How to do a Hang Clean
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Hang Clean
Workouts with Hang Clean
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
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.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out with a loaded barbell on the ground next to your shins.
- Brace your core before hinging your hips backward and flexing your knees to extend your arms to grab ahold the barbell with a double overhand grip before extending upright.
- Lower the barbell to just above knee height. Extend your hips and once the barbell passes over your mid thigh, explode your hips, knees, and ankles into extension to pull the barbell up to chest height still keeping it next to your body.
- Catch the barbell on the top of your chest by snapping your elbows underneath the bar, palms facing up, and drop into a quarter squat.
- Stand upright before lowering the barbell to the starting position.
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Alternative Exercises to Hang Clean
1. Hang Power Clean
88.9 mSCORESWAPPED 83 TIMESHang Power Clean is a variation on the Clean. Similar to the Clean, this compound explosive movement targets a wide range of muscle groups. The difference between a Hang Clean and a standard Clean is the starting position. By beginning from a hang position instead of the floor, this can be an easier variation for anyone struggling with the initial pull from the floor, or for someone looking to improve aspects of their Clean after the initial pull.
2. Power Clean
85 mSCORESWAPPED 49 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
3. Back Squat
99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 40 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.
4. Clean
83.3 mSCORESWAPPED 33 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
5. Leg Extension
99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 32 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
6. 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
7. Dumbbell Lunge
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 26 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.
8. Front Squat
93.4 mSCORESWAPPED 17 TIMESFront Squat is one of the most common variations of the more standard Back Squat. Like other squat variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your quadriceps. By racking the bar in front of your body instead of behind, you can further emphasize your quads. While the movements are fairly similar, Front Squat may translate better to applications in sports and other real world activities.
9. Barbell Lunge
95.7 mSCORESWAPPED 16 TIMESBarbell Lunge is a weighted variation on the standard Lunge. Similar to other lunges, this exercise primarily targets the quadriceps. By using a barbell you can add more resistance than just bodyweight. In addition to increasing resistance, the use of a barbell can also improve your form and posture while performing this exercise.