How to do a Clean and Press
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Clean and Press
Workouts with Clean and Press
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
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.
- Stand upright with your feet hip width apart and your shins just in front of the barbell before bending your hips backwards to drop your hands down to the barbell with extended arms. Explosively stand upright by pushing your hips forward and simultaneously raising the barbell up the front of your torso to shoulder height keeping your elbows high. Snap your elbows underneath the barbell to catch the barbell at shoulder height. Bend your hips and knees into a quarter squat before explosively pressing the barbell overhead and returning to an upright position.
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Alternative Exercises to Clean and Press
1. Clean
83.3 mSCORESWAPPED 49 TIMESClean 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.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
2. Leg Extension
99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 34 TIMESLeg 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.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Leg Extension Machine
3. Leg Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 31 TIMESLeg 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.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Leg Press
4. Clean and Jerk
74.7 mSCORESWAPPED 28 TIMESA 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.
5. Dumbbell Squat To Shoulder Press
98.1 mSCORESWAPPED 23 TIMESDumbbell Squat to Shoulder Press is a combination of a Dumbbell Squat and a Shoulder Press. Both pieces of this exercise are compound movements that primarily target the quads and shoulders respectively. Combining these two movements is more than just the sum of its parts. It’s a very functional movement that has tons of practical applications, especially for sports. It’s also a great starting point for anyone looking to build the strength and conditioning needed for more explosive exercises like Thrusters, or eventually Olympic lifts.
6. Barbell Shoulder Press
97 mSCORESWAPPED 21 TIMESBarbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By using a barbell instead of other pieces of equipment, you can add more stability to the movement, which allows you to focus more on exertion rather than stability. This is one of the best exercises for developing vertical pressing strength.
7. Hang Clean
73.3 mSCORESWAPPED 20 TIMESFocuses 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.
8. Power Clean
85 mSCORESWAPPED 19 TIMESPower 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.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
9. Power Clean and Press
39.8 mSCORESWAPPED 19 TIMESElevates the clean and press by focusing on the explosive nature of the power clean movement before transitioning into an overhead press. This variation demands and develops a high level of coordination, full-body strength, and explosive power, making it particularly beneficial for athletes in sports requiring dynamic movements. The power clean phase emphasizes speed and power from the floor to the catch position, while the press phase works on overhead strength and stability.
10. Dumbbell Lunge
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 18 TIMESDumbbell Lunge is a variation on the more standard Lunge. Similar to other Lunge variations, Dumbbell Lunge is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads. The exercise itself is the same as a standard lunge except for the added weight from holding dumbbells in each hand. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their lunges a bit more challenging without adding more complexity to the movement.