Clean Deadlift
The Clean Deadlift is a compound strength exercise that mimics the first phase of the Olympic Clean, focusing on specific biomechanics and leg drive. It primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, and erector spinae while reinforcing the upright torso position required for explosive lifting.
Because the Clean Deadlift is highly demanding on the central nervous system and requires precise technique, our AI analyzes your HRV and sleep data to ensure your recovery status supports heavy pulling. If your tracked RPE suggests the weight feels heavier than usual, the app will auto-adjust the load to prioritize technical integrity over intensity. Additionally, tracking your set-by-set performance allows the system to identify fatigue thresholds, preventing form breakdown that could lead to lower back strain.
Form Cues
- Start with hips lower than a conventional deadlift
- Keep your chest up and shoulders directly over the bar
- Drive your feet through the floor to initiate the lift
- Maintain a double overhand or hook grip
- Keep the bar in contact with your legs throughout the movement
- Don't let your hips shoot up faster than your shoulders
- Don't round your lower back at any point
- Don't jerk the bar off the floor; pull the slack out first
- Don't bend your elbows during the pull
- Don't lean backward excessively at the top of the lift
Common Mistakes
- Starting with hips too high
- Pulling with the back instead of pushing with legs
- Rounding the lumbar spine
- Letting the bar drift away from the body
- Using a mixed grip (under/over)
Muscles Worked
This exercise places a heavy emphasis on the quadriceps and glutes to generate the initial drive from the floor, distinguishing it from the hamstring-dominant conventional deadlift. It also intensely recruits the erector spinae, lats, and upper traps to maintain the rigid, upright torso angle necessary for transferring power.
Primary
Secondary
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