The 3-way Clean is a great functional strength movement that works the entire body and also is very dynamic with three separate triple-joint extensions. At Iron Pirate Strength & Conditioning we base the weight used in the on the athlete’s Push Press max, which generally is a limiting factor.

The lift is made up of three distinct lifts: A Power Clean, a Front Squat and a Push Press. There should be a pause after each phase.

Start the Power Clean with an overhand grip and your hands slightly more than shoulder width apart. After the catch, reset your feet and perform a deep front squat. It’s best to relax your grip on the bar slightly and keep your elbows pushed up in front of your body. It repositions the weight slightly and allows you to sit a bit on your heels. When you finish the front squat, reset your feet, adjust your grip and dip by bending your knees 3-4 inches. Drive upwards and lock the bar out above your head for a one-count. Return the bar to your chest, then to your hips and squat it to the ground.

Athlete’s SHOULD NOT drop the bar between lifts but should squat it back to the floor, TAP, and begin another rep.

Thanks to Dann O’Neill of the Western Michigan University for help in making this video.