Smart Workout Diary
Barbell Hang Clean Below the Knees
The barbell hang clean below the knees is an Olympic weightlifting movement in which the bar starts hanging just below the knees and is explosively received on the front of the shoulders. It develops powerful hip and leg extension, coordination, and the ability to transfer force through the upper body. It primarily trains the quadriceps, glutes, and upper back while supporting power and weightlifting performance.
Demonstration
Instructions
- Set up: Stand with feet about hip-width apart and hold the bar with a clean-width overhand grip, arms straight. Lower the bar under control to just below the knees with the bar close to the legs, hips pushed back, chest up, and back neutral.
- Initiate the pull: Push through the floor and extend the knees and hips so the bar travels vertically and stays close to the body. Keep the shoulders slightly over the bar until it passes the thighs.
- Explode and pull under: Forcefully extend the hips, knees, and ankles, then shrug and guide the elbows high and outside. Quickly pull yourself under the bar rather than trying to curl it upward.
- Catch and recover: Rotate the elbows forward rapidly and receive the bar on the front shoulders in a controlled quarter squat or squat. Stand tall, then lower the bar safely with control; use a load that allows consistent positions.
