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 44 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. Clean
83.3 mSCORESWAPPED 26 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
3. Deadlift
98.7 mSCORESWAPPED 23 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
4. Hang Power Clean
88.9 mSCORESWAPPED 16 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.
5. 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
6. Lying Hamstrings Curl
95.8 mSCORESWAPPED 11 TIMESLying Hamstring Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. There’s a relatively short list of isolation exercises for lower body muscle groups. Because of this, this is a great addition to a lower body workout in order to build strength and muscle mass in the hamstrings specifically. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
7. 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
8. Good Morning
90.4 mSCORESWAPPED 9 TIMESGood Morning’s are a compound exercise that primarily target muscles in the rear chain (backside of the body), but especially the hamstrings, and lower back. While this can be an effective exercise, there is some risk to performing this exercise with a loaded barbell on your back. If you’re unfamiliar with this exercise, try starting with a dumbbell variation as you learn the movement.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
- Squat Rack
9. 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
10. 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