Kettlebell Clean
Quote: "Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against." - Bruce Lee
The Kettlebell Clean is an exercise that will help you develop a strong foundation in kettlebell training. It is like combing a swing with a high pull. In the swing your arm holding the kettlebell stays straight, in the kettlebell clean, the arm holding the kettlebell is bent and the kettlebell is racked on the shoulder at the end of the movement.
The kettlebell clean is also a much easier technique to learn than the barbell clean. Also unlike the barbell clean, you can use a lighter weight, use a dynamic movement that mimic’s how the body is supposed to move and do more reps than you could with a barbell clean with a lower risk of injury.
It is also an exercise that will assist in being able to move on to the clean and press. If you want to improve your posture, strength and athletic ability, then start doing kettlebell cleans and then see what happens.
Benefits of doing Kettlebell Cleans
There are many benefits to doing kettlebell cleans. These are health related benefits and performance related benefits.
Health Related Benefits:
- Develops cardiovascular fitness making your heart more efficient.
- Helps your body become leaner and more streamlined.
- Improves your body’s resistance to injury.
- Reduces body fat.
- Improves your metabolic rate allowing you to burn more calories.
Performance Related Benefits:
- Improves performance in other sports.
- Great alternative to the deadlift.
- Improves your strength.
- Develops explosive power.
- Exercise can be carried using one or two kettlebells.
- Develops balanced strength in the core and posterior chain which consists of the calves, hamstrings, glutes, core, back and shoulders.
- Helps to correct muscle imbalances.
- Develops strength in extreme ranges of motion.
How to do a Kettlebell Clean
- Grab the kettlebell by the handle.
- Stand in a shoulder width stance.
- Engage the core, keep the back flat and neutral.
- Breathe in through the nose.
- Prepare the body to do a hip hinge motion.
- Breathe out when performing the forward part of the hip hinge motion.
- Execute a high pull close to the body.
- Clean the kettlebell into a rack position.
- Tense the Abdominals and Glutes.
Kettlebell Clean Dos
- Engage the core and use a hip hinge motion.
- Keep the shoulder joint packed into the shoulder socket.
- Using momentum that the core and body powers the movement of the kettlebell.
- Keep the movement of the kettlebell close to the body.
- Ensure you master the kettlebell swing and kettlebell high pull before moving on to the kettlebell clean.
Kettlebell Clean Don’ts
- Swing the kettlebell out on a wide arc.
- Grip the kettlebell too hard.
- Muscle the kettlebell up with the shoulders and arms