How to do a Clean High Pull
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Clean High Pull
Workouts with Clean High Pull
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Specifically targets the traps, shoulders, and legs by executing a high pull with the barbell to chest level, maintaining high elbows after performing the clean. This exercise is crucial for developing explosive power and enhancing the transition phase in Olympic lifting. It also significantly improves grip strength and the ability to generate force through the legs and hips, contributing to better performance in all forms of lifting.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out with a loaded barbell on the ground next to your shins.
- Hinge at the hips and flex the knees to allow you to grab ahold of the barbell in an overhand grip at shoulder-width apart.
- Maintain a straight and rigid spine as your press through your heels to pull the barbell off the ground in a vertical path next to your body by extending your hips and knees.
- Once the barbell passes over your mid thigh, explode your hips, knees, and ankles into extension to pull the barbell up to shoulder height keeping your elbows above the barbell.
- Drop the barbell back to waist height before lowering back to the starting position.
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Alternative Exercises to Clean High Pull
1. Clean Pull
84 mSCORESWAPPED 20 TIMESClean 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.
2. Barbell High Pull
76.1 mSCORESWAPPED 14 TIMESCombining elements of the deadlift, upright row, and shrug, the Barbell High Pull is a dynamic exercise that targets the upper back, shoulders, and traps, while also engaging the hips and legs. This movement enhances power, strength, and coordination, making it beneficial for those looking to improve their performance in explosive, compound movements.
3. Hang Clean
73.3 mSCORESWAPPED 14 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.
4. Leg Extension
99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 12 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
5. Clean
83.3 mSCORESWAPPED 9 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
6. Clean and Press
65.9 mSCORESWAPPED 9 TIMESA 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.
7. Dumbbell Squat
94.1 mSCORESWAPPED 8 TIMESDumbbell Squat is a variation of the more standard Squat. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The advantage of using dumbbells rather than a barbell is that you have more freedom in your range of motion which can make this a more accessible variation for anyone with mobility limitations. With that freedom comes a bit more instability with this exercise though, which can help you further improve your squat for, and build the strength needed for heavier, or more complex variations.
8. Clean and Jerk
74.7 mSCORESWAPPED 8 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.
9. Hack Squat
90.1 mSCORESWAPPED 6 TIMESHack Squat is a variation of squats that utilizes a specific machine to add resistance. Like other squat variations, this exercise primarily targets your quads. The use of a machine can assist you by redistricting your range of motion more than with the use of free weights, as well as adds more stability to the movement.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Hack Squat Machine
10. Back Squat
99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 6 TIMESBack 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.