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Barbell Clean Pull

Explosive power builder! Master the clean pull for Olympic lifts & a stronger back. Perfect your form and technique now.

The Barbell Clean Pull is a compound exercise that mainly works the quads and back, with help from the glutes & hips and traps. You'll need: barbell or weight plates.

Barbell Clean Pull demo video 2
Ms. Grey
JustGains_XX
@JustGains_XX

Required Equipment

Barbell
Barbell
Weight Plates
Weight Plates

Barbell Clean Pull Muscles Worked

Primary

Quads (quadriceps femoris); Lats (latissimus dorsi)

Secondary

Glutes (gluteus maximus); Upper Traps (trapezius, upper fibers)

Barbell Clean Pull Variations and Alternatives

How to do the Barbell Clean Pull

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a loaded barbell resting on the floor over your midfoot.

  2. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to grip the barbell with an overhand grip, keeping your chest up and back flat.

  3. Drive through your entire foot to lift the bar off the floor, keeping it close to your shins.

  4. As the bar passes your knees, explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles while shrugging your shoulders upward.

  5. Allow the momentum to lift your heels slightly as you pull your elbows high and out to the sides.

  6. Lower the bar back to the floor in a controlled manner by reversing the movement and resetting your posture.

Barbell Clean Pull FAQs

What muscles does the Barbell Clean Pull work?

The Barbell Clean Pull mainly works the quads and back, with help from the glutes & hips and traps. The main muscles are the quadriceps femoris and latissimus dorsi.

What equipment do you need for the Barbell Clean Pull?

Barbell or weight plates.

Is the Barbell Clean Pull a compound exercise?

Yes. It's a compound movement, meaning it trains several muscle groups at once rather than isolating one.

What workout day should the Barbell Clean Pull go on?

It belongs on pull day in a push/pull/legs routine.

What are some Barbell Clean Pull variations and alternatives?

Similar exercises include the Barbell Hang Clean Below-Knee, Barbell Clean & Jerk, Barbell Clean & Press and Barbell Clean Deadlift.

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