Power clean/clean and jerk/push-press/snatch/deadlift - who does them?

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by whacked

Nah, I have not. I do a lot of box jump, but that jump squat sounds interesting; will definitely try sometimes. If anything, it should be good for some more variety and serves as another way/excuse to get out of the gym sooner.

Thanks!

Yeah, it's a good exercise but obviously start with low weight

My friend said once he started doing it, he was able to increase his vertical by 2-3" over the course of a year.

 

[Eason]

By the way, am I alone in not really liking squats for heavy weights? They're alright for bodyweight/1.5x bodyweight, but I feel like the damage potential for heavier weights on the spine is just not worth it, too unhealthy in the long run. I'm beginning to favor DB weighted lunges instead, though it isn't a power exercise.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by Eason

By the way, am I alone in not really liking squats for heavy weights? They're alright for bodyweight/1.5x bodyweight, but I feel like the damage potential for heavier weights on the spine is just not worth it, too unhealthy in the long run. I'm beginning to favor DB weighted lunges instead, though it isn't a power exercise.

I guess it depends on your goals. For general fitness, though I would say going super heavy on squats probably isn't a good thing long term. Lately I've just dropped my weights to about 1 x BW on all three primary lifts during my cutting.

It seems like a lot of the new "high-tech" workouts are emphasizing light weight dumbbell + body weight squats with high intensity, as well.

 

[kever]

Originally Posted by Eason

By the way, am I alone in not really liking squats for heavy weights? They're alright for bodyweight/1.5x bodyweight, but I feel like the damage potential for heavier weights on the spine is just not worth it, too unhealthy in the long run. I'm beginning to favor DB weighted lunges instead, though it isn't a power exercise.

I don't like heavy squats much. They hurt my lower back. I'm really tall and not flexible, so to get down low I need to bend forward a lot, which is hard on my back. I have no problems with heavy deadlifts though.

And with jump squats I'd say 50% of your squat is WAY too much to start with. 20% of your 1rm squat would be a better place to start to get the correct technique and speed.

 

[drizzt3117]

Originally Posted by kever

I don't like heavy squats much. They hurt my lower back. I'm really tall and not flexible, so to get down low I need to bend forward a lot, which is hard on my back. I have no problems with heavy deadlifts though.

And with jump squats I'd say 50% of your squat is WAY too much to start with. 20% of your 1rm squat would be a better place to start to get the correct technique and speed.

Yeah, 50% is definitely too much to start with. I was just saying that ultimately people that did it used about 40-50% of what they rep for jump squats.

Also, as far as a lot of the Olympic lifts, good form is exceedingly important for success/safety, and I'm not that comfortable with them. I imagine many people are in the same boat.

 

[ken]

Originally Posted by kever

I don't like heavy squats much. They hurt my lower back. I'm really tall and not flexible, so to get down low I need to bend forward a lot, which is hard on my back. I have no problems with heavy deadlifts though.

This, to me, sounds like a problem with range of motion rather than flexibility. Assuming your spine-stabilizers are strong enough to keep a nice arch in your back (they might not be, for all I know), poor hip mobility will cause lower back flexion as you try to keep your center of gravity over your feet.

Have you done any foam rolling routines? They are said to help your range of motion.

 

[Eason]

No matter how flexible your hip flexors are, if you're doing lots of weight in a back squat, physics says that your lower back will take a lot of that weight. Assuming he is talking about a backsquat.

 

[knucks]

I used to deadlift religiously..haven't done it in a while tho :/.

I do a lot of high pulls, hang cleans, power cleans now..

 

[HomerJ]

I love to do snatches.

I'd do them all day and all night if I didn't get so tired.

 

[nioh]

Originally Posted by Eason

By the way, am I alone in not really liking squats for heavy weights? They're alright for bodyweight/1.5x bodyweight, but I feel like the damage potential for heavier weights on the spine is just not worth it, too unhealthy in the long run. I'm beginning to favor DB weighted lunges instead, though it isn't a power exercise.

I love heavy squats, front and regular. I wouldn't say they're unhealthy, but as with every heavy exercise ~6 reps is enough per set.

 

[kever]

Originally Posted by ken

This, to me, sounds like a problem with range of motion rather than flexibility. Assuming your spine-stabilizers are strong enough to keep a nice arch in your back (they might not be, for all I know), poor hip mobility will cause lower back flexion as you try to keep your center of gravity over your feet.

Have you done any foam rolling routines? They are said to help your range of motion.

My spine stabilizers are quite strong right now. I just finished a 15 week program with twice a week leg days which incorporated extremely slow reps of front and back squats as well as deadlifts. Usually a 5-0-5 tempo. Preceded by a few different powerlifts. I thought my back was strong when I started, but once you have to go that slow, it's really surprising how weak it is. I do have poor hip mobility, caused by extremely tight glutes, hamstrings and hip flexors. Right now I'm in a foreign country, and don't have access to all of the things I could do at home (foam roller for example). I do, however have a lot of free time (only one basketball practice a day), so I spend a lot of my day stretching. Hopefully that will help me get more of a natural technique to my squat.

 

[Aiwass]

i use to do them and messed my shoulder up, so i dont do it anymore

 

[adversity04]

I haven't started doing them yet, but plan to once I get someone who can teach me proper form. Then I'm going to have to fight with my college gym about doing them....

 

[Eason]

Yeah, my uni rec center wouldn't allow people to do power lifts for safety reasons. I'd say learn how to do them properly, and don't get caught.

 

[whacked]

Update: I tried this today, 3x10 reps of about 20-35% 1RM. A few questions:
- How do I keep the weights stable? I back squat then jump; every few sets the olympic bar would bounce off the back part of my shoulder and drop to a slightly lower position. This hurted a wee bit.
- How high should I jump? Didn't go all out myself due to the above problem.
- Is there any special landing technique to reduce injury risk?

Originally Posted by drizzt3117

Jump squats are an explosiveness exercise. They're not good for your knees but people that want to improve vertical often do them. I guess they were first popularized in Eastern Europe in the 70s-80s. You load up a bar with about half of what you actually squat, go down close to parallel, then jump. It's crazy to watch people do them, though.