Move · Videos · Technique · 7 min

Kettlebell Clean for Beginners: Dead Clean to Swing Clean

Kettlebell Clean for Beginners: Dead Clean to Swing Clean — video by Mark Wildman Play · 6:31

Video by Mark Wildman on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Kettlebell coach Mark Wildman builds the clean in steps: the grip and rack position, a dead clean from the floor, a two-hand pick-up to the rack, a one-arm swing and finally the swing clean. Suits beginners using a light kettlebell.

  • 7 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • kettlebell
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Step by step 6

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  1. Rack position: elbow in line with the wrist, wrist straight and the handle sitting at a 45-degree angle. 0:00
  2. Dead clean: feet straight ahead, straight arm, thumb back; stand up with the hips and bring the elbow to your side. 1:31
  3. Two-hand pick-up: stand up with the legs, other hand underneath, and rest the bell on your arm without hitting it. 2:30
  4. One-hand dead clean: drive from the legs, not the arm, so the bell goes around the wrist into a soft catch. 3:21
  5. One-arm swing: step back a little, hike the bell back, snap the hips, and always set it down out in front. 4:00
  6. Swing clean: hike back with the elbow tight and catch gently; if it hurts, slow down and use a lighter bell. 4:33

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Let the bell travel around your wrist, not over it, so it rests softly on your forearm
  • Keep the elbow close to your side and lift with the hips, not with a curl
  • If the catch hurts, slow down and use a lighter kettlebell

What it works

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Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Lower back takes loaddead cleans from the floor, swings, swing cleans
  • Hips takes loaddead cleans, one-arm swings, swing cleans
  • Shoulders movesone-arm swing, holding the rack
  • Elbows moveselbow tucked in the rack
  • Wrists & hands movesgrip, bell rolls around the wrist to the rack
  • Knees movessoft knees in the hinge

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Mark Wildman; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety