How to Power Clean with Proper Form
Master the power clean with proper starting setup, smooth first pull, explosive hip extension, and a fast, high-elbow front rack catch on the shoulders.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Olympic barbell (20kg or 15kg)
- ✓ Bumper plates
- ✓ Barbell collar clips
- ✓ Weightlifting shoes or flat-soled shoes
- ✓ Gym chalk
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Hook grip thumb tape
- ✓ Lifting platform or flat rubber gym flooring
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Ensure the lifting perimeter is completely clear of spare plates, clips, and bystanders in case of a missed lift.
- • Always use full-diameter bumper plates so the barbell sits at the correct regulation height off the floor.
- • Do not attempt to catch the barbell on extended wrists; elbows must rotate fully forward to absorb force on the front deltoids.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Set Stance and Lock Hook Grip
Step up so the barbell cuts across your mid-foot with feet hip-width apart and toes angled slightly outward. Hinge at your hips and grip the barbell just outside your shins, wrapping your thumbs around the bar first, then locking your index and middle fingers tightly over your thumbnails. Pull your chest tall to flatten your spine, pulling out barbell slack until you hear the sleeve click.
- • Barbell directly over mid-foot with vertical shins lightly touching the bar.
- • Shoulders positioned slightly forward of the barbell with a rigid, flat back.
- • Using a standard overhand grip instead of a hook grip.
- • Starting with hips too low like a deep squat or too high like a stiff-leg deadlift.
Initiate the First Pull to the Knees
Drive your feet through the floor as if leg pressing the ground away to elevate the barbell. Keep your torso angle completely constant relative to the floor while shifting your knees slightly back out of the bar's path. Keep the barbell skimming within an inch of your shins until the bar reaches the kneecaps.
- • Hips and shoulders rising at the exact same rate until the bar reaches top of kneecaps.
- • Barbell moving straight up vertically rather than looping around protruding knees.
- • Shooting the hips up early before the chest rises, turning the lift into a lower-back pull.
- • Bending the elbows early during the floor break.
Transition to the Power Position
As the barbell passes the knees, shift your torso upright and bring your hips forward, allowing the knees to naturally re-bend slightly under the bar. Guide the barbell smoothly along your thighs until it reaches the mid-to-upper thigh pocket. Maintain flat foot contact with your balance centered across the mid-foot.
- • Barbell making light contact with upper third of the thigh.
- • Torso near vertical with knees slightly flexed under the load in a high-spring position.
- • Banging the barbell violently away from the hips rather than brushing upward.
- • Rushing into hip extension before the bar reaches the upper thigh.
Execute Triple Extension and Shrug
Explosively drive through the mid-foot and extend your ankles, knees, and hips simultaneously in a violent upward jump. As full extension is reached, violently shrug your shoulders to your ears while keeping the bar close to your shirt. Allow the upward momentum of the bar to pull you onto your toes.
- • Full straight line through ankles, knees, and hips at peak upward drive.
- • Shoulders shrugged high to ears with elbows beginning to bend outward and upward.
- • Leaning backward excessively instead of driving vertically upward.
- • Curling the barbell with biceps instead of leading with high elbows.
Pull Under and Catch on Front Deltoids
As the barbell peaks at chest height, aggressively pull yourself underneath the bar and shift your feet slightly wider into a quarter squat landing. Whip your elbows around and snap them high so the bar lands squarely on the shelf of your front deltoids, releasing the hook grip into an open fingertip rack. Absorb the downward force by bracing your core and flexing your hips and knees.
- • Elbows pointing forward, parallel to the floor, holding the bar on the front deltoids.
- • Hips caught in a quarter-squat position above parallel with flat feet securely planted.
- • Catching the bar with low, downward-pointing elbows.
- • Spreading feet excessively wide into a starfish stance to catch lower.
Stand to Complete Extension and Return
Drive out of the quarter-squat catch by extending your knees and hips until standing fully erect with elbows high. Pause for one second to show complete control. Lower the barbell under control by un-racking to the thighs and guiding it down to the floor, or drop it safely onto the platform from chest height if using bumper plates.
- • Body completely upright in vertical alignment with barbell steady across shoulders.
- • Controlled descent of bar back to the floor without bouncing off thighs recklessly.
- • Dumping the barbell before establishing complete upright control.
- • Rounding the spine while guiding the bar back to the floor.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by Squat University — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Weightlifting shoes? Flat-soled minimalist shoes or barefoot on a flat rubber surface
- No Bumper plates? Iron plates placed on low wooden pulling blocks to match regulation height