Clean and Jerk being performed with proper form

How to do a Clean and Jerk

Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

Sets Logged
61,950
Popularity Rank
915th
Difficulty
Advanced
Quads Strength
80 mSCORE 75th
Equipment Required

Workouts with Clean and Jerk

    Target muscles worked

    Primary Muscles
    Quads
    Secondary Muscles
    Shoulders, Triceps, Trapezius, Lower Back, Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs

    Instructions for Proper Form

    A dynamic Olympic weightlifting movement that combines a clean, to bring the barbell from the ground to the shoulders, with a jerk, to press the bar overhead. This exercise develops explosive power, full-body strength, and coordination, making it essential for athletes looking to improve performance in power and strength sports.

    1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out with a loaded barbell on the ground next to your shins.
    2. Flex your hips and knees to allow you to grab ahold of the barbell in an overhand grip shoulder-width apart.
    3. Maintain a neutral spine as your pull through your heels to pull the barbell off the ground in a vertical path next to your body by extending your hips and knees.
    4. Explode your hips, knees, and ankles into extension to pull the barbell up before snapping your elbows underneath the barbell to catch the bar with palms up.
    5. Squat before exploding the barbell overhead while dipping underneath the bar by jumping one leg forward and one leg back.
    6. Catch the barbell overhead before stepping your feet back to shoulder-width before lowering the barbell back to the starting position.

    Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator

    Average Clean and Jerk standards by male, female, weight, age and height

    Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.

    • beginner
      8
      reps
      40
      lbs
      1 Rep Max
      50
      lbs
    • intermediate
      8
      reps
      50
      lbs
      65
      lbs
    • advanced
      8
      reps
      60
      lbs
      75
      lbs

    Enter your stats to calculate your Reps & Weight

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    Alternatives & Variations to Clean and Jerk

    Filter By

    1. 1. Clean and Press

      Photo of Clean and Press being performed
      65.9 mSCORESWAPPED 39 TIMES

      A dynamic compound lift that marries the clean with an overhead press, engaging the legs, core, shoulders, and arms to improve overall strength and power. Starting with the clean to bring the barbell from the ground to a front rack position, it transitions into a press to lift the weight overhead. This exercise not only builds muscle mass across major muscle groups but also enhances athletic performance by teaching the body to move weights efficiently through different planes of motion.

    2. 2. Back Squat

      Photo of Back Squat being performed
      99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 30 TIMES

      Back Squat is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common lower body exercises. It’s a great compound exercise that can help build strength and muscle mass in your leg, especially your quadriceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking lower body strength in general.

    3. 3. Clean

      Photo of Clean being performed
      83.3 mSCORESWAPPED 24 TIMES

      Clean is a compound, explosive exercise that targets a wide range of muscle groups including the legs, back, and shoulders. It involves lifting a barbell from the ground to your shoulders in one fluid motion. This exercise improves power, strength, and coordination, and is often used to develop overall athleticism and prepare for more complex Olympic lifts.

    4. 4. Leg Press

      Photo of Leg Press being performed
      99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 15 TIMES

      Leg Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The exercise itself is fairly similar to a standard squat, with some key differences. The biggest of these differences is the added stability from supporting your back on the Leg Press Machine. The end result of these changes is a more stable movement that further emphasizes your quadriceps. Leg Press is an excellent exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass or strength in their quads.

    5. 5. Power Clean

      Photo of Power Clean being performed
      85 mSCORESWAPPED 15 TIMES

      Power Clean is a compound explosive movement that targets a wide variety of muscle groups. This exercise focuses on quickly lifting a loaded barbell from the ground to your shoulders in a single motion. Due to its explosive nature, it's excellent for developing both strength and power. It's often used in athletic training to improve performance in dynamic activities.

    6. 6. Leg Extension

      Photo of Leg Extension being performed
      99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 14 TIMES

      Leg Extensions are an isolation exercise that target the quads. Due to a severe lack of isolation movements for the lower body, this is a great option for specifically targeting your quadriceps. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds some stability to the movement. This can help your focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. The downside to this exercise is that it places a lot of tension on your knee. Keep your weights light, and focus on pausing near the end of your range of motion.

    7. 7. Olympic Squat

      Photo of Olympic Squat being performed
      60.3 mSCORESWAPPED 13 TIMES

      The Olympic Squat is a variation of the more standard Back Squat. Like other Squats, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. This variation will have you keep your torso up more than other variations. This can help improve range of motion, and further recruit your quadriceps.

    8. 8. Hang Clean

      Photo of Hang Clean being performed
      73.3 mSCORESWAPPED 13 TIMES

      Focuses on explosive power and coordination, targeting the legs, hips, and shoulders. Performed by lifting the barbell from the hanging position to the shoulders in one fluid motion, it develops functional strength and improves athletic performance.

    9. 9. Clean Pull

      Photo of Clean Pull being performed
      84 mSCORESWAPPED 12 TIMES

      Clean Pull is a variation, or more accurately, a piece of the more standard Clean. This compound movement targets a wide variety of muscle groups. The exercise itself focuses on the pull from the floor and driving your hips forward to explosively raise the bar. This is a great exercise for anyone working towards performing a full Clean.

    10. 10. Cable Knee Drive

      Photo of Cable Knee Drive being performed
      50.5 mSCORESWAPPED 11 TIMES

      The Cable Knee Drive is a functional exercise targeting the hip flexors, core, and improves lower body power and stability. Performed with a cable attached to the ankle, this exercise involves driving the knee up towards the chest against the resistance. It mimics running and jumping movements, making it particularly beneficial for athletes looking to enhance their explosive power and speed. Additionally, the resistance from the cable provides a unique challenge to the core, ensuring it remains engaged throughout the movement for improved balance and posture.