The power clean is more than just a lift—it's a performance-driven movement that develops full-body power, coordination, and athleticism. Whether you're training for strength, CrossFit, or overall fitness, adding the power clean workout to your routine can elevate your results like few other exercises.
This guide breaks down the clean exercise, highlights the muscles worked, and explains why the powerclean is a favorite among elite athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike.
What Is a Power Clean?
The power clean is a compound lift where a barbell is pulled explosively from the ground and caught at shoulder level. Unlike the traditional clean that involves a deep squat, the power clean allows you to catch the bar in a partial squat or standing position.
This move is key to developing clean power—a combination of speed and strength—making it an essential part of both Olympic lifting and power clean CrossFit programming.
Benefits of the Power Clean Workout
Incorporating the power clean workout into your training offers significant physical and performance benefits:
Explosive strength: Develops fast-twitch muscle fibers for quick, powerful movement.
High calorie burn: Triggers E P O C (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption), helping you burn fat even after your workout.
Improved athleticism: Enhances coordination, agility, and full-body control.
Efficient training: Hits multiple muscle groups in a single lift.
Whether you're looking to improve sports performance or total-body fitness, power cleaning delivers unmatched impact.
Muscles Worked: A Full-Body Blast
The power clean targets nearly every major muscle group—especially those also activated in deadlifts muscles worked. Key muscles engaged include:
Hamstrings
Glutes
Quads
Calves
Core
Traps
Shoulders
Forearms
This makes the power clean one of the most effective power lifts for building strength and muscle from head to toe.
How to Perform the Power Clean
Start position: Feet shoulder-width apart, grip the bar just outside your knees.
First pull: Lift the bar slowly to knee height by driving through your heels.
Second pull: Explosively extend your hips and shrug to pull the bar upward.
Catch: Drop into a quarter squat, rotate your elbows under the bar, and catch it at your shoulders.
Stand up: Complete the lift by standing tall with the barbell racked.
Good power cleaning form requires practice. Start light, focus on technique, and progress gradually.
Power Cleaning vs. Traditional Powerlift Moves
While powerlift exercises like squats and bench presses are crucial for raw strength, the power clean adds an explosive element. It blends strength with speed and teaches your body how to transfer power efficiently.
Unlike static power lifts, the power clean enhances athletic movement and performance—making it ideal for dynamic training plans.
The Role of the Power Clean in CrossFit
The power clean CrossFit approach often involves high-rep, time-based workouts that combine cardio and lifting. Its dynamic nature makes it a go-to movement in functional fitness programs. When performed in circuits, it drives up heart rate, builds muscle, and promotes fat loss—all at once.
What Is a Power Cleanse in Fitness?
While “cleanse” often refers to nutrition, a power cleanse in strength training can mean a full-body reset using compound, intense movements like the power clean. It's a metaphor for refreshing your energy, rebooting your focus, and pushing your physical limits.
Final Thoughts
The power clean is a powerhouse movement. It blends strength, speed, and coordination into one lift, hitting almost every major muscle group. Whether you're chasing performance, fat loss through E P O C, or athletic improvement, this clean exercise should be a key part of your plan.
Ready to get stronger, faster, and more explosive? Start power cleaning smart—and watch your results accelerate.
At Yisgo, we believe in training with intention. The power clean is the perfect combination of strength and function, helping you reach your goals with purpose and precision.
