Exercise
BARBELL CLEAN PULL
Form cues
About
The barbell clean pull is an Olympic lifting derivative that replicates the pulling phase of the clean — from the floor through full triple extension — without the catch. It develops the same explosive power as the clean but with heavier loads and less technical demand.
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Set Up
Set up with the barbell over your mid-foot, feet hip-width apart. Grip just outside your legs with a double-overhand or hook grip. Hips above knees, chest over the bar, back flat, lats engaged.
First Pull
Initiate the first pull by pushing the floor away, maintaining your back angle as the bar lifts off. Keep the bar dragging close to your shins. The pace is controlled — this phase is about positioning, not speed.
Double Knee Bend
As the bar passes your knees, perform the double-knee bend: re-bend the knees to slide them under the bar and bring your hips into the bar's path. This loads the hips for the explosive second pull.
Second Pull
Execute the second pull: violently extend your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously (triple extension). Shrug your shoulders powerfully as the bar reaches its peak height. The bar should travel to approximately chest or shoulder height with no arm bend.
Lower & Reset
Allow the bar to return to the floor under control. There is no catch — this is a pure pulling exercise. Because you do not need to receive the bar, you can use 10–20% more weight than a power clean. Perform 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps focusing on maximum explosive intent on each pull.
Common mistakes
What goes wrong — and why
Pulling with the arms instead of driving with the legs
Early arm bend reduces the effectiveness of the pull and defeats the triple-extension purpose of the exercise.
Keep the arms straight until you have reached full hip, knee, and ankle extension. The shrug happens, but the elbows should not bend significantly — the bar travels on momentum.
Bar drifting away from the body
A bar that swings forward is mechanically inefficient and reduces the height of the pull.
Keep the bar dragging close to the body from the floor all the way to the shrug. Actively pull the bar into your body with the lats on the way up.
Performing the first pull too fast
An explosive first pull disrupts positioning and sends the bar forward rather than upward.
The first pull (floor to knee) is deliberately slow and controlled — acceleration builds from the knee upward into the second pull and shrug.
Variations · Progressions · Regressions
Adaptations for every level
Hang Clean Pull
Start from the hang position at the hips to practice the explosive second pull in isolation without the complexity of the first pull from the floor.
Snatch Pull
Use a wider snatch grip and focus on pulling the bar even higher to develop the pulling mechanics for the snatch movement.
Power Clean
Add the catch phase to the clean pull to complete the full power clean — the pull mechanics transfer directly.