Chapter 5

Assistance Exercises For The Snatch And C&J

There is certainly no question that a lifter can improve his or her competitive lifts very substantially by doing nothing but those lifts. In fact, a significant number of World Champions has done little more than the snatch and C&J in practice, and some modern coaches argue that such training approaches the ultimate in weightlifting preparation.

In contrast, there were World Champions in the 1950s and 1960s who rarely trained on the Olympic lifts once they had developed their style (which in some cases was extremely crude). While there have been no reports of recent World Champions who have not practiced the Olympic lifts at all in training, there have certainly been a significant number of world class lifters who have spent only a small percentage of their training time on the “classic” lifts (i.e., the Olympic lifts performed exactly as they are in competition). There have also been some outstanding Master’s Program lifters (athlete’s aged thirty-five and above) who have been successful with hardly any heavy training on the classic lifts. With the rich array of exercises that can be used to improve performance in the snatch and C&J, this should not be surprising.

Can any lessons be learned from the champions about the use of assistance exercises? With a little study, it is relatively simple to identify some underlying principles. First, all champions spend at least some of their training time on the competitive lifts, typically a minimum of 15% to 20% of overall training time, and sometimes as much as 60% to 80%. It seems that everyone must practice their trade, the classic lifts (perhaps with the exception of some older lifters who have been doing the lifts for a generation or more). Second, no champions have become great training on the lifts alone. At least some assistance work seems to be required, particularly in terms of leg strengthening exercises like the squat. Third, it is obvious that a rather broad range of exercise mixtures can yield high level results. Fourth, the blend of exercises often changes over a lifter’s career as the lifter’s needs change. Fifth, while it is probable that even the greatest champions are doing some unnecessary things in their training, it is also quite likely that at least some of those champions are champions because they have discovered the optimal blend of classical lifting practice and assistance exercises for them.

The aim of this chapter is to acquaint the reader with most of the assistance exercises that are used in the training of weightlifters and to help the athlete and coach sort out the good exercises from the bad (yes, there are some assistance exercises that are simply bad, because they are dangerous and/or almost totally ineffective) and the appropriate exercises from the inappropriate. (An exercise may be effective yet completely inappropriate for a given lifter, at least at a certain point in that lifter’s career.)

What is an Assistance Exercise?

An assistance exercise is any exercise, other than the classic snatch and C&J, that can improve performance (directly or indirectly) on the snatch and C&J. The reason for this distinction is that even the snatch and C&J themselves can be assistance exercises, if they are done in an unconventional (for that lifter) way. For example, a lifter might practice jerking with a pause at the bottom of the dip. The purpose of the pause might be technical (e.g., to teach the lifter better control during the dip). Alternatively, a pause at the bottom of the dip might be used as one of a variety of techniques to strengthen the lifter’s legs in order to facilitate a better drive in the jerk. Such a practice would convert the jerk into an assistance exercise (as compared with doing the jerk with a tempo that is normal for that lifter).

The General Purposes of Assistance Exercises

Assistance exercises, by their very nature, are exercises that emphasize some different aspect of the lift or the muscles that perform that lift or de-emphasize something that the classic lifts include. In general, these exercises fall into three categories: exercises that improve some aspect of technique; exercises that improve some aspect of functional strength and/or power; and exercises that are used to prevent or treat injuries by strengthening a specific area of the body. As the various exercises are presented below, we will discuss both their nature and purposes. Naturally, many exercises have more than one purpose.

Four Cautions About Assistance Exercises

Assistance exercises are methods of assisting development in the classical lifts. They are not an end in themselves. If they are used appropriately, they can be one of true foundations of long-term progress. However, the hazard of overemphasis on assistance exercise must be avoided.

It is common for an athlete to take a liking to a certain exercise because he or she is good at it, finds it pleasurable to do, or sees it as the key to correcting some deficiency. While it is very important for an athlete to develop enthusiasm for any exercise that he or she must do and there is no limit to the value of such enthusiasm, love of an exercise must not be permitted to influence unduly the overall composition of the lifter’s training in terms of the exercises performed. The content of workouts must be determined by an athlete’s relative needs and objectives at given stage in his or her development. Exercises should not appear in the regimen solely, or at least primarily, because the athlete likes them. If a rational planning process has been used to determine the overall content of the lifter’s training program, then the lifter’s enthusiasm can and should be completely released in training.

