Bottoms-Up Clean from the Hang

intermediate · pull_vertical

Setup

Hold a light kettlebell in one hand with your arm hanging by your side and the bell hanging naturally below the handle. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. The bottoms-up position only appears when you catch the bell at your shoulder.

Execution

Hinge slightly at the hips and let the bell travel back between your thighs, back flat and grip tight on the handle.
Drive your hips forward and pull the bell up close to your body.
Exhale as you snap your elbow up and rotate your hand under the bell, catching it at your shoulder still bottoms-up.
Keep your wrist stacked directly under the bell and your core braced so it does not wobble at the top.
Turn the bell back over and lower it under control to the hang before the next rep.
Complete all your reps on one side before switching the kettlebell to the other hand.
If the bell tips over, don't wrench your wrist to save it; let it swing back to a normal hang, reset your grip and use a lighter bell.

Breathing

Exhale as you pull the bell to your shoulder, inhale as you lower it back to the hang. Do not hold your breath to keep the bell balanced.

Quick cues

Wrist stacked under the bell.
Grip the handle hard.
Light bell, control first.
Snap the elbow up quick.
Bell tips, stop and reset.

Common faults

Fault: Using a kettlebell too heavy to control bottoms-up, so it tips over constantly
Fix: Drop to a much lighter bell until three reps in a row stay upright.
Fault: Letting the wrist bend instead of stacking straight under the bell
Fix: Rotate the whole forearm under the bell rather than just flicking the wrist.
Fault: Muscling the bell up with the arm instead of using the hips
Fix: Rehearse the hip drive on a regular clean first, then add the bottoms-up grip.
Fault: Rushing the catch so the bell crashes down onto the wrist
Fix: Slow the last part of the pull and catch it softly at the shoulder.

Equipment

kettlebell

Muscle groups

arms, shoulders