Kettlebell Dead Clean

What it is

This exercise involves powerfully lifting a kettlebell from the floor to your shoulder in one smooth motion. It primarily targets your hamstrings. This compound movement also significantly engages your glutes, lower back, quadriceps, calves, and trapezius.

Technique tips

• Push your hips back to load hamstrings at the start.
• Drive explosively through your legs and hips to initiate the lift.
• Allow your wrist to rotate naturally as the kettlebell reaches shoulder height.
• Keep your gaze straight ahead throughout the movement.
• Maintain a straight back and engaged glutes during the descent.
• Avoid pulling with your arms; focus on hip drive.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.