A second point to consider in employing assistance exercises is that the principle of the specificity of a training effect must always be considered. In this respect, it is generally true that the closer an assistance exercise is to a classical lift in terms of tempo, the nature of the motion, the tensions required to complete the exercise successfully, etc., the more direct the benefit to the classical lift will tend be. It is therefore important to consider that while an assistance exercise is selected because it has a somewhat different emphasis from a classical lift, a movement that is too far afield from the lift itself is likely to have little, if any, positive effect on performance in that lift (although there may be other reasons to do the exercise).

A third but important point to consider with regard to assistance exercises is that doing an exercise for the first time something of a shock to the body. The greater the difference between the assistance exercise and other exercises that have been practiced in the past, the greater the shock. If the exercise is very different from what has been practiced before (e.g., if the range of motion is greater, or the body or the resistance is in a different position when it exerts force), it ought to be treated like an entirely new exercise; the lifter ought to train on that exercise somewhat like a beginner. That means doing one or two sets of the exercise during the first few training days, doing the exercise only two or three times a week, starting light and progressing gradually over time. If the exercise is very close in nature to what the lifter has been doing or involves a shorter range of motion, there is less need for caution, although it never hurts to exercise moderation at first. There tends to be a long period of progress when exploring the limits of a new exercise if the resistance is increased gradually. That path of progress can be shortened or virtually eliminated (or an injury can result) when the athlete starts that exercise with near maximum or maximum weights or increases the weights he or she is using too rapidly.

Many a trainee has been forced to abandon an otherwise valuable exercise because he or she became injured doing it (particularly at the early stages in which the exercise was included in their routines) or because they injured the muscle(s) and/or joint(s) stressed by that exercise soon after it was included in is or her routine. These kinds of injuries occur primarily because the stress imposed by the new exercise (no matter how positive in nature overall) combined with the stress imposed by exercise(s) already being performed by the athlete prove to be too much for the muscles and/or joints to handle. When adding a very new exercise to a training program, it is wise to heed the advice of the two-time World Champion and former Olympic team coach, John Terpak: “make haste slowly.”

A fourth and final caution to be observed when doing assistance exercises is the need for spotters while doing some of those exercises. Spotters are used to prevent a missed lift from falling on a lifter or to help a lifter who cannot complete a lift to return the resistance to its starting position. As was suggested in the previous chapter, spotters are not recommended when performing the classical lifts or their variations, such as the power or partial versions of those lifts (once the lifter learns how to miss, something a lifter should begin to learn on day one). Nevertheless, some assistance exercises (e.g., squats and bench presses) require the use of spotters for safety’s sake. As was suggested in the previous chapter, these exercises are generally the ones in which the body is between the bar and the platform or supporting devices (such as benches) when the lift is being performed.

The Wide Array Of Assistance Exercises That Is Available

In discussing specific exercises, the following approach will be followed. The popular name(s) of the exercise will be provided, the purpose(s) of performing the exercise will be explained and a description of how it is to be performed will be given. Finally, an evaluation for the effectiveness of the exercise as well as any special dangers that can arise in doing the exercise or that, in the author’s opinion, make the exercise not worth doing will be provided. The exercises are grouped by type, not by the lift to which they apply. For example, the power snatch, power clean and power jerk are all grouped together because the principles behind them are more or less the same, even though each assists a different lift. Whenever such grouping occurs, the exercises in the group may refer to an earlier exercise or assume the description of the first exercise in the group has been read. Therefore, it is important to read the description of the first exercise in the group before reading any of the others. It should noted that the amount of space that is devoted to an exercise is in no way related to its value.

Direct Variations Of The Classic Lifts

We will begin the list with exercises that are generally considered to be closely related to the classic lifts and that are generally included by Eastern European coaches among their volume counts for classic and related lifts.

Cleans

Purpose(s): Cleans are often performed without the jerk in order to facilitate practice on the clean. This is particularly true when the lifter wishes to do repetitions in the clean, since performing repetitions in both the clean and the jerk is very fatiguing. Cleans are also done alone when the lifter’s clean is lagging relative to the jerk, or when the lifter prefers to work somewhat different muscle groups in different workouts (e.g., the pulling muscles one day and the jerking muscles the next, even though there is some overlap).

Description: The same as for the clean part of the C&J, which was explained in detail in Chapter 1.

Effectiveness: Performing cleans alone can be very effective and should be a part of virtually every lifter’s training, at least at some periods during the year. However, doing cleans separately (to the exclusion of C&J’s) immediately before a competition can lead to unhappy results as the lifter may find it difficult to prepare mentally and physically for the jerk after doing the clean.

