- Land with your whole foot planted.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the bar outwardGuide the bar close to your torso rather than knocking it forward with your hips.
- Letting the bar crash onto youMeet the bar at its rising height before absorbing it into the squat.
- Jumping into an overly wide stanceMove your feet only far enough outward to reach your normal squat stance.
- Knees collapsing inwardKeep your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes throughout the catch and recovery.
Safety
A mistimed catch or failed recovery can strain your wrists, shoulders, knees, or back, especially with excessive load or fatigue. A dropped bar can strike your legs or feet.
- Practice with a technique bar or light barbell before adding weight.
- Secure plates with collars and keep the platform clear of people and loose equipment.
- Learn to release a missed catch forward while stepping back out of the bar's path before attempting challenging loads.
- End the set when speed or catch stability deteriorates.
If you cannot hold a pain-free front-rack position or deep squat, choose a simpler variation and seek advice from a physiotherapist before loading the full movement.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Bumper Plate
- Knee Sleeves (optional)
- Lifting Belt (optional)
- Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
- Weightlifting Platform
- Wrist Wraps (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–5
- Target
- 2–3 reps
- Rest
- 3 min
Use a load that lets every rep stay fast and controlled; reset fully between repetitions.