How to Do a Hang Clean? Benefits and Muscle Worked

Hang clean is an effective barbell exercise which activates several muscle groups in your body. This is a great exercise for your total body strength training, which involves loading a weighted barbell that is executed in a hanging manner from the shoulder.

Many professional powerlifters and bodybuilders agree that this is a fantastic strength training exercise which not only helps in building muscles but also enhances the overall fitness of the body. In this article, we will discuss everything about hang cleans ranging from its benefits, techniques, and variations to the muscles worked and form required.

Proper form is required (Image via Pexels/Li Sun)

---

Hang Clean Form

The hanging clean comprises the movement of catching and throwing barbells, wherein a lot can go wrong with increased risk of injuries. This is why it is important to assume a proper form for this exercise. Here are the instructions that you should follow for a proper stance on how to do hang cleans:

• Load the barbell with the weight according to your fitness level and position it to the front of your body. Start in a standing manner with your feet apart at hip distance, chest forward, shoulders pulled back, and core muscles engaged.
• Squat to the floor to grasp the barbell in an overhand grip with both your palms and hands apart slightly wider than the shoulder distance.
• Drive through your heels to assume a standing position while keeping the barbell close to your body. Your arms should be completely extended in this starting position.
• Slightly bend forward at your hips while driving your butt back and lower the barbell to your knee height while maintaining a neutral spine.
• Drop your body into a squat position while pushing your hips to the front. Simultaneously bring the barbell upwards at chest level by snapping your elbows and shrugging your shoulders.
• Assume the standing position with the barbell in the front rack position, and with control, bring the weight to the starting position.

---

Hang Clean Muscles Worked

This exercise will provide your muscles with a range of motion that involves movements similar to the weighted catch, deadlift, and a catch. Here are the muscles worked from this exercise:

1. Core Muscles

This exercise will also help in targeting your core muscles along with stimulating muscle gain and improving core strength.

2. Trapezius Muscle

Hang clean will specifically work on your trapezius muscle to stimulate muscle gain.

3. Lower Body Muscle

This exercise will help in activating your lower body muscles including hip flexors, stabilizer muscles, glutes, thighs, hamstrings, lats, and lower back muscles. It will help in improving the mobility and flexibility of these exercises.

---

Benefits of Hang Clean

Here are some of the benefits that you can gain from this exercise if done correctly:

1. Functional Exercise

Hang cleans will help in training your functional muscles which help in improving your everyday activities. This exercise will work on muscles like lower back and abductors that will enhance overall mobility as well as increase body stability.

2. Burning Calories

This exercise is excellent for improving the overall health and well-being of the body by burning a high number of calories. Hang cleans will also help in improving the metabolism of the body, contribute to cutting down on fat, and building leaner muscles in the body.

Barbell exercise (Image via Pexels/Binyamin Mellish)

3. Full-Body Exercise

Hang cleans are also among the most effective exercises that will engage major muscle groups throughout the body. It will help in building muscles with a greater range of motion.

4. Explosive Power

This exercise also helps in building athleticism in the body by building explosive power. This aids in working on the performance, speed, and strength of an athlete which will improve your power output while playing the sport.

Overall, hanging clean tends to be a great addition to your workout routine, which will help in engaging several functional muscles. However, you need to improve the attributes such as muscular endurance, balance, speed, and timing to maximize the benefits that you gain from this exercise as well as reduce the chances of injury. This exercise will significantly help in improving your fitness journey.