Dumbbell Clean

Watch the video below to see a demonstration of proper form and technique for the dumbbell clean exercise. You can also check out some more hamstring exercise videos or find exercises for other muscle groups.

Instructions for Dumbbell Clean

To perform a set of dumbbell clean:

1. Starting Position

   Stand holding a dumbbell in your right hand with a pronated grip and your arm straight. Your feet should be shoulder width apart. Your trunk should be in a neutral position.

2. Eccentric (Lowering) Motion

   This is an explosive movement, so the following steps must be done with maximal speed. Maintain the alignment of your trunk as you push your hips back and down as though sitting on a stool beneath you. Stop when the dumbbell is halfway down your shins or you can no longer maintain the position of your trunk.

3. Bottom Position

   Pause only briefly at the bottom before transitioning to the concentric phase of the movement.

4. Concentric (Upward) Motion

   Drive into the ground with your feet to explosively propulse your body up and forward to the standing position. Your trunk should move as a unit with no part lagging behind any other. As soon as your are standing straight, shrug your shoulders and drive your right elbow up to continue letting the weight rise upwards. Quickly drop into a squat position to catch the weight at the height of your shoulder, with your elbow directly under your hand.

5. End position

   Repeat steps 1 through 4 until you have completed the desired number of dumbbell clean repetitions for each side before resting.

This completes one set of dumbbell clean.