Weightlifting

Hip Squat Clean

What is Hip Squat Clean?

The hip squat clean is the high-hang clean received at full front squat depth - minimum pull distance, maximum catch depth. With the bar starting at the hip crease there is no room to build speed, so the entire lift depends on an instantaneous hip snap and the fastest possible drop under the bar. It's one of the most demanding timing drills in the clean family and a favorite for teaching athletes to meet the bar instead of waiting for it to fall on them.

Hip Squat Clean strength standards

Level (x Bodyweight)MenWomen
beginner0.35x0.22x
novice0.58x0.4x
intermediate0.82x0.58x
advanced1.1x0.82x
elite1.38x1.05x

1RM as a multiple of bodyweight.

Tips & Strategy

Stand tall, dip shallow, snap - and be under the bar before it starts falling. The elbows have to be brutal here: any lag and the bar crashes into the rack position at the bottom of your squat. Punch up into the bar as you receive it to keep it light on your shoulders. Work at 55-70% of your clean in sets of 2-3, fresh. If your full clean improves but this stays weak, your first pull is doing too much of your lifting.

How to Progress

Progression: hip power clean, then front squats, then combine light. Keep the bar at PVC or empty-bar weight until the timing of snap-and-drop feels automatic.

1RM Calculator

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