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Exercise guide

Power Clean from Blocks

How to do the Power Clean from Blocks with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundBarbellIntermediatePull
Primary muscles

Hamstrings

Secondary

Quads

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the Power Clean from Blocks

  1. 1

    With a barbell on boxes of the desired height, take a grip just outside the legs. Lower your hips with the weight focused on the heels, back straight, head facing forward, chest up, with your shoulders just in front of the bar. This will be your starting position.

  2. 2

    Begin the first pull by driving through the heels, extending your knees. Your back angle should stay the same, and your arms should remain straight. As the bar approaches the mid-thigh position, begin extending through the hips.

  3. 3

    In a jumping motion, accelerate by extending the hips, knees, and ankles, using speed to move the bar upward. There should be no need to actively pull through the arms to accelerate the weight. At the end of the second pull, the body should be fully extended, leaning slightly back, with the arms still extended.

  4. 4

    As full extension is achieved, transition into the third pull by aggressively shrugging and flexing the arms with the elbows up and out. At peak extension, pull yourself under the bar far enough that it can be racked onto the shoulders, rotating your elbows under the bar as you do so. The bar should be racked onto the protracted shoulders, lightly touching the throat with the hands relaxed.

  5. 5

    Immediately recover by driving through the heels, keeping the torso upright and elbows up. Continue until you have risen to a standing position, and complete the repetition by returning the weight to the boxes.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Power Clean from Blocks set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your hamstrings volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Train with a goal

Where the Power Clean from Blocks fits

The Power Clean from Blocks shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:

Related

More hamstrings exercises

FAQ

Power Clean from Blocks: common questions

What muscles does the Power Clean from Blocks work?

The Power Clean from Blocks primarily works the Hamstrings. It also recruits the Quads as supporting muscles.

Is the Power Clean from Blocks suitable for beginners?

The Power Clean from Blocks is an intermediate-level exercise. It's best once you've built a base of general strength and movement control, beginners can work up to it.

What equipment do I need for the Power Clean from Blocks?

To do the Power Clean from Blocks you'll need a barbell.

Is the Power Clean from Blocks a compound or isolation exercise?

The Power Clean from Blocks is a compound exercise, it moves multiple joints and works several muscle groups at once, which makes it efficient for building overall strength.

How do I do the Power Clean from Blocks with correct form?

With a barbell on boxes of the desired height, take a grip just outside the legs. Lower your hips with the weight focused on the heels, back straight, head facing forward, chest up, with your shoulders just in front of the bar. This will be your starting position. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

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