Smith Machine Hang Power Clean — start position
Start
Smith Machine Hang Power Clean — end position
End

Legs / Intermediate / Compound (multi-joint)

Smith Machine Hang Power Clean

A Smith machine explosive exercise for the hamstrings, with the glutes, lower back and quads assisting.

At a glance

Primary
Hamstrings
Secondary
Glutes, Lower back (erectors), Quads, Rear delts, Upper traps, Forearms & grip
Equipment
Smith machine
Movement pattern
Hip hinge
Level
Intermediate
Type
Legs, Compound (multi-joint), Explosive

Loads the lower back, wrist. Use a load you can control and skip it if it causes pain.

How to do it

  1. Position the bar at knee height and load it to an appropriate weight.
  2. Take a pronated grip on the bar outside of shoulder width and unhook the bar from the machine. Your arms should be fully extended with your head and chest up. Your elbows should be pointed out with your shoulders back and down. Your hips should be back, loading the tension into the hamstrings. This will be your starting position.
  3. Initate the movement by forcefully extending the hips and knees, accelerating into the bar. Ensure that you keep your arms straight during this part of the motion.
  4. Upon full extension, rebend the hips and knees to lower your receiving position.
  5. Allow the arms to flex at this point, rotating the elbows around the bar to receive it on your shoulders.
  6. Extend through the hips and knees to come to a standing position with the bar racked on your shoulders to complete the movement.

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Muscles worked

Neck (Front)Upper traps — secondary (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps (Front)Forearms & grip — secondary (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads — secondary (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps — secondary (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts — secondary (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) — secondary (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip — secondary (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes — secondary (Back)Hamstrings — primary (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)
FrontBack
  • Primary: Hamstrings
  • Secondary: Glutes, Lower back (erectors), Quads, Rear delts, Upper traps, Forearms & grip

Best for

How specific this exercise is to each movement.

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Photos and instructions: free-exercise-db (github.com/yuhonas/free-exercise-db), public domain.