Single Arm Kettlebell Clean

The single arm kettlebell clean is an explosive pull that carries a kettlebell from between your legs to the rack position at your shoulder in one motion. The power comes from the hips rather than the arm: you extend the knees and hips sharply, then guide the bell around the forearm so it settles instead of crashing onto the wrist. Which muscles does it work? Glutes, hamstrings and spinal erectors drive the lift, while the shoulder, forearm and core absorb the catch and slow the bell down. How heavy should you go? Most lifters learn the timing with a 12 to 16 kilo bell, since a heavier one hides technique errors behind brute strength and leaves bruises on the forearm. Because each arm works on its own, the lift also exposes side-to-side differences in power and grip that a two-handed swing tends to mask.