How many reps of the kettlebell clean should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with three to four sets of five reps per side with a light bell, resting long enough between sets to reset the hip hinge each time rather than rushing into the next rep. Add reps before you add weight; the wrist-banging mistakes show up fastest under fatigue.

What can you do instead of the kettlebell clean if you don't have a kettlebell?

A single dumbbell clean uses the same hip-drive-to-rack pattern and is easier on the forearm since there's no bell to rotate around the wrist. A light sandbag or filled duffel bag cleaned to the shoulder works in a pinch, though the catch will feel bulkier.

What is the kettlebell clean good for, and when should you skip it?

It's the entry skill for every overhead kettlebell lift and builds hip power along with grip and forearm endurance. Skip it, or drill the hike-and-catch separately without speed, if your wrist is already sore or you haven't found a rack position that doesn't bang the forearm.

Intermediate

Kettlebell Clean

The kettlebell clean converts a hinge into a rack position and is the gateway to every overhead kettlebell lift. Done well it is quiet and soft on the forearm; done poorly it bangs the wrist, so the skill is in taming the arc. It builds ballistic hip power and grip endurance and pairs naturally with pressing work.

Equipment: Kettlebells
Body part: Glutes, Hamstring
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, Erector Spinae
Browse by movement: Hinge

How to do it

1
Set the kettlebell slightly ahead of you and hinge back to grip the handle with one hand.
2
Hike the bell back between your legs like a snap pass, loading the hips.
3
Drive the hips forward explosively and keep the elbow tight to the ribs as the bell rises.
4
Guide the bell around the wrist, not over it, so it settles into the rack rather than flipping.
5
Catch it with the forearm vertical against the ribs and the fist near the collarbone.
6
Lower it back into the hike position under control and repeat, then switch hands.

Tips

Keep the elbow pinned to your side so the bell travels a tight path close to the body.
Loosen your grip as the bell rotates around the hand to avoid banging the wrist.
Zip the bell up your body like a jacket; a bell that arcs out will crash onto the forearm.

Variations

Common mistakes

The elbow flares away from the ribs as the bell rises, letting it swing out and away from the body instead of tracking a tight line up.
Gripping the handle hard the whole way up drags the bell over the wrist instead of letting it rotate around the hand, which is what bangs the forearm.
The wrist muscles the bell over the top at the finish instead of the hips producing the speed, so the catch lands hard instead of soft.
Once the bell nears the rack, rushing to slam it into the forearm instead of letting the arc finish naturally is what turns a clean into a bruise.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the kettlebell clean should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with three to four sets of five reps per side with a light bell, resting long enough between sets to reset the hip hinge each time rather than rushing into the next rep. Add reps before you add weight; the wrist-banging mistakes show up fastest under fatigue.
What can you do instead of the kettlebell clean if you don't have a kettlebell?: A single dumbbell clean uses the same hip-drive-to-rack pattern and is easier on the forearm since there's no bell to rotate around the wrist. A light sandbag or filled duffel bag cleaned to the shoulder works in a pinch, though the catch will feel bulkier.
What is the kettlebell clean good for, and when should you skip it?: It's the entry skill for every overhead kettlebell lift and builds hip power along with grip and forearm endurance. Skip it, or drill the hike-and-catch separately without speed, if your wrist is already sore or you haven't found a rack position that doesn't bang the forearm.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Glutes exercises