Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Dumbbell Clean: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell clean is a compound exercise that targets the glutes and also works the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. It involves explosive movement, coordination, and proper technique to safely lift the dumbbells from the ground to the shoulders.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Quads , Hamstrings , Calves
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell clean
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell clean. Primary: glutes. Secondary: quads, hamstrings and calves.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell clean. Primary: glutes. Secondary: quads, hamstrings and calves.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell clean

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Step 2: Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  3. Step 3: Explosively extend your hips and knees, driving through your heels to jump off the ground.
  4. Step 4: As you jump, shrug your shoulders and pull the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, keeping them close to your body.
  5. Step 5: Catch the dumbbells at shoulder height, with your elbows pointing forward and your palms facing up.
  6. Step 6: Lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position by reversing the movement.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell clean by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Clean alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.