Exercise Tutorial: Dumbbell Clean
Table of Contents
What Is the Dumbbell Clean
The Dumbbell clean is a variation of the Olympic Lift used to develop full-body power but on a more accessible scale.
How to Do a Dumbbell Clean
Perform a Dumbbell Clean by starting with the dumbbells at your side with a neutral grip. Shift your weight to your midfoot. Brace your core and Hinge the hips, pushing them back towards the wall behind you. Once the dumbbells reach knee level bend at the knees until the dumbbells are at the Mid-Shin, this is your starting position.
This portion of the clean should feel very similar to jumping straight up. Push through your midfoot extending your knees, ensuring your hips and chest rise at the same time. As the knees start to extend, and the dumbbells pass knee level, extend your hips forward and, at the last second, push through your toes, lifting your heels off the floor. You should end this phase of the clean in triple extension.
At this point, Shrug your shoulders and pull the dumbbells up, leading with the elbows ensuring the arms are relaxed and pulling like a whip. This phase of the clean is the peak power where no more force can move the dumbbells efficiently, and all that remains is the catch.
The last part of the Dumbbell clean is the catch; once you reach the peak power, you will then lift your feet off the floor and immediately widen your stance. Sit straight down so that your body is now under the dumbbells. Strike the floor with your feet, while you lift the weight onto your shoulders. The dumbbells should then land on top of your anterior deltoids with the elbows high. You should finish the catch somewhere between a quarter and a deep squat position.
Squat up and lower the dumbbells back at your side. Repeat this for the desired amount of repetitions.
Dumbbell Clean Muscles Worked
The Dumbbell clean strengthens the entire body, particularly the posterior chain and shoulders.
Why Is the Dumbbell Clean Useful
Dumbbell cleans an accessible way to perform the technically demanding Olympic lifts. Dumbbells require less equipment, and due to the increased freedom of movement, learning the Dumbbell cleans is much more comfortable. Dumbbells allow for unilateral style training to prevent muscular imbalances when compared to the barbell counterpart.
Benefits of the Dumbbell Clean
The Dumbbell clean is beneficial for developing full-body power. Proper execution of the Dumbbell clean requires an explosive triple extension and shoulder speed. Power is a crucial attribute for athletes that need to generate power from their feet up to their hands like volleyball, football, basketball and martial arts.
Dumbbell Cleans are also great for everyday gym-goers since it recruits a large amount of muscle mass. Making the Dumbbell clean, very time effective and an easy way to get a lot of work in during a short period. So if you're an athlete looking to improve your performance or an effective full-body exercise, the Dumbbell clean is for you.
Dumbbell Clean Variations
Dumbbell clean variations modify the Dumbbell clean to your current training level. Or place a specific focus in your current training routine, such as strengthening a particular muscle group or correct an imbalance. Variations are also essential if you want to maximize hypertrophy as a variety of movements will, thoroughly stimulate more muscle fibres.
Dumbbell Clean and Press
The Dumbbell clean and press is an added overhead press or pushes press after a clean. This variation focuses on improving your deltoid and tricep strength and overhead pressing power.
Dumbbell Power Clean
The dumbbell power clean is a dumbbell clean with a quick and sturdy catch in the quarter squat stance. This variation is ideal for those unable to catch in a deep squat and for developing full-body stability and force absorption. I would recommend this variation for football players and martial artists—that need to be able to resist external forces.
Dumbbell Clean and Jerk
The Dumbbell clean and jerk is a traditional dumbbell clean but with an added jerk. The jerk can be done either as a squat or a split jerk variation. Jerk is effective at developing deltoid and tricep power, with stability and power absorption portion during the brief eccentric phase.
Dumbbell Hang Clean
The Dumbbell hang clean is a dumbbell clean where the weight starts at the knee level as opposed to mid-shin. The hang variation reduces your leg drive and forces your hips to do most of the work. Dumbbell hang cleans excellent for strengthening the glutes and hamstring or for individuals who lack the mobility for the mid-shin position.
One-arm Dumbbell Clean & Press
The one-arm Dumbbell clean, and the press is only performed one arm at a time. The weight will also start between the legs as opposed to the outside. The rest of the exercise remains the same, but the application changes. Use the One-arm Dumbbell clean and press to strengthen a weaker side, and to develop your anti-lateral flexion core strength.