Jerks from the Racks or Stands

Purpose(s): The reasoning for performing jerks separately is much the same as for performing cleans by themselves. Jerks from the rack are particularly important for the lifter who is not able to consistently jerk what has been cleaned, because always practicing the jerk after the clean leaves the lifter in a fatigued state. While it is true that the lifter will always be in such a state during competition, it is also true that learning is enhanced by practice when the athlete is not fatigued, so at least some jerking by itself should be performed by certain lifters.

Description: The exercise is performed in the same way as it is after the clean, except that the athlete lifts the bar from supports which hold the bar somewhat below shoulder level when the athlete is standing. The supports (generally referred to as “racks”) should be set at a height that will allow an inch or so clearance from the rack when the lifter straightens his or her legs with a loaded bar. The lifter should generally face the rack(s) when doing any exercise involving the rack(s).(The main exception to this rule occurs when a lifter is performing jerks from the rack with limited platform space; in such a case the lifter may want to face away from the rack and step forward to prepare for the lift so that there is more space in front than behind, since more jerks are missed forward than behind.) This permits the lifter to see where he or she and the bar is going when the exercise is over (a time when the lifter is more likely to be fatigued and in a hurry, as compared to when the bar is removed from the rack). The lifter should also be sure that he or she has backed away a sufficient distance so that even with the deepest split, there is plenty of clearance from the rack should the bar fall forward during a miss. The uprights of the rack(s) should also be placed widely enough so that the very widest of splits, and even some sideways adjustment, can be performed by the lifter without approaching the racks. Most lifters find that they can jerk more from the racks than after a clean; 5% to 10% more is a normal range. However, some superior jerkers can handle as much as 15% to 20% more, and a very small number of others cannot do as much from the rack as they can after a clean. (Such lifters simply do not feel as comfortable and/or motivated when they take a bar from a rack without cleaning it first.)

Effectiveness: Same comments as for the clean. It should be noted that in order to emulate the feeling of cleaning before the jerk without engaging the pulling muscles, some lifters have found that performing the jerk from the rack after a front squat (or even two or more reps in the front squat) is helpful. This preserves the advantage of being somewhat fatigued and in a physical position that is similar to the position the lifter would be in after the clean. But it does cause the lifter to lose the advantage of being “fresh” immediately before attempting a jerk.

Jerk Behind the Neck

Purpose(s): This exercise is used primarily to teach the lifter to place and hold the bar well behind the head when it is in the overhead position. It can also be used to teach certain aspects of jerk technique when the lifter finds it difficult to hold the bar in front of the neck because of flexibility problems or injury. Lifters with faulty jerk technique may be able to handle 10% to 20% more in the jerk from behind the neck than the regular jerk from the rack. Better jerkers will not see as much of a difference and may even jerk less from behind the neck.

Description: The bar is placed on a rack and the lifter faces the rack, lowering the body and bending the head forward or sideways enough to place the bar on the shoulders behind the neck. Placing the elbows forward of the bar in this position simulates the arm position the lifter has prior to a normal jerk, but it introduces the risk of the lifter dropping the bar backward from the shoulders while dipping for the jerk or catching it at the shoulders after jerking it (which cannot be recommended). Having the elbows positioned well behind the bar will prevent any bar slippage but will place the arms in a very different position from the one that is used in the classic jerk. Therefore, a more moderate elbow position, one with the elbows nearly under the bar, is best for most lifters.

Effectiveness: Although Soviet coach Medvedyev has reported that this exercise has one of the highest correlations to the jerk of any assistance exercise, I have found this exercise to be of limited value for most lifters. It is best used when a lifter is having trouble keeping the bar behind the head while it is overhead. Jerks from behind the neck are not particularly effective for correcting a lifter’s tendency to dip forward or to drive the bar forward. In fact, they can worsen the problem, because the lifter can dip forward and/or move the head forward during the dip and drive and still manage to get the bar behind the head in split position (lulling the lifter into thinking that these faults are not significant). The jerk behind the neck can be a relatively dangerous exercise, because if the lifter does not exercise perfect control while lowering the bar, the bar can come into forceful contact with the rear of the cervical or thoracic vertebrae, causing a bone bruise, or even (in rare cases) a fracture. It can be a useful teaching tool in the jerk for lifters who have trouble holding the bar comfortably in front of the neck (until the lifter’s flexibility improves and the bar can be held comfortably in that position).

