Kettlebell clean
Also called single-arm kettlebell clean, one-arm kettlebell clean.
What is a kettlebell clean?
A kettlebell clean brings one kettlebell from a backswing into a rack beside your shoulder. Stand up through your hips and guide your hand around the handle so the bell settles against your forearm. This guide covers the single-arm swing clean, with no overhead press.
How do you perform a kettlebell clean?
Set up
- Choose a light kettlebell and clear the space around you. Place it a short reach ahead of your feet, with your stance wide enough for the bell to pass between your thighs.
- Bend at your hips and knees to take the handle in one hand. Brace your torso, keep your back steady and tip the bell toward you.
Execution
- Draw the bell back between your thighs, keeping your upper arm close to your body.
- Stand up firmly through your hips and knees. As the bell rises, bend your elbow and keep it near your ribs.
- Slip your hand around the handle as the bell turns over, letting it settle against your forearm beside your shoulder. Finish standing tall with your wrist straight.
- Guide the bell out of the rack and back between your legs, bending at your hips and knees for the next rep. After the final backswing, place it on the floor ahead of you before changing hands.
Common mistakes
Flipping the bell over your fist
Practise with less weight and move your hand around the handle as the bell rises. Do not keep repeating reps that strike your forearm.
Curling the bell from a still lower body
Begin each rep with the backswing and stand up through your hips before guiding the bell into the rack.
Leaning backward at the finish
Finish with your ribs above your pelvis. Reduce the weight if you cannot hold the rack while standing tall.
Where it fits in a session
Practise the clean before tiring your grip with longer kettlebell work.
Start with short sets on each side. End the set when the bell starts striking your forearm or you cannot control the return.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
Variations
- Paused kettlebell clean — Briefly settle in the rack before starting the next backswing.
Frequently asked questions
Does a kettlebell clean include a press?
No. A clean ends at the shoulder rack. For this exercise, return from the rack into the next backswing without lifting overhead.
Should the kettlebell hit my forearm?
Aim for a quiet landing against your forearm. Use a lighter bell and rehearse the turnover if it keeps hitting you; avoid solving it by bending your wrist backward.