The power clean is the clean received high - hips above parallel, no deep squat. It's the workhorse of athletic power development everywhere from football weight rooms to CrossFit boxes: a violent triple extension of ankles, knees and hips that teaches the body to produce force fast. Because the catch is simpler than the full clean, it's both the natural entry point to Olympic lifting and the default clean in conditioning workouts like DT and The Chief.
| Level (x Bodyweight) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 0.4x | 0.25x |
| novice | 0.65x | 0.45x |
| intermediate | 0.9x | 0.65x |
| advanced | 1.25x | 0.95x |
| elite | 1.55x | 1.2x |
1RM as a multiple of bodyweight.
Finish your hips completely before pulling under - the classic error is cutting the extension short and muscling the bar up with arms. Catch with elbows whipped high, bar resting on the shoulders, feet flat, and absorb with a slight knee bend. If you're catching in a half squat, it's a heavy single dressed badly - respect the 'power' standard. Cycle it in workouts with hook grip and consistent hand placement; for strength, 3-5 sets of 2-3 at 80-90%.
Progression: hang power clean with an empty bar, then from the floor, then load. Dumbbell power cleans are the standard substitute when barbell skill or equipment is limited.
Enter your 1RM above to see your training percentages.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.