You’ve seen it in those grainy, black-and-white photos of strongmen from the 1920s. Some guy with a handlebar mustache and a leopard-print singlet hoisting a massive barbell from the floor to over his head in one fluid, violent, yet graceful motion. That’s the clean and press. It was once the literal gold standard of strength. In fact, it was an Olympic lift until 1972, when the International Olympic Committee finally got fed up with trying to judge whether athletes were "cheating" by leaning back too far. They scrapped it. Since then, the move has sort of drifted into the shadows of the "powerlifting big three"—squat, bench, and deadlift. But honestly? If you could only do one exercise for the rest of your life to build a body that’s actually useful, this is probably it.
It's a monster.
The clean and press isn't just a shoulder exercise, though your deltoids will definitely feel like they’re on fire. It’s a full-body symphony. You’re pulling from the floor like a deadlift, exploding through the hips like a vertical jump, catching the weight on your shoulders, and then driving it toward the ceiling. It builds "functional" strength—a word that gets tossed around way too much in CrossFit boxes—but here, it actually applies. It’s about moving an object from Point A (the ground) to Point B (overhead) efficiently.
Why Nobody Does the Clean and Press Anymore
Most people avoid this lift because it’s hard. Not just "I’m sweaty" hard, but "my brain hurts from trying to coordinate my ankles, knees, hips, and wrists" hard. Modern gym culture has shifted toward isolation. People want to sit on a machine, check their phone between sets, and pump their biceps. The clean and press doesn't let you do that. If your focus slips for a second, the barbell is going to end up bruising your collarbones or, worse, your ego.
There’s also the ego factor. You cannot clean and press as much as you can deadlift. Not even close. Seeing a smaller number on the bar is a tough pill to swallow for the average gym-goer. But here’s the thing: the carryover to real life is insane. Ask any old-school strength coach like Dan John or Mark Rippetoe. They’ll tell you that the ability to generate power from the floor and stabilize it overhead is the hallmark of a truly capable human being.
The Anatomy of the Movement
To understand the clean and press, you have to break it into its two distinct halves, though they should eventually feel like one seamless event. First, you have the clean. This is where you pull the bar from the floor. You aren't "curling" it. Please, don't try to curl it. You are using your legs and hips to propel the bar upward. It’s a vertical pull. Once the bar reaches mid-thigh, you "pop" your hips—this is the triple extension of the ankles, knees, and hips—and shrug. The bar becomes weightless for a split second. That’s when you dive under it, catching it in the "front rack" position across your deltoids.
Then comes the press.
Your feet should be rooted. Tighten your glutes. Seriously, squeeze them like you’re trying to hold a coin between your cheeks. This creates a stable platform. Take a breath, tighten your core, and drive the bar up. You want the bar to travel in a straight line, which means you have to move your head out of the way (the "window" effect) as it passes your face. Lock it out at the top. Hold it for a second. Feel that stability.
Common Mistakes That Will Trash Your Joints
I see people mess this up constantly. The biggest culprit is the "arm pull." Beginners try to use their biceps to pull the bar up. Your biceps are tiny muscles compared to your hamstrings and glutes. If you try to muscle a clean with your arms, you’ll plateau early and probably end up with tendonitis. Your arms are just cables. They stay straight until that hip pop happens.
Another big one? The "suicide lean."
When pressing the weight overhead, people often arch their lower back excessively because their shoulders lack mobility or the weight is too heavy. This is exactly why the Olympics dropped the lift. It’s dangerous. If you find yourself looking at the ceiling and leaning back like a Limbo dancer just to get the bar up, you need to drop the weight. Fix your core tension. If your ribs are flaring out, you're asking for a herniated disc.
- The Grip: Don't choke the bar. Keep a firm but slightly relaxed grip during the clean so your wrists can rotate quickly during the catch.
- The Elbows: In the catch (the rack position), your elbows need to be high. If they point at the floor, the bar will slide off or strain your wrists.
- The Footwork: Start with your feet hip-width apart. When you "catch" the clean, your feet might jump out slightly wider to a squat stance. This is fine. Just don't end up in a full-blown split unless you’re intentionally doing a jerk (which is a different lift entirely).
The Hormonal Impact of Heavy Overloading
There’s a reason this lift makes you feel like a beast. Because the clean and press involves so many muscle groups—literally from your calves to your traps—it triggers a significant neuroendocrine response. Big compound movements like this are legendary for spiking growth hormone and testosterone levels naturally. You aren't just building muscle in your shoulders; you're sending a signal to your entire systemic biology to grow and adapt.
