Legs · Barbell
Hang Clean
How to do the hang clean, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
See it in motion
How to do it
Stand with the weight at your feet and grip it shoulder-width apart. Lift the weight by extending your hips and knees, then shrug and pull yourself under it to catch it in a front rack position. Stand up straight before lowering the weight.
- 1Start with the bar at mid-thigh and dip slightly before exploding upward, feeling your legs and hips generate power
- 2Pull yourself under the bar and catch it on your shoulders, absorbing the weight in a quarter or full squat
- 3Stand up by driving through your heels and keeping your elbows high
Common mistakes
- Don't yank the bar with your arms or bend your elbows early
- Avoid catching the bar with your elbows down or your chest collapsing
- Don't let the bar drift forward; keep it close to your body throughout
Muscles worked
The hang clean mainly works the quads and glutes, with the triceps, upper traps, upper abs, lower abs, hamstrings, front delts, upper chest, lats, lower back, calves, and side delts assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- LatsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the hang clean for you and tracks it every session.
The AI builds your whole program, drops the right lifts into each workout, and adjusts your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the barbell hip thrust
- How to do the cable kickbacks
- How to do the curtsy lunge
- How to do the barbell deadlift
- How to do the resistance band glute bridges
- How to do the machine hip abduction
Last reviewed April 2026.