Barbell Clean and Press
The Barbell Clean and Press is an olympic weightlifting lift that challenges both power and raw strength. The clean portion involves pulling the barbell explosively from the floor to your shoulders, engaging your legs, hips, and back. The press follows with a strong overhead push using your shoulders, triceps, and core. It’s a total-body exercise that builds muscle, power, and athleticism, making it a favorite in strength training and conditioning.
- Set Up: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, barbell on the floor in front of you. Grip the bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Clean: Pull the bar off the ground by extending your legs and hips explosively. As the bar passes your knees, shrug your shoulders and quickly drop under the bar, catching it in a front rack position at your shoulders.
- Press: From the front rack position, brace your core and press the bar overhead by extending your arms fully. Lock out your elbows and stabilize the weight.
- Lower: Lower the bar back to the front rack position under control, then back to the floor if necessary.
- Repeat: Perform for the desired reps, keeping the movement smooth and explosive.
Focus on maintaining a strong core and avoid turning this into a "muscle clean." Use your hips and legs to drive the barbell up in the clean, and press overhead with control. Keep the movement fluid, but powerful.