Hang Clean (Complete How To Guide)

The Hang Clean is a powerful Olympic-style lift that develops total-body strength, explosiveness, and coordination. Performed from the hang position (starting above the knees) it emphasizes the second pull and catch phases of the full clean.

It’s a great way to build hip drive, speed under the bar, and athletic power without the full range of motion of a floor clean.

Primary Muscles Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Trapezius
Secondary Muscles Worked: Deltoids, Biceps, Forearms, Core, Calves
Equipment Needed: Barbell and Weight Plates

How To Hang Clean

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and grip the bar just outside your shoulders with a clean-width grip.
- Start from the hang position (bar at mid-thigh level), with a soft bend in your knees, chest up, and shoulders slightly in front of the bar.
- Engage your core and keep your arms straight.
Execution:
- Load: Push your hips back slightly while maintaining a flat back and tension in your hamstrings.
- Drive: Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles (triple extension), shrugging your shoulders as the bar accelerates upward.
- Pull and Catch: Quickly pull yourself under the bar by rotating your elbows under and forward, catching the bar on your shoulders in a front rack position with your knees bent (quarter or half squat).
- Recover: Stand tall to full extension with the bar secured across your shoulders, then lower it back to the hang position under control for the next rep.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Keep the bar close to your body throughout the lift, brush your thighs during the pull.
- Drive with your legs and hips, not your arms.
- Catch the bar softly by meeting it with your shoulders, not slamming into it.
- Maintain an upright torso and stable core during the catch.

Key Benefits

Builds explosive power through the hips and legs.
Improves athletic performance and speed under the bar.
Strengthens coordination between lower and upper body.
Develops posterior chain and total-body strength.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Start with a Hang Muscle Clean to learn the bar path and turnover.
- Use a PVC pipe or light barbell to master the movement pattern.
Harder Option:
- Perform from a Lower Hang Position (just below knees) to increase range and control.
- Add Front Squats after each clean for strength.
- Incorporate Hang Clean + Jerk complexes for full-body power.

Common Mistakes

Pulling with the Arms Too Early: Let the hips and legs initiate the lift.
Bar Drifting Forward: Keep it close to your body for balance and efficiency.
Landing Stiff-Legged: Absorb the catch by bending your knees and hips.
Dropping Elbows in Catch: Keep elbows high to secure the bar in the front rack.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Power: 4–5 sets of 2–3 explosive reps.
For Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps with moderate weight.
For Technique/Skill Work: 3–4 sets of 3–4 light, crisp reps.

Hang Clean Variations

There are plenty of variations of the Hang Clean that you can do, many simply by changing the starting position, the catch position or the equipment used. Let’s look at a couple of the most popular ones:

Power Clean

The Power Clean is one of the most popular clean variations and can be achieved by simply changing the starting position. By starting from the floor instead of the hang, you can switch to a Power Clean pretty easily.

Hang Power Clean

The Hang Power Clean is another popular variation that changes the catch position.

Start the movement in the exact same hang position, but instead of catching in a full squat, the lifter will receive the bar in a quarter-squat position. (Just like with Power Clean mentioned just above) It’s a bit less technical, and therefore, can be more beginner-friendly.

Hang Clean Alternatives

If you can’t Hang Clean for whatever reason – lack of equipment, technique or maybe an injury – here are a few alternatives that you be able to try out. Want even more options? Here are my 10 favorite alternatives for Hang Clean.

Dumbbell Hang Power Clean

Don’t have a barbell? No worries. If you have dumbbells, you can give the Dumbbell Hang Power Clean a try.

The movement is exactly the same as the barbell version. The main difference will come when ‘catching’ the dumbbells. Once you rotate the elbows through, let the palms face each other and allow the dumbbells to rest on the shoulders.

If you have an injury limiting one arm, then you might even want to try Single Arm Dumbbell Hang Power Cleans. Same movement, but using just one dumbbell and one arm. (Consult with your Doctor or Athletic Trainer before working around injuries)

Kettlebell Swing

If the technique is a concern, then Kettlebell Swings may be a good alternative. You still get some of the same hip extension benefits in a less technical and more beginner-friendly movement.

If you’re learning on your own, this is a great substitute while you continue to get comfortable and proficient with your Hang Clean technique.