Power Clean: Unlock Explosive Strength, Speed & Full-Body Power

If you’ve ever seen someone launch a barbell like it’s been hit with lightning, that’s the power clean. Short answer: the power clean builds explosive full-body strength, speed, and athletic power. Keep reading to learn how to do it right (and why our best-selling fixed barbells make it even better).

What Is the Power Clean?

Definition & movement pattern — explosive barbell lift from floor to front rack

If you’ve ever watched someone make a barbell seemingly fly from the floor to their shoulders in one smooth snap, that’s the power clean.
It’s an explosive lift that takes the bar from the ground to the front rack in one powerful motion.
No slow grinding reps here — the movement feels sharp, athletic, and fast when done well.

Think of it as the gym equivalent of a lightning strike: quick, precise, and full of power.

Power Clean vs Clean vs Hang Clean vs Clean & Jerk — depth, purpose, athletic carryover

There’s a lot of confusion around clean vs power clean vs hang clean, so here’s the simple version.
The power clean catches the bar high. The clean catches it low in a squat. The hang clean starts from the thigh instead of the floor. Add a jerk overhead and you've got the power clean to jerk or clean & jerk seen in Olympic lifting.

Athletes tend to favour the power clean because it builds force production without demanding full-squat mobility.

Why this lift matters — speed, coordination, strength, athletic performance

Few lifts improve speed and explosiveness like the power clean.
It trains your body to create power quickly, not slowly grind through heavy reps.
This is the kind of training that shows up in real-world performance — faster sprints, higher jumps, and more strength behind every movement.

Power Clean in CrossFit & sports training

Walk into a CrossFit box and you’ll hear barbells cracking against the floor during a CrossFit power clean session.
Step into a sports performance gym and you’ll see athletes being coached through it for the same reasons — explosive power, total-body force, and athletic strength.
Football, rugby, basketball, martial arts… the power clean has earned its spot in almost every performance program.

Power Clean Muscles Worked

Primary muscles — glutes, hamstrings, quads (triple extension)

The power clean muscles worked include the glutes, hamstrings, and quads — the trio responsible for explosive movement.
This “triple extension” (hips, knees, and ankles extending at once) is the same action used in sprinting and jumping.

Secondary & stabilisers — traps, lats, core, upper back, shoulders, calves

Your traps shrug hard. Your core fires to keep your body tight.
Your upper back and shoulders secure the bar into the rack.
Even your calves get involved as you drive through the floor. This lift leaves no muscle asleep.

What do power cleans work? — total-body power, explosiveness, strength transfer

So if someone asks, “What does power clean work?” — the honest answer is: everything you need to become faster, stronger, and more explosive.
It teaches your body to work as one powerful unit, which is why it transfers so well to sports and heavy compound lifts.

How to Do a Power Clean with Proper Form

Setup — stance, grip, bar position, bracing

Feet under hips, hands just outside your legs, bar over your mid-foot.
Brace your core like you’re about to get poked in the stomach.
Shoulders slightly in front of the bar, back tight, eyes forward.

First pull — floor to knee with tension and control

Lift the bar slowly to your knees — this part isn’t explosive yet.
Stay tight and avoid jerking the bar off the floor. Think “smooth, not rushed.”

Scoop/transition — hinge to power position

As the bar reaches your thighs, bring your torso slightly upright.
This sets you up like a coiled spring ready to explode.

Second pull — triple extension, shrug, speed

Now unleash. Drive through your legs, extend your hips, knees, and ankles all at once, and shrug hard.
If you feel your traps light up and your feet shift slightly, you’re doing it right.
Quick tip: if your arms are doing the lifting, you’re turning the power clean into a curl.

The catch — elbows through, front-rack position, landing stance

Pull yourself under the bar just enough to “meet it” at your shoulders.
Whip your elbows through and land with a firm base.
A strong catch feels like you owned the bar — not like it crashed onto you.

Key form cues — bar path close to body, loose arms until hip drive, strong rack

• Keep the bar close — the further it drifts, the harder the lift gets
• Arms stay relaxed until your hips fire
• Rack the bar with tall posture, not slumped shoulders

Common mistakes & fixes — early arm bend, jumping forward, crashing bar, no triple extension

If you bend your arms early, practice jump shrugs or clean pulls.
If you jump forward, it means the bar got away from you — keep it close.
If the bar slams painfully into your shoulders, learn to meet the bar by pulling yourself under softly.

Variations & Alternatives to the Power Clean

Power Clean variations — hang power clean, high pull, clean pulls, power clean to jerk

• Hang power clean: easier to learn, great for speed work
• High pull: builds height and power without catching the bar
• Clean pulls: perfect for strength development
• Power clean to jerk: adds overhead power for total-body athleticism

Equipment variations — barbell power clean, dumbbell power clean (DB power clean), kettlebell clean, sandbag clean

No barbell? No excuses.
The dumbbell power clean (often called DB power clean) is perfect for home training or beginners.
Kettlebells build rotational control. Sandbags challenge pure, gritty power.

Progressions for beginners — clean grip deadlift, clean pull, tall clean, jump shrug

A simple way to learn how to power clean:

1. Clean deadlift

2. Clean pull

3. Jump shrug

4. Tall clean

5. Full power clean
   Master each step and the movement becomes natural.

Power Clean substitutes — kettlebell swing, trap-bar jump, med-ball throws, snatch pulls

Need a power clean substitute that still trains explosiveness?
Kettlebell swings, trap-bar jumps, snatch pulls, or med-ball chest and overhead throws will all get the job done.

When to choose each variation — CrossFit, athletic training, strength focus, limited equipment

• CrossFit: power clean & jerk, hang power clean
• Athletes: clean pulls, high pulls, hang power clean
• Strength focus: lower reps, heavier loads
• Low equipment: DB power clean or med-ball throws

Programming & Training Tips for the Power Clean

Sets & reps for power vs strength vs conditioning

• Power: 3–5 sets of 2–3 reps
• Strength: 4–6 sets of 2–4 reps
• Conditioning (CrossFit-style): 5–8 reps, lighter load, timed pieces

How often to train power cleans & where to place them in a workout

Do them early in your workout while you’re fresh — not after leg day burnout.
Twice a week is plenty for most lifters.

Warm-up & skill drills to improve technique — bar path, speed work, front-rack mobility

Before loading weight, drill the bar path with an empty bar or PVC.
Front-rack mobility can make or break your catch, so loosen your lats, triceps, and wrists.

Power clean for athletes — sprinting, jumping, rugby, basketball, football

This lift has one job: create power that transfers into sport.
Athletes use it to build speed, explosiveness, and grit—qualities that separate strong from unstoppable.

Hang clean vs power clean for athletes — which is better and when?

• Hang clean: great for teaching timing and bar speed
• Power clean: better for full-body power from the floor
Both have their place depending on the season and training phase.

Benefits of the Power Clean

Builds explosive power, speed & athleticism

You won’t find many lifts that train power and speed in the same rep as effectively as the power clean.
It’s athletic by nature — and fun to master.

Improves full-body coordination and neuromuscular efficiency

This movement teaches your muscles to fire together, quickly and efficiently.
That’s the secret sauce behind elite athletic performance.

Enhances strength carryover to deadlifts, squats & sport performance

Once your body learns to generate force quickly, every major lift improves.
Your squat pops, your deadlift lockout gains power, and your athletic movements sharpen.

Boosts conditioning, calorie burn & muscular development

Explosive movements burn calories fast and recruit high-threshold muscle fibers.
Translation: more strength, more muscle, more athletic body composition.

Safety Tips & Mobility Considerations

Mobility demands — shoulders, wrists, hips, thoracic spine, ankles

A good power clean demands decent mobility — especially in the front rack.
If your wrists, lats, or thoracic spine feel stiff, your catch will suffer.

When to avoid or modify the movement — injuries, mobility issues, beginners

Beginners should start light, learn technique first, and only load once confident.
If mobility stops you from catching well, use hang variations or DB power cleans temporarily.

Front-rack mobility fixes — drills, stretches, wrist & thoracic prep

A few minutes of mobility work before training goes a long way.
Wrist stretches, thoracic extensions, and lat mobility drills make the rack position feel far more natural.

Final Takeaway — Why the Power Clean Belongs in Your Training

The power clean is a “high return” movement — one lift that builds speed, strength, power, and athleticism all at once.
If you want to move like an athlete, not just look like one, this lift earns its place in your training.
Focus on technique first, speed second, and weight last. That’s how you build real power.

Ready to load the bar? Use equipment that feels as solid as your form. Our best-selling fixed barbells and Olympic grip plates from Troy, York, TAG Fitness, TKO, Body-Solid and more are designed for performance, durability, and smooth lifting. With weekly 5% discount codes and bulk pricing, you get premium gear at a value. Fixed barbells run 20 lb to 115 lb, and plates range from 2.5 lb to 100 lb.

Try 3×3 with light weight this week. Focus on crisp reps and speed. You’ll feel the difference within a few sessions.