Hang Clean

Also known as: Barbell Hang Clean, Hang Squat Clean

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Body Part: Legs

Description

A hang variation of the clean that starts with the barbell at mid-thigh instead of the floor. You extend the hips, knees and ankles explosively, pull yourself under the bar and catch it on the front of your shoulders in a squat, then stand up. It builds leg and hip power and the timing of the catch.

How to Perform

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold the barbell against your thighs with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart and arms straight.
Push your hips back and bend your knees slightly until the bar sits at mid-thigh. Keep your back flat, chest up and shoulders slightly in front of the bar.
Drive through the floor and extend your hips, knees and ankles explosively, keeping your arms straight and the bar close to your thighs.
At full extension, shrug and pull yourself down under the bar, keeping it close to your body as your elbows bend.
Move your feet out to about shoulder width, drop into a squat and quickly turn your elbows forward around the bar.
Catch the bar on the front of your shoulders with your elbows pointing forward, chest up and hips at about knee height.
Stand up from the squat with the bar on your shoulders until your hips and knees are straight.
Lower the bar under control back to your thighs and reset the hang for the next rep.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Use a hook grip, with the thumb under the index and middle fingers, and release it as the bar turns over onto your shoulders.
Pause briefly in the hang so your legs and hips start the bar moving, not a swing.
Turn your elbows around fast and meet the bar on your shoulders while you are still moving down, then ride it into the squat.
Take a breath and brace your abs before each rep, and stay braced until you are standing.
Pick a load you can catch in a squat with a stable front rack. If you cannot hold that position in a deep squat, build it first with front squats.

Common Mistakes

Bending the arms early and pulling with the biceps before the legs and hips finish the drive.
Dropping under the bar before the hips and knees are fully extended.
Letting the bar drift away from the thighs and torso on the way up.
Starting the pull with a rounded back or with the shoulders behind the bar.
Jumping forward or back and catching the bar off balance.
Catching with low elbows, so the bar sits in the hands or rolls forward off the shoulders.
Letting the knees cave in or the chest drop forward at the bottom of the squat.