Studies in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research have shown that explosive, multi-joint movements improve bone density and athletic power more effectively than slow, isolated lifts. It’s about rate of force development (RFD). It’s not just how much you can lift, but how fast you can move it. That’s the difference between "gym strong" and "athlete strong."
🔗 Read more: Vegan weight loss recipes: Why you’re probably hungry and how to fix it
Different Tools for Different Results
You don't have to use a barbell. Honestly, for many people, a barbell is actually the hardest way to start because it locks your wrists into a fixed plane.
Kettlebells are arguably the best way to learn the clean and press. The offset weight of the kettlebell forces your stabilizer muscles to work overtime. Plus, the "arc" of a kettlebell clean is more natural for the shoulder joint. If you have "crunchy" shoulders, try double kettlebells. The neutral grip (palms facing each other) is much kinder to the rotator cuff.
Dumbbells are also great for identifying imbalances. Most of us have one side stronger than the other. If you only use a barbell, your dominant side will happily take over, leaving your weak side to stay weak. Doing single-arm dumbbell cleans and presses will expose those flaws immediately. It’s humbling. You might find you can press 50 pounds easily on your right, but struggle to stabilize 40 on your left. Fix that.
Programming: How to Fit This Into Your Routine
Don't treat the clean and press like a bicep curl. You don't do 3 sets of 15 "for the pump." This is a high-skill, high-CNS (Central Nervous System) demand lift. You want to do it at the beginning of your workout when you’re fresh.
If you’re looking for strength, think 5 sets of 3 reps.
If you’re looking for conditioning and fat loss, look into "The Deep Water" or Dan John’s "Complexes." A complex is where you do a set of cleans, followed immediately by a set of presses, without putting the bar down. It is brutal. Your heart rate will hit the ceiling.
A Sample Starter Protocol
- Warm-up: 5 minutes of goblet squats and shoulder circles.
- The Lift: Clean and Press.
- Volume: 5 sets of 5 reps.
- Rest: 2-3 minutes between sets. You need the recovery to keep your form crisp.
Keep a log. If you can add 2.5 pounds a week, or even just one extra rep every two weeks, you are winning. Progression on this lift is slower than the squat because the overhead press is the "weak link" in the chain. Your clean will always be stronger than your press. That's normal.
The Nuance of the "Clean" vs. the "Power Clean"
Technically, a "clean" means you catch the bar in a full, deep squat. A "power clean" means you catch it with your knees only slightly bent (above parallel). For the purpose of a clean and press in a general fitness context, most people are doing a power clean. Unless you are training for weightlifting competitions, the power clean is usually enough. It gives you all the explosive benefits without requiring the extreme hip and ankle mobility of a full Olympic squat catch.
But don't get lazy. Even in a power clean, you need to meet the bar. Don't let the bar crash down on you. Think about pulling yourself under the bar rather than just pulling the bar up. It’s a subtle mental shift that changes the entire mechanics of the lift.
📖 Related: Scar Healing Silicone Gel: Why Most People Use It Wrong
Real-World Benefits You’ll Actually Notice
Aside from looking better in a t-shirt—because let's be real, the "yoke" (the traps and shoulders) this lift builds is unmistakable—you'll notice things getting easier. Carrying groceries. Putting a heavy suitcase in the overhead bin on a plane. Picking up a kid. These are all clean and press movements.
You’ll also develop a "braced" core. Because you’re supporting weight overhead while standing, your abs have to work like a corset to keep you from folding in half. This builds a type of core strength that sit-ups can never touch. It’s anti-rotational and anti-extensional stability.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re ready to add the clean and press to your life, don't just go to the gym and chuck a 135-pound barbell around. Start with a single kettlebell or a pair of light dumbbells. Focus on the transition—that moment where the weight goes from the pulling phase to the catching phase.
First, film yourself. Your internal perception of what you look like is usually a lie. You might think your back is straight, but the camera will show a C-curve.
Second, work on your thoracic mobility. If you spend all day hunched over a computer, your upper back is probably tight. If you can’t get your arms straight up without arching your lower back, you aren't ready for heavy overhead pressing yet. Use a foam roller on your upper back and stretch your lats.
Third, commit to it for six weeks. Don't switch exercises. Do it twice a week. Start light, get the technique dialed in until it feels like second nature, and then start adding weight.
There is a certain primal satisfaction in taking something heavy from the ground and putting it over your head. It’s a basic human physical requirement that we’ve mostly forgotten in our cushioned, seated world. Reclaim that. Your shoulders, your glutes, and your metabolism will thank you.