Power Snatch

Purpose(s): The power snatch is used primarily to develop pulling power for the snatch. Since the lifter does not have to lower his or her body significantly after the pull, the movement is simpler than a full squat snatch. The power snatch therefore places less stress on the nervous system than full snatches, and therefore maximums can typically be achieved more frequently in the power snatch than in the classical snatch. Stress on the knees and hips that arises out of assuming a low squat position in an explosive manner is less than in the squat snatch, as is stress on the shoulders, wrists and elbows. The exercise is also useful for the beginner because it is simpler than the squat snatch and because it is a motion that can be practiced by a lifter who is too stiff to assume a low squat position while the lifter is building the flexibility to execute the full squat.

Description: The bar is pulled in the same way as in the classical snatch. The legs are bent somewhat to catch the bar overhead. There is some controversy over how much a lifter can bend his or her legs and still be performing a power snatch (as opposed to a full or squat snatch). Some feel that anything deeper than a quarter squat position is too low, others term a snatch to that position as a “flip” snatch. However, most lifters agree that when the lowest part of the thigh (the underside) is not parallel with the platform, the lift is a power snatch (Fig. 25 depicts the low position of a power snatch).

Effectiveness: The power snatch can be a very effective means of improving a lifter’s pulling power. As indicated above, it can be a useful exercise for the beginner. It can reduce the stress on the nervous system of the more advanced lifter and can provide variety. In addition, some research suggests that practicing movements at a faster than normal tempo carries over well to movements at a somewhat slower tempo, and the power snatch fits that description admirably (because lighter weights are used in the power snatch than the full snatch, and they can be moved faster).

However, despite the benefits of power snatches, there are a number of cautions to be observed when prescribing them. First, the lifter must be sure to place the feet in a position identical to that used for a squat snatch when the bar is caught in the partial squat position. One technical error that must be guarded against in the power snatch (and any other “power style” lift) is jumping the feet under than the position that is used in the full lift. A wide stance is artificial and places unusual stress on the knee joints. The simplest way to avoid this error is for the lifter to think of vigorously replacing the feet in the same position as they would be placed for the squat lift. Too many lifters “float” under the bar in the power style exercises. The issue here is not simply a matter of replicating the classical lift in every way possible (an important consideration), but enabling the lifter to comfortably lower his or her body into a full squat position when the bar has not been pulled to sufficient height for a power snatch.

Second, when doing power snatches, the lifter has a tendency to stop the downward motion of the body as quickly as possible in order to be “credited” with a power snatch. Such stopping short can place significant strain on the knee joints, particularly the muscle-tendon unit of the quadriceps. Over time this can lead to tendinitis or even to more serious tendon damage in some lifters. Therefore, the lifter should be encouraged to gradually reduce the speed of bar when it is caught in a position lower than a quarter squat, even if this means “riding” the bar down into a position that is lower than an acceptable power snatch. This does not mean that the lifter goes under the bar slowly, but, rather, that he or she does not attempt to stop very short once he or she has locked it out. It also means that if the power snatch causes discomfort, its use should be limited.

Third, the lifter must make every effort to pull the bar in a way that is similar to what is done when squat snatching. That is, the lifter must not get into the habit of delaying the explosion phase of the pull or remaining in the extended position too long, lest an artificial pulling style, relative to the pull timing that is used for the squat snatch, be cultivated.

Power Clean

Purpose(s): Similar to the power snatch discussed above.

Description: Similar to the power snatch.

Effectiveness: The same advantages and cautions apply to the power clean as to the power snatch, except that in the power clean, the stresses applied to the body in stopping short are even greater, so even greater care should be used when employing this exercise. This is not as much of an issue for athletes who are practicing power cleans as their sole weightlifting exercise, but it is more significant when the power snatch, power clean and power jerk, along with full lifts and squats, are all being performed. When performing power cleans, the lifer must be especially careful to catch the bar with the torso in a vertical position (never leaning back) and the elbows high. Sloppiness in these areas can make power cleans a far less safe exercise.(Fig. 26 illustrates a power clean).

Power Jerk

Purpose(s): The purposes for doing the power jerk as opposed to the split jerk are similar to the purposes of the power snatch and power clean versus the squat version of those lifts. However, it requires as much or more shoulder flexibility to power jerk effectively as it does to split jerk. Therefore, the usefulness of the power jerk for lifters with shoulder flexibility problems is doubtful.

