Kettlebell Clean: Master the Technique Without Wrist Bangs

Last Updated on 7 July 2025 by Greg Brookes

The kettlebell clean takes the kettlebell from the floor into the rack position in one fluid motion. It’s the essential bridge between the swing and press, but often misunderstood, and painful when done wrong.

This guide breaks down the clean into coachable steps, teaches you how to avoid wrist bangs, and explores powerful variations from beginner to advanced.

What Is the Kettlebell Clean?

The clean is a hip hinge-based ballistic movement that takes the kettlebell from between your legs to the rack position at your chest. It builds on the swing pattern but adds a refined path and timing for control and fluidity.

When done properly, the kettlebell floats upward, your arm wraps around it (not under it), and it lands softly in the rack. There’s no banging, slamming, or bruised forearms.

Why the Kettlebell Clean Matters

• Total-body activation – Engages glutes, core, back, grip, and shoulder stabilisers
• Fat-burning cardio – Ballistic and rhythmic, it’s metabolically demanding
• Strength-building – Foundation for clean & press, jerks, and squats
• Hip power development – Trains explosive hip extension for athleticism
• Efficient flow movement – Transitions seamlessly into other kettlebell lifts

Muscles Worked During the Clean

• Glutes and hamstrings (posterior chain)
• Core and deep stabilisers
• Trapezius, rhomboids, and lats
• Forearms and grip
• Shoulders and deltoids

The clean shares the deadlift and swing’s hip-driven roots, making it a perfect antidote to long hours of sitting.

How to Perform the Kettlebell Clean (Step-by-Step)

1. Start Position – Place the kettlebell slightly in front of you. Hinge at the hips with a flat back.
2. Grip and Hike – Grab the bell with one hand, thumb pointing behind you.
3. Drive with Hips – Snap your hips forward, using leg and glute power to propel the bell upward.
4. Vertical Pull – Keep the kettlebell close to your body. Don’t swing it out and around.
5. Wrap the Arm – Rotate your hand around the bell, bringing it into the rack. Do not let the bell crash onto your forearm.
6. Finish in Rack Position – Bell rests softly between forearm and bicep. Elbow tucked, wrist neutral.

Tip: Zip up your jacket under your armpit, don’t swing the bell like a hammer.

Watch the kettlebell clean in action:

4-Step Clean Drill Progression (Wrist-Friendly)

1. Dead Clean – Start from a dead stop. Bell travels close to the body.
2. Swing to Clean Transition – Start with swings, then pull into rack.
3. Thumb-to-Bum Rotation – Thumb faces backward at hinge, then rotates.
4. Wrap the Bell – Arm wraps around bell quickly at the top, not under it.

Cue: Imagine zipping up a jacket with some books clamped under your armpit

How to Stop the Kettlebell from Banging Your Wrist

• Keep the kettlebell close, don’t swing it away from your body.
• Use your hips, not your arms, to generate lift.
• Rotate your arm around the kettlebell as it rises.
• Land the kettlebell softly in the rack position.
• Use a bell with smooth contours and appropriate size.

Watch me show you how to stop banging your wrists:

Rack Position Coaching Tips

• Elbow tucked under the bell, not flared.
• Wrist neutral, not extended or bent.
• Bell rests between forearm and bicep.
• Abs braced, lats tight.

Additional Coaching Points

• Thumb starts facing backward.
• Load the glutes and hamstrings, drive from the heels.
• Keep the kettlebell close, like you’re facing a wall.
• Snap the hips hard, don’t lift with the arms.
• Tight core and glutes at the top.

Clean Variations

1. Kettlebell Hang Clean – Performed from a dead hang. Excellent for technique.
2. Clean and Press – Clean first, then press overhead with pause between.
3. Bottoms-Up Clean – Kettlebell ends upside down, demanding precision.
4. Clean, Squat and Press – Powerful full-body kettlebell complex.
5. Single-Leg Clean – Adds balance and cross-body control.
6. Side Lunge and Clean – Requires strong lunge and hinge mechanics.
7. Power Clean – Double bells, explosive hip drive.
8. Double Clean and Press – Press after a powerful double clean.

Sample Clean Workout

• Clean Left – 60 seconds
• Rest – 60 seconds
• Clean Right – 60 seconds
• Rest – 60 seconds
• Repeat 1–3 rounds

Target: 30 cleans per arm, with good form.

Recommended Starting Weights

• Women: 8–12kg
• Men: 12–16kg (build toward 24kg and beyond)

Common Mistakes

• Letting the bell crash into the wrist
• Swinging the bell out wide
• Using arms instead of hips
• Poor rack posture
• Floppy core or leaning back

When to Use the Clean

• In strength flows (e.g., clean to press)
• As a standalone power movement
• To transition between movements
• For metabolic conditioning

Related Exercises You Can Try Next

• Kettlebell Swing
• Kettlebell Deadlift
• Kettlebell Press
• Kettlebell Snatch
• Bottoms-Up Hold

Want More Smart Kettlebell Training?

Explore my full kettlebell clean video library, tutorials, and strength-building workouts. Master transitions, fix your form, and take your training to the next level with intelligent, technique-driven programming.

Mastered the clean? Unlock the next level with my full kettlebell exercises library.

Frequently Asked Questions