How to do a Power Clean from Blocks
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Power Clean from Blocks
Workouts with Power Clean from Blocks
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
This exercise is an easier variation of the more standard Power Clean. Like other Clean variations, this is a compound explosive movement that targets a wide variety of muscles. By placing the barbell on blocks, you can remove the need to pull from the floor. This can help individuals with mobility limitations perform this exercise, or help focus on other aspects of your Power Clean beyond the first pull from the floor.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out with a loaded barbell on blocks just below your knees.
- Hinge at the hips and flex the knees to allow you to grab ahold of the barbell in an overhand grip shoulder-width apart.
- Maintain a neutral spine as you press through your heels to pull the barbell up vertically next to your body by extending your legs.
- Once the barbell passes over your mid thigh, explode your hips, knees, and ankles into extension to pull the barbell up to chest height.
- Catch the barbell on the top of your chest by snapping your elbows underneath the bar, palms facing up, and drop into a half squat underneath the bar.
- Stand upright before lowering the barbell to the starting position.
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Overusing Arms
Although the bar is in a much higher position, most of the force you generate to raise the bar should still be coming from the extension of your legs, and driving your hips forward.
Alternative Exercises to Power Clean from Blocks
1. Power Clean
85 mSCORESWAPPED 40 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
2. Deadlift
98.7 mSCORESWAPPED 25 TIMESDeadlift is one of the three powerlifting movements. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets muscles in the rear chain (backside of the body), and is great for developing strength in these muscles. It’s a staple in most programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking strength.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
3. Clean
83.3 mSCORESWAPPED 24 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
4. Romanian Deadlift
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 15 TIMESRomanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Deadlift. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes, and hamstrings. Unlike the standard Deadlift, this variation focuses mostly on driving your hips forward to raise the weight, and restricts movement in your knees. This is a great exercise for building strength, and can translate well to other exercises that utilize a hip hinge.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
5. Hang Power Clean
88.9 mSCORESWAPPED 11 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.
6. Power Snatch
64.4 mSCORESWAPPED 10 TIMESThe Power Snatch is an explosive and technical Olympic lift that works the entire body, emphasizing power, speed, and coordination. Starting from the floor, the lift involves rapidly pulling the barbell overhead in one smooth motion, catching it in a partial squat before standing fully. This movement targets the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, and lower back), shoulders, and traps, while significantly engaging the core for stability. It's highly effective for developing athletic performance, enhancing explosive strength, and improving neuromuscular coordination. Suitable for experienced lifters, the Power Snatch requires precision in technique for maximum effectiveness and injury prevention.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
7. Seated Leg Curl
98.8 mSCORESWAPPED 9 TIMESSeated Leg Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. Because a vast majority of lower body exercises tend to be compound movements, this exercise is a great way to isolate the hamstrings for building muscle mass, and developing strength. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability, allowing you to focus on exertion more than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
8. Hang Snatch
76.5 mSCORESWAPPED 8 TIMESTargets explosive power and coordination by lifting the barbell from the hang position directly overhead in one fluid motion. This exercise develops functional strength and improves Olympic lifting skills.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
9. Sumo Deadlift
88.9 mSCORESWAPPED 7 TIMESSumo Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Deadlift. Like other Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets muscles in the rear chain (backside of the body), and especially hamstrings and glutes. While this exercise receives some criticism, it’s a perfectly valid choice for building strength, and a great addition to your leg days.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
10. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
80.8 mSCORESWAPPED 7 TIMESSingle Leg Romanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Romanian Deadlift. Like other Romanian Deadlift variations, this is a compound movement that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. Performing this exercise on one leg, is a great way to identify, and help address, discrepancies in mobility, strength, and stability between sides. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to improve their ability to perform a large number of other compound lower body movements like Squats, Lunges, or even Olympic lifts.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells