Squat Clean
This is the complete competition clean, where you catch the bar in a full-depth front rack squat rather than a partial power position. It builds ferocious triple-extension power and the mobility to sit under heavy load. Reserve it for trained lifters who own the front squat and rack position, and program it early in a session while you are fresh.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Type
- Plyometric, Strength
- Browse by muscle
- Gluteus Maximus, Vastus Lateralis, Erector Spinae, Trapezius Upper
- Target
- Gluteus Maximus, Vastus Lateralis, Erector Spinae, Trapezius Upper
- Secondary
- Rectus Femoris, Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, Trapezius Middle, Deltoid Anterior
- Tertiary
- Adductor Magnus, Brachioradialis, Abdominal External Oblique
How to do it
- 1
Set your feet hip-width under the bar with a hook grip just outside the knees and shins near the bar.
- 2
Brace hard, push the floor away, and keep the bar close as it rises past the knees.
- 3
Extend hips, knees, and ankles violently, shrugging the shoulders to accelerate the bar upward.
- 4
Pull yourself under the bar and spin the elbows through fast to meet it in the front rack.
- 5
Receive the bar in a full front squat, keeping elbows high and torso tall.
- 6
Drive out of the bottom to stand fully upright, then lower the bar under control to reset.
Tips
- Stay patient off the floor; the explosive part is the second pull at the hip, not the break from the ground.
- Keep the bar brushing close to your body the whole way up to avoid looping it forward.
- Meet the bar with fast elbows so it lands solidly on the shoulders instead of crashing onto the wrists.
Variations
Common mistakes
- The hook grip slips open right as the bar reaches the hip, letting it slide onto the fingers instead of locking into the rack.
- Catching the bar in a quarter-squat power position instead of riding it to full depth turns this into a power clean and skips the mobility work the full squat clean is for.
- The knees cave inward the instant the bar lands on the shoulders, which stresses the knee ligaments right when the joint is most loaded.
- Looking down at the bar during the catch rounds the upper back and drops the elbows, so the front rack loses its shelf.
- The torso tips forward as you drive out of the bottom, spilling the bar off the shoulders before you reach lockout.
Frequently asked
- What is a sensible starting dose for the squat clean, and what should you master first?
- Own a full-depth front squat and a comfortable catch position before adding real weight, then start with an empty bar or light plates for sets of 2 to 3 reps, resting long enough that every rep looks crisp. Program it early in a session while you are fresh, since technique breaks down fast under fatigue, and add weight only in small jumps once the catch stays consistent.
- What can you do instead of the squat clean if you don't have a barbell?
- A pair of dumbbells or kettlebells lets you train the same pull-and-catch pattern with a lighter, more forgiving load, which is also a gentler entry point for the rack position. Without any weight, practicing the front squat and a fast elbow turnover separately keeps both skills sharp until a bar is available.
- What is the squat clean good for, and when should you skip it?
- It builds explosive triple-extension power and the mobility to sit under a heavy load in the front rack, which transfers to sport speed and heavier lifting. Skip it when you have not yet built a solid front squat and rack position, when you are fatigued late in a session, or when your goal is muscle growth rather than power.
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