Posted In: Strength & Conditioning
This is a question that’s been on my mind for a while…
Is it possible to make long term improvements in the power clean without squatting or performing other strength exercises? That is, by just doing other olympic lifts (hang cleans,snatchs, clean pulls, etc.)? If so, what would the training be like?
Thanks for any comments
This is a question that’s been on my mind for a while…
Is it possible to make long term improvements in the power clean without squatting or performing other strength exercises? That is, by just doing other olympic lifts (hang cleans,snatchs, clean pulls, etc.)? If so, what would the training be like?
Thanks for any comments
Tough question, I think the more advance lifter could but with the beginner I would try and work in some front squats etc.
Below is a sample program for one of my athletes:
(A) – Monday
BS- 135×10, 225×5, 315×4, 385×3, 405x3x2
PS- 135x3x3, 175×2, 185x3x2
PC- 135x3x3, 205×2, 255x3x2
BP- 135×10, 225×5, 295×4, 315×3, 335x3x2
(B)- Wednesday
PS- 135x3x3, 175×2, 195×2, 205x3x2
PC- 135x3x3, 205×2, 255×2, 275x3x2
CHP- 295x3x3
BP- 135×0, 225×5, 275x3x4
(C)- Friday
PS- 135x3x3, 175×2, 195×2, 205×2, 215x3x1
PC- 135x3x3, 205×2, 255×2, 275×2, 295x3x1
FS- 135×5, 225×4, 295x3x3
BP- 135×10, 225×5, 295×4, 315x3x3
Tough question, I think the more advance lifter could but with the beginner I would try and work in some front squats etc.
I agree. I wouldn’t do it with a beginner.
I know some of the Polish Olympic weightlifting coaches actually trained their OLs this way but then again you essentially do a heavy front squat and a heavy overhead squat at the completion of the competition-style clean / snatch.
ELITETRACK Founder
[quote author="utfootball4" date="1226575367"]
Tough question, I think the more advance lifter could but with the beginner I would try and work in some front squats etc.
I agree. I wouldn’t do it with a beginner.
I know some of the Polish Olympic weightlifting coaches actually trained their OLs this way but then again you essentially do a heavy front squat and a heavy overhead squat at the completion of the competition-style clean / snatch.[/quote]
You say they are during a heavy front squat and oh squat at the end of each lift, but most beginners are not proficient in the lifts to really overload the squat position using cleans along, so would this still be considered a heavy fsq or oh squat?.
You say they are during a heavy front squat and oh squat at the end of each lift, but most beginners are not proficient in the lifts to really overload the squat position using cleans along, so would this still be considered a heavy fsq or oh squat?.
Probably not. I don’t know how they’d progress the beginners. Like I said, it’s not something I would do. However, if you started training lifters very young (<10) they tend to be stronger at the explosive part of the exercise so you probably could overload the squat portion early on since their squat strength is probably lower or equal to their pull strength and you'd have the time to develop technique under low loads and progress both strength and technique concurrently.
ELITETRACK Founder
Thanks for your replys
What you’re saying makes sense, but how would you explain athletes who have great success at a high level (in speed/power type events) despite (or perhaps because of) their use of “power only” type exercises?
For example
Jonathan Edwards seemed to only use cleans and snatches in the months leading up to 18.43
I heard early in his career, Carl Lewis didn’t spend much time lifting weights and relied mainly on sprint workouts
I heard Willie Banks’ program revolved mainly around bounding and that he could only squat 250?
I know their progress in their events probably doesn’t parallel exactly their progress in a power clean but still…how do these guys do it?
The short answer is that there are many roads to Rome and different people adapt to different stimuli in different ways.
The longer answer is that you’re pointing out a select handful of athletes that in the grand scheme of things could be seen as outliers, especially when you consider that Jon Edwards didn’t move to an OL exclusive lifting setup til much later in his career and Carl and Willie did quite a bit of bounding which could serve as an alternative (though not necessarily equivalent) substitute. Also, Carl didn’t power clean to the best of my knowledge. There are hundreds of athletes who have used heavy loading exercises, especially earlier in their careerss, who have been World and Olympic champions.
Unless you’re suggesting that heavy loading somehow detracts from a program or there’s absolutely no way you can do it (due to injuries or facilities) I’m not sure what the issue is…there’s no reason to exclude them.
ELITETRACK Founder
Hey Mike,
I have nothing against squats or the like. Its just that the program I am in right now involves a lot a bounding, a few cleans and not much “heavy loading” (nothing under 10 reps anyways.) From what I’ve read, strength is kind of a precursor to power like you and UT were saying. I was just curious to know the ideas behind programs or situations where that wasn’t the case.
This is a question that’s been on my mind for a while…
Is it possible to make long term improvements in the power clean without squatting or performing other strength exercises? That is, by just doing other olympic lifts (hang cleans,snatchs, clean pulls, etc.)? If so, what would the training be like?
Thanks for any comments
Im an Olympic lifter and an OL coach. When you say ‘improvements’ do you mean in the lifts themselves or do you mean toward a different sport like sprinting?
If you mean in the lifts themselves, then yes it is possible to progress well with just the classical lifts for certain lifters. It just depends on the lifter (i.e. ability to pick things up, time constraints, etc.) and what they lack (i.e. strength, just technique, etc). From there you can make a better assessment of what should be done.
For me, the question is: is just doing the CJ and snatch optimal? Personally, I dont like to train people with just the classical lifts for a number reasons, but sometimes you deal with athletes who have jobs and/or erratic schedules so you have to make do with what you have (which may be only 1-2 sessions per week).
