# Squat Clean

An explosive barbell lift that pulls the bar from the floor and catches it on the front of your shoulders in a full front squat, then stands up. Trains the quads, glutes, and upper back, and builds power and coordination.

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

## Muscles worked

- Quads: 9/10
- Glutes: 9/10
- Hamstrings: 7/10
- Traps: 7/10
- Lower back: 6/10
- Calves: 5/10
- Front delts: 4/10

## How to do the Squat Clean

1. Bar over the middle of your foot, grip slightly wider than shoulders.
2. Push through your feet, keeping the bar close to your body.
3. Extend your hips and shrug as the bar reaches your thighs.
4. Catch the bar on your shoulders in a deep front squat.
5. Stand up fully, then lower the bar to the floor.

### Full technique — 8 steps

1. Stand with feet about hip width and the bar positioned over the middle of your foot.
2. Bend your hips and knees to grip the bar overhand, a little wider than your shoulders, with straight arms.
3. Flatten your back and tighten your stomach before the bar leaves the floor.
4. Push through your whole foot and keep the bar close as it passes your shins and knees.
5. Once the bar reaches mid-thigh, extend your hips and knees explosively and shrug upward.
6. Pull yourself under the bar, turning your elbows forward to catch it on the front of your shoulders.
7. Receive the bar in a deep front squat with your hips below your knees.
8. Stand up out of the squat until your hips and knees are fully straight, then lower the bar to the floor.

## Common mistakes

- Yanking the bar off floor
- Early arm bend off thighs
- Bar swinging away forward
- Catching with low elbows
- Cutting the squat high

## Form cues

- Push, then explode
- Keep bar close
- Arms stay long
- Snap elbows through
- Meet the bar

## How much to do

- **Strength** (best fit): 4–6 sets of 1–3 reps · rest 3 min · 1–2 reps in reserve · lift explosively
- **Muscle growth**: 3–4 sets of 3–5 reps · rest 2 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lift explosively
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 6–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · 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.

- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Snatch](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-snatch/)
- **No equipment**: [Tire Flip](https://seto.fit/exercises/tire-flip/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Sumo Kettlebell Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/sumo-kettlebell-deadlift/), [Kettlebell Snatch](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-snatch/)

## 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: [Trap Bar Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/trap-bar-deadlift/) — Intermediate
- Easier: [Sumo Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/sumo-deadlift/) — Advanced
- **This exercise: Squat Clean — Advanced**
- Harder: [Block Snatch](https://seto.fit/exercises/block-snatch/) — Expert
- Harder: [Clean and Jerk to Overhead Split Squat](https://seto.fit/exercises/clean-and-jerk-to-overhead-split-squat/) — Expert

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Squat Clean work?

Primary: Quads 9/10, Glutes 9/10. Also works: Hamstrings 7/10, Traps 7/10, Calves 5/10, Lower back 6/10.

### Which joints does the Squat Clean load?

Knee: high, Lower back: moderate, Wrist: moderate, Hip: moderate. Knee — lighter options: Low Bar Back Squat, Goblet Squat, Smith Machine Squat.

### When should I do the Squat Clean in a workout?

Main lift. Goes first after the warm-up, while you are fresh. ≈ 15 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Squat Clean?

Strength: 4–6 sets of 1–3 reps, rest 3 min, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 6–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Squat Clean?

Dumbbells: Dumbbell Snatch. No equipment: Tire Flip. Kettlebell: Sumo Kettlebell Deadlift, Kettlebell Snatch.

### What is an easier version of the Squat Clean?

Sumo Deadlift (Advanced), Trap Bar Deadlift (Intermediate).

### What is a harder version of the Squat Clean?

Block Snatch (Expert), Clean and Jerk to Overhead Split Squat (Expert).

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

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