What’s the Dumbbell Power Clean? The Dumbbell power clean is a variation of the Dumbbell Clean that can be performed with either one or two dumbbells. It offers a similar range of motion and cycle-time as its barbell counterpart. At lighter loads, athletes can typically perfect this exercise more quickly than if they were using heavier weights on a barbell because the rack position is more forgiving, and you don’t need to navigate around your body with a heavyweight. But at heavier loads, it becomes just as demanding on grip strength and upper-body strength than when performing with similar weight on a barbell.
Whether you are looking to build muscle, lose weight, or just want to get stronger in the gym, power cleans are a great exercise for all levels. With this article, I will be discussing how to perform the move properly and some benefits and alternatives that can be used depending on your goals.
How to Perform Dumbbell Power Cleans
To do dumbbell power cleans:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and grab a weight plate in each hand.
When squatting, make sure to keep your back straight and head up. Your knees should be tracking over the toes of both feet, so they are not bent too far inward or outward while in this position and maintain an upright posture throughout- no slouching allowed!
Keep your back straight and head up when lowering yourself into a squat. As you drive out of the position, swing the weights overhead in one fluid motion before catching them on either shoulder for an overhead press or outward rotation at arms’ length with palms facing forward as required by most weight training exercises.
As you catch the dumbbells on your shoulders, dip slightly to absorb their weight. This will help protect both knees and elbows from injury!
Stop for a second in the upright position, holding onto your dumbbells.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and grab a weight plate in each hand.
Benefits
The Dumbbell power clean is a great exercise that can offer many benefits for athletes and weightlifters. Some benefits include:
- Improved Grip Strength
- Improved Shoulder Stability
- Increased Power Output
- Better Overall Athletic Performance
Alternatives of the Dumbbell Power Clean
Suppose you are looking to improve your performance in a specific sport. In that case, there might be other exercises that would better suit your needs. Dumbbell power can be great for general fitness and overall athleticism. Still, depending on your goals, you may want to try some of these alternatives:
- Dumbbell Clean
- Dumbbell Hang Clean
- Dumbbell Push Press
- Snatch
As always, consult your doctor or trainer before beginning any exercise program and never push yourself too hard. This is especially important with Dumbbell power cleans as they can be a bit more challenging than most exercises!