# Clean High Pull

A barbell pull from the floor in the clean start position that finishes with the bar at your lower chest and elbows high. Trains the glutes, legs, and traps to produce power in one continuous pull.

- Advanced · Compound
- Equipment: Barbell
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/barbell-clean-pull/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/clean-high-pull/

## Muscles worked

- Glutes: 9/10
- Traps: 8/10
- Quads: 7/10
- Hamstrings: 7/10
- Side delts: 5/10
- Lower back: 5/10
- Calves: 4/10

## How to do the Clean High Pull

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the bar over the middle of your foot.
2. Squat down and grip the bar overhand, just outside your knees.
3. Push through your feet, then extend your hips hard as the bar passes your knees.
4. Pull the bar to your lower chest with your elbows high and out.
5. Lower the bar back down to the starting position to repeat.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Stand with feet about hip width apart and the bar positioned over the middle of your foot.
2. Squat down and take an overhand grip about shoulder width, just outside your knees.
3. Keep your back flat, your arms straight, and your shoulders slightly over the bar.
4. Push through the floor to break the bar from the ground, keeping your hips and chest rising together.
5. As the bar passes your knees, violently extend your hips and knees, then shrug as the bar accelerates upward.
6. Drive your elbows up and out, guiding the bar close to your torso toward lower-chest height.
7. Lower the bar back down under control to the floor, then reset before the next rep.

## Common mistakes

- Pulling early with the arms
- Letting the bar swing forward
- Rounding through the lower back
- Hips shooting up first
- Curling the bar upward

## Form cues

- Legs drive first
- Arms stay long early
- Lead with the elbows
- Keep bar close
- Bar over middle of foot

## How much to do

- **Strength** (best fit): 4–5 sets of 2–4 reps · rest 2 min 30 s · 2 reps in reserve · lift explosively
- **Muscle growth**: 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps · rest 2 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift explosively
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift explosively

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Kettlebell**: [Double Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pull](https://seto.fit/exercises/double-kettlebell-sumo-deadlift-high-pull/), [Sumo Kettlebell Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/sumo-kettlebell-deadlift/)
- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Snatch](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-snatch/), [Staggered Stance Dumbbell Glute Bridge](https://seto.fit/exercises/staggered-stance-dumbbell-glute-bridge/)
- **No equipment**: [Tire Flip](https://seto.fit/exercises/tire-flip/), [Bodyweight Hip Thrust](https://seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-hip-thrust/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Kneeling Resistance Band Hip Thrust](https://seto.fit/exercises/kneeling-resistance-band-hip-thrust/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Kettlebell Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-deadlift/) — Beginner
- Easier: [Trap Bar Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/trap-bar-deadlift/) — Intermediate
- **This exercise: Clean High Pull — Advanced**
- Harder: [Sumo Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/sumo-deadlift/) — Advanced
- Harder: [Block Snatch](https://seto.fit/exercises/block-snatch/) — Expert

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Clean High Pull work?

Primary: Glutes 9/10, Traps 8/10. Also works: Quads 7/10, Hamstrings 7/10, Side delts 5/10, Lower back 5/10.

### When should I do the Clean High Pull in a workout?

Main lift. Goes first after the warm-up, while you are fresh. ≈ 13 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Clean High Pull?

Strength: 4–5 sets of 2–4 reps, rest 2 min 30 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps, rest 2 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Clean High Pull?

Kettlebell: Double Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pull, Sumo Kettlebell Deadlift. Dumbbells: Dumbbell Snatch, Staggered Stance Dumbbell Glute Bridge. No equipment: Tire Flip, Bodyweight Hip Thrust. Resistance bands: Kneeling Resistance Band Hip Thrust.

### What is an easier version of the Clean High Pull?

Trap Bar Deadlift (Intermediate), Kettlebell Deadlift (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Clean High Pull?

Sumo Deadlift (Advanced), Block Snatch (Expert).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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