Exercise Library
Clean Pull To Hip
AKA Clean deadlift to hip
AKA Clean deadlift to hip
The clean pull to hip is a partial pull variation that focuses on staying over the bar. It’s arguably more accurate to call it a partial deadlift because of the lack of acceleration and scoop.
Perform a clean pull, but as you near the top, instead of opening the hips to extend completely, keep the shoulders in front of the bar and bring the bar back to the hip or high-thigh depending on grip and proportions. In other words, never open the hips completely.
Ensure you remain balanced evenly over the whole foot, and actively push the bar back against the body aggressively at the top—if it’s not trying to swing away, your shoulders are too far back.
Return the bar to the floor under minimal control to maintain your grip and basic position for the next rep. There is no pause in this top position, unlike a halting deadlift.
Notes
It’s important to understand that the top position of a pull to hip diverges from the position at that bar height during an actual clean. In a real clean, the shoulders would not still be in front of the bar at that point. It’s an exaggeration to develop specific physical qualities.
Purpose
The clean pull to hip is a pulling variation that emphasizes staying over the bar and actively pushing the bar into the body. It’s quicker than a halting deadlift and does not have a pause at the top, so while not as fast as a regular pull, it still develops speed and power, and is not as taxing on the back as a halting deadlift. It’s very useful for helping lifters learn how to bring the bar back to themselves and remain balanced rather than allowing it to pull them forward.
Programming
Generally the clean pull to hip should be done for 2-5 reps per set anywhere from 80%-100% of the lifter’s best clean. Newer lifters whose cleans are significantly limited by technique will likely need to pull much heavier percentages to adequately train strength in the pull. In any case, the weight should not exceed what the lifter can do with proper positioning and technique.
It can be temporarily used a substitute for regular pulls, although it’s better in combination with them, either in the same session or week. Pulls to hip are also good to place in a complex that finishes with one on more regular pulls to help apply the technique of the pull to hip to the pull.
As a strength exercise, it should be placed toward the end of a workout, but because it also involves some speed and technique, it’s generally best placed before more basic strength work like squats.
Variations
The clean pull can be performed on a riser, from blocks, with slow eccentrics (3-6 seconds typically), with one or more pauses on the way up, from various hang or block heights, with slow concentrics in the lower range to emphasize control over posture and balance, with a static or dynamic start, with or without straps, and many other possibilities.
Perform a clean pull, but as you near the top, instead of opening the hips to extend completely, keep the shoulders in front of the bar and bring the bar back to the hip or high-thigh depending on grip and proportions. In other words, never open the hips completely.
Ensure you remain balanced evenly over the whole foot, and actively push the bar back against the body aggressively at the top—if it’s not trying to swing away, your shoulders are too far back.
Return the bar to the floor under minimal control to maintain your grip and basic position for the next rep. There is no pause in this top position, unlike a halting deadlift.
Notes
It’s important to understand that the top position of a pull to hip diverges from the position at that bar height during an actual clean. In a real clean, the shoulders would not still be in front of the bar at that point. It’s an exaggeration to develop specific physical qualities.
Purpose
The clean pull to hip is a pulling variation that emphasizes staying over the bar and actively pushing the bar into the body. It’s quicker than a halting deadlift and does not have a pause at the top, so while not as fast as a regular pull, it still develops speed and power, and is not as taxing on the back as a halting deadlift. It’s very useful for helping lifters learn how to bring the bar back to themselves and remain balanced rather than allowing it to pull them forward.
Programming
Generally the clean pull to hip should be done for 2-5 reps per set anywhere from 80%-100% of the lifter’s best clean. Newer lifters whose cleans are significantly limited by technique will likely need to pull much heavier percentages to adequately train strength in the pull. In any case, the weight should not exceed what the lifter can do with proper positioning and technique.
It can be temporarily used a substitute for regular pulls, although it’s better in combination with them, either in the same session or week. Pulls to hip are also good to place in a complex that finishes with one on more regular pulls to help apply the technique of the pull to hip to the pull.
As a strength exercise, it should be placed toward the end of a workout, but because it also involves some speed and technique, it’s generally best placed before more basic strength work like squats.
Variations
The clean pull can be performed on a riser, from blocks, with slow eccentrics (3-6 seconds typically), with one or more pauses on the way up, from various hang or block heights, with slow concentrics in the lower range to emphasize control over posture and balance, with a static or dynamic start, with or without straps, and many other possibilities.
