Target Muscle

    Quads

    Equipment

    Barbell

    Difficulty

    Advanced

    Category

    Strength

    LegsBarbell

    Barbell Clean and Press

    The barbell clean and press is a compound exercise that targets the quads and involves lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders (clean) and then pressing it overhead (press). It requires strength, coordination, and explosive power.

    Also Works

    HamstringsGlutesShouldersTriceps

    How to Perform

    1. 1

      Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the floor in front of you.

    2. 2

      Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to lower down and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

    3. 3

      Drive through your heels and extend your hips and knees to lift the barbell off the floor, keeping it close to your body.

    4. 4

      As the barbell reaches your thighs, explosively extend your hips, shrug your shoulders, and pull the barbell up towards your chest.

    5. 5

      As the barbell reaches chest height, quickly drop under it and catch it at shoulder level, with your elbows pointing forward and your palms facing up.

    6. 6

      From the catch position, press the barbell overhead by extending your arms and pushing the barbell straight up.

    7. 7

      Lower the barbell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Pro Tips

    • •Start the clean with the bar over your mid-foot, arms straight, and hips loaded; think of it as a jump, not an arm pull.
    • •Catch the bar in a front rack position with your elbows high before initiating the press overhead.
    • •Keep the bar path as close to your body as possible throughout the entire movement for maximum efficiency and safety.

    Common Mistakes

    • •Pulling the bar with the arms instead of driving through the legs and hips, which limits the weight you can handle and increases injury risk.
    • •Pressing the bar overhead before fully standing up from the clean, which leaks power and compromises form.
    • •Letting the bar drift forward away from the body during the clean, putting excessive strain on the lower back.

    Frequently Asked Questions

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