Description: The method of performance is similar to the classic jerk in that the lifter dips and drives the bar in the normal way, but after the explosion phase the lifter simply jumps the feet slightly sideways and generally turns the toes out somewhat to end in a foot position that is similar to the one used for squat lifting, except that the legs are not bent to as great an extent. Most lifters bend the legs less in the power jerk than in either the power snatch or power clean because it is somewhat difficult to control the bar in a position where the lowest part of the thighs are just above parallel. But many of the best power style jerkers do go this low (see Fig 10 in Chapter 1).

Effectiveness: The power jerk can be an effective means for improving jerking power, teaching beginners certain aspects of the jerk and providing variety for the more advanced lifter. However, for a number of reasons, the power jerk is not as valuable an assistance exercise as the power snatch or clean. First, there seems to be less direct relationship between performance in the power jerk and the split jerk than there is between performance in the power snatch or power clean and their respective squat styles. Most lifters are able to power snatch or clean between 80% and 95% of their best lifts in the squat position. (Lifters can usually power clean a little more in relation to their clean than they can power snatch in relation to their squat snatch.) The range for the power jerk is considerably wider, probably 80% to as much as 100%, and whatever the relationship for a particular lifter, it tends to remain stable over time or even more. (Some few lifters can power jerk more than they can split jerk.) A second reason for the lesser effectiveness of the power jerk is that the complexity of a low power jerk is greater than that of a low power snatch and clean. Third, except for the rare squat jerker, there is no possibility for a transition from a low power jerk into a classical jerk, as there is for a low power snatch or clean.

Muscle Snatch or Snatch Stretch

Purpose(s): The muscle snatch is used to improve a lifter’s pulling power: to teach the lifter to keep the bar close to the body throughout the pull; to help the lifter learn to keep the elbows above the wrists (as compared to behind the wrists) for as long as possible during the pull and the squat under; and to teach the lifter to push out with the arms after the action of the legs and back in the pulling motion has been completed. Most lifters can muscle snatch between two-thirds and three-quarters of their best classic snatch.

Description: The muscle snatch is pulled in the same way as the classic snatch, except that after the lifter reaches a fully extended position at the end of the pull, he or she maintains the elongated position of the body. The feet return to a flat-footed position while the arms work to pull the bar close to the body but the legs are not rebent as they are in the power snatch (they remain straight after the 4th stage of the pull and the feet assume a flat- footed position). Finally, the arms are turned from a position with the palms facing rearward of the pull to the palms-up position, and then the arms push up until the bar is at arm’s length. The lift is generally viewed as having been successful if the lifter is able to get the bar to arm’s length without a noticeable “pressout” of the arms (a situation in which the momentum imparted to the bar by the pulling muscles ceases and the bar either slows noticeably or the lifter uses the arm extensors and shoulders to press the bar to arm’s length).

Effectiveness: The muscle snatch can be effective for all of the reasons indicated above. It can also be a helpful exercise when the lifter is injured in some way that permits the pull to be performed but causes pain when the bar is caught in a full or partial squat position. Its disadvantages are that is teaches the lifter to lock the body in an extended position after the explosion phase of the full, a very different movement pattern than is required during the actual lift. In addition, while the lifter is presumably taught the value of pulling with the elbows above (rather than behind) the wrists and pressing up on the bar, slow motion analysis of high caliber lifters clearly indicates that such lifters do allow the elbows to travel behind the bar once the explosion phase of the pull has been completed and that there is no significant pressout of the arms at the finish of the snatch. (The elbows are behind the bar, not under it, until the very finish of the pull and any pressing motion that takes place is for a very short distance; it is more of a “lockout” than a “pressout”). Finally, some lifters get into the habit of leaning back and pressing out considerably at the finish of this exercise, which is both poor technique and stressful on the lower back.

Muscle Clean

The muscle clean is virtually nonexistent in the training of weightlifters. There is no pressing motion at the finishing point of a clean, and any attempt to clean without rebending the legs tends to lead to a lean back of the torso when the weight is received on the shoulders and a “reverse curling” motion with the arms. These are serious technical errors that can lead to injury of the back and/or wrists and to the development or maintenance of poor technique.

Push Press

Purpose(s): This exercise is the rough equivalent in the jerk of the muscle snatch. It is used to improve the jerk drive imparted by the legs and the elastic qualities of the bar and to teach the lifter to push up on the bar sharply after the leg drive. The exercise permits such practice with virtually no stress on the knee joints when the bar is received overhead. Most lifters can push press between 70% and 80% of their best jerk.

