Barbell Hang Clean Below The Knees

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and grip the barbell just outside your knees using an overhand or hook grip.
2. Deadlift the bar to a full standing position to set your posture, then hinge at the hips to lower the bar until it is positioned just below your kneecaps.
3. Keep your back flat, chest up, and shoulders slightly in front of the bar with your weight centered over the mid-foot.

How to do it

1. Initiate the movement by explosively extending your hips, knees, and ankles (triple extension) while simultaneously shrugging your shoulders toward your ears.
2. As the bar gains upward momentum, pull your body underneath it by rotating your elbows forward and catching the bar on your front deltoids.
3. Exhale sharply during the explosive extension and catch the bar in a quarter-squat position with a tall chest and elbows pointing forward.
4. Stand up fully to complete the repetition, then carefully lower the bar back to the starting position below the knees using a controlled hinge.

Form checklist

• Keep the bar as close to your thighs and torso as possible throughout the entire movement.
• Ensure your hips reach full extension before you begin pulling with your arms.
• Maintain a neutral spine and braced core to stabilize the load during the catch.
• Drive your elbows up and forward quickly to create a stable 'shelf' on your shoulders for the bar.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'punching' your elbows through as fast as possible during the catch to prevent the bar from crashing onto your collarbones.
• Think about jumping vertically rather than swinging the bar out in an arc to maximize power transfer.

Make it harder

• Transition into a Full Hang Squat Clean by catching the bar in a deep front squat rather than a power position.
• Add a 2-second pause at the below-knee position to eliminate elastic energy and force a more powerful concentric contraction.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell hang clean below the knees work?

The barbell hang clean below the knees 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 hang clean below the knees?

The barbell hang clean below the knees uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the barbell hang clean below the knees good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Barbell Snatch From BlocksAdvanced · adductors, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, serratus anterior, and trapezius
• Kettlebell Snatch And SwingAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Clean And JerkAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean High PullAdvanced · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, and trapezius