Barbell Full Clean

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, shins close to the bar, and grip the barbell just outside your knees using a hook grip if possible.
2. Lower your hips, keep your chest up, and ensure your shoulders are slightly over or in front of the bar.
3. Maintain a flat back and engage your lats to pull the bar tight to your shins in the starting position.

How to do it

1. Initiate the first pull by driving through the floor with your legs, keeping the bar close and maintaining a constant back angle until the bar clears the knees.
2. Transition into the second pull by explosively extending your hips, knees, and ankles (triple extension) while shrugging your shoulders upward.
3. Pull yourself under the bar rapidly, rotating your elbows forward to catch the bar on your front deltoids in a deep squat position.
4. Exhale as you drive out of the bottom of the squat to a standing position, then carefully return the bar to the floor.

Form checklist

• Keep the bar as close to the body as possible throughout the entire movement.
• Achieve full hip extension before attempting to pull yourself under the bar.
• Maintain high, forward-pointing elbows in the catch position to support the weight on your shoulders.
• Keep your heels grounded until the explosive second pull begins.
• Maintain a rigid, upright torso during the squat recovery to prevent the bar from pulling you forward.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'punching' your elbows through quickly during the catch to create a stable shelf on your front deltoids.
• Think about pushing the floor away rather than pulling the bar up to maximize leg drive during the initial phase.
• The 'third pull'—the act of pulling yourself under the bar—is just as important as the upward drive; move with maximum speed.

Make it harder

• Perform Clean Complexes, such as a Power Clean followed immediately by a Full Clean, to increase time under tension and technical demand.
• Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of the catch (the squat) to build positional strength and stability.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell full clean work?

The barbell full clean primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell full clean?

The barbell full clean uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the barbell full clean good for beginners?

The barbell full clean is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Barbell Clean PullAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Deadlift 360 DegreesIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Stepback RowIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean High PullAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius