Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean
Also known as: alternating kettlebell hang clean
Skip the guesswork: Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean leans on an offset kettlebell centre of mass for control through the whole range.
How to do Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand with an overhand grip.
- Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up.
- Allow the kettlebells to hang in front of your body with your arms fully extended.
- In one fluid motion, explosively extend your hips, shrug your shoulders, and pull the kettlebells up towards your shoulders.
- As the kettlebells reach shoulder height, rotate your wrists and catch the kettlebells in the rack position, with your palms facing inward and the kettlebells resting on the outside of your forearms.
- Lower the kettlebells back down to the starting position and repeat the movement with the opposite arm.
- Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.
Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Own the rack position before adding size.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Keep the set crisp and stop when speed drops.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. The next bell up is a big jump, so build reps first.
Common Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean Mistakes
Lifting the bell with the arms instead of the hips
Snap the hips and let the bell float; the arms only steer.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Stacking hard sessions with no lighter week in sight
Plan a reduced-volume week roughly every fourth week.
Easier and Harder Than Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean
Swap Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean For
Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell in each hand with an overhand grip. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and chest up. Allow the kettlebells to hang in front of your body with your arms fully extended. Use a kettlebell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean work?
The Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean primarily targets the forearms. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with a kettlebell.
How many sets and reps of the Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Keep the set crisp and stop when speed drops. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean good for beginners?
Not usually. The Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier arms progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean?
Try the Dumbbell Over Bench One Arm Reverse Wrist Curl, Cable Wrist Curl or the Finger Curls. Each trains the forearms with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean the same as the alternating kettlebell hang clean?
Yes. The Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean is also commonly called the alternating kettlebell hang clean. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "alternating kettlebell hang clean" refer to this same movement.
