I jumped into the kettlebell clean and press thinking it’d be pretty straightforward. Clean it up, press it overhead—easy, right? Well, not even close.
From the first rep, I knew something was off. The bell felt weird in my hands. My shoulders weren’t locking in right. Left side lagged. Timing? A mess. I kept second-guessing if I was doing it right or just flinging heavy metal and hoping for the best.
At first, I thought it was a strength issue. But I could deadlift way more than this bell. So what gives? Turns out, this movement isn’t just about strength. It’s about coordination. Control. Clean form. And mine sucked.
What the Kettlebell Clean and Press Actually Is
The kettlebell clean and press looked simple when I first saw it—just yank the bell up and shove it overhead, right? Turns out, it’s way more technical than that. It’s not just two moves jammed together.
- The Clean: You use your hips to pull the bell up into the rack. It should land smooth—no slamming into your forearm.
- The Press: From the rack, you brace your core, keep your ribs down, and press it overhead. No wobbling, no leaning back.
It’s half ballistic, half grind. You’ve gotta be explosive and controlled. And yep—it’s one of the five kettlebell pentathlon lifts, so if you’re training for that, this move matters.
How to do it：
I had to slow everything down to fix my form. Like, painfully slow. I started separating the clean and the press.
Here’s what actually helped:
- I started with either a dead clean or swing clean—just to get into the rack position smoothly.
- From the rack, I locked in—braced my core, ribs down, tight glutes.
- Then came the press. I drove it straight up, without leaning back or arching.
- Finally, I lowered it with control back to the rack and reset. No rushing.
Muscles Worked：
And don’t let the simplicity fool you—it hits a lot of muscle groups:
- Glutes and hips? Firing hard in the clean.
- Shoulders and triceps? Big time on the press.
- Core? Always bracing.
- Forearms and grip? Yeah, you’ll feel it.
Basically, it’s a full-body move that feels like a challenge every single set. But once it flows, it’s super satisfying.
Why the Kettlebell Clean and Press Changed the Way I Train
The kettlebell clean and press ended up being way more useful than I expected. At first, it just felt awkward. But once it started clicking, I realized—it’s kinda the perfect lift.
Plus, it carries over big time. I mean, it cleaned up my snatches, made my push presses feel tighter, and even helped my swings feel more dialed in. So now? I toss it into everything—conditioning days, heavy days, sometimes even just to warm up.It’s that versatile.
Common Mistakes I Made
Here’s what tripped me up:
- I swung the bell too far out instead of keeping it tight → I fixed it by thinking of “zipping up” my jacket.
- I leaned way back during the press → bracing my core made a huge difference.
- I was muscling the bell with my arm instead of using my hips → learning proper hip drive fixed that.
- I couldn’t tell if my weight was too light or too heavy → I started checking if the last rep still looked clean. If I was grinding or losing form early, it was too heavy. If I could do it forever, too light.
Also, I had weird imbalances—my left side felt clunky. So I started:
- Switching arms every rep
- Focusing on control instead of chasing numbers
- Adding some one-arm rows and Turkish get-ups to clean it up
When to Use This Exercise
Now I mix clean and press into my routine a few different ways:
- Long sets with a lighter bell for cardio/conditioning
- Low reps, heavy bell for strength
- Sometimes just a few reps in a warm-up to wake up my whole body
It’s one of those moves that just works—if your form is good, it pays off everywhere.
Anyway, this lift seriously humbled me. The clean and press didn’t just test my muscles—it called out my form, my timing, and my patience.
But here’s the thing—that’s exactly why it worked. It made me slow down, clean things up (literally), and actually learn how to move better.
Sure, it felt awkward and kinda annoying at first… but eventually it clicked—and now I’m hooked. But now? It’s one of my favorite lifts.
Stick with it. Film yourself. Fix what feels off. You’ll be surprised how fast things come together once it clicks.
Your shoulders and your pride will thank you.
Hi, I’m the editor here at Leadman Fitness. We’re a manufacturer focused on producing top-quality barbells, plates, kettlebells, dumbbells, and strength training gear. I’ve been into sports and fitness for years, and I know my way around all kinds of gym equipment—both from using it and helping create it.
I spend a lot of time understanding the real problems people run into in the gym—whether it’s beginners trying to pick the right gear or experienced lifters looking for something more durable. I stay in close touch with our production team and talk directly with other equipment makers, so we’re always improving based on what real lifters and coaches are looking for.
What I share comes from hands-on experience—stuff that actually helps people train better, not just in theory, but in real gyms.