Description: The dip and drive are performed in the same way as during the classical jerk. At the end of the leg drive, the body is lowered to a flatfooted position while keeping the body vertical and the legs in a locked position. The arms are used to press the bar as rapidly as possible to arm’s length and behind the head in a position that is the same as the finished position in the jerk.

Effectiveness: The push press can be useful for improving both leg drive and pressing power for the jerk. It can also teach the proper use of the arms in the jerk. However, the lifter must guard against a number of tendencies that can hurt his or her technique. One problem is that the arms can begin a pressing motion too early (during the dip or explosion phases). A second problem is that because the legs are not being rebent after the drive, there is a tendency for the torso to lean back. This is absolutely inappropriate for jerking. Finally, in order for the lifter to get the bar to arm’s length as quickly as possible, there is often a tendency to push the bar straight over the head, or even slightly in front of the head, which is generally a position to be avoided in the jerk.

Dead Hang Snatch or Snatch from a Standing Position (SFSP)

A Note On Nomenclature and History: Dave Sheppard taught me this exercise about thirty years ago, and he had been using it on himself and many of America’s top lifters for about twenty years prior to that. Dave called the exercise the “dead hang snatch.” Later that name began to be used to refer to a pull from any position in which the lifter did not return the bar to the floor after a previous lift but did pause for a moment in that position above the floor. Today, the term “snatch from a standing position” is more common. Dave Sheppard may have been the leading performer of all time in this exercise (he surely was in his day). He was able to dead hang snatch 255 lb., dead hang clean 350 lb. and drop jerk (the equivalent exercise in the jerk) 350 lb. in his prime. These lifts were done with no assistance from the legs, so they are truly amazing achievements.

Purpose(s): The SFSP is sometimes used to teach the lifter to finish the pulling motion with and explosive contraction of the trapezius muscles that simultaneously pulls the bar up and the body under the bar to catch it at arm’s length. Its primary purpose is to teach the lifter to move very quickly under the bar and to do so instantaneously after having explosively contracted the trapezius muscles while rising rapidly and only slightly on the toes.

Description: The lifter stands with the body fully erect and the legs and arms straight. The trapezius muscles are relaxed, but the shoulders are back. The lifter explosively shrugs the shoulders and then instantaneously moves under the bar into the full squat position (the lifter should not bend the torso forward or bend the legs prior to the shrug and the rise on toes). The lifter must focus on an explosive contraction of the traps merging into a very rapid drop under while pressing out on the arms. Very light weights are used at the outset, but ultimately the lifter ought to be able to handle 60% to 75% of his or her best lift in the classical snatch, although this much is not necessary to derive major benefits of the exercise.

Effectiveness: The dead hang snatch can be very effective in teaching a lifter to go under the bar quickly. For the advanced lifter, it affords the opportunity to work at maximal speed in low positions with weights that do not tax the joints as much as maximum classic lifts. The effectiveness of this exercise is improved when incorporated into the regular lift as soon as possible (even in the same set). It is also a very effective warmup for the snatch.

Dead Hang Clean or Clean from a Standing Position

Purpose(s): Same rationale as for the dead hang snatch.

Description: Same basic approach as in the snatch, except that the lifter emphasizes a fast and high elbow whip while going under the bar.

Effectiveness: The dead hang clean can be very effective in teaching an explosive finish to the clean with the traps in a way that both raises the bar up and pulls the lifter under, followed by a lightning like high elbow whip. It is probably the most beneficial exercise of the standing snatch-clean-jerk group and should be in the arsenal of all lifters, at least periodically. For the advanced lifter, it affords the opportunity to work at maximal speed in low positions with weights that do not tax the joints as much as maximum classic lifts. As is the case for the snatch version of the exercise, its effectiveness of this exercise is improved when incorporated into the regular lift as soon as possible (even in the same set). It is also a very effective warmup for the clean.

Drop Snatch Or Snatch Balance

Purpose(s): Teaches the lifter to move rapidly under the bar into the low snatch position and to maintain his or her balance in that position. It also enables the lifter to condition the body to supporting the bar in the low snatch position without having to handle maximum weights in the snatch itself.

Description: The lifter places the bar on the shoulders behind the neck (usually after taking the bar from a rack and stepping back several steps), then explosively drops into the full squat position while pushing up with the arms to catch the bar at arm’s length. Many coaches advocate a slight upward drive with the legs to get the bar moving before dropping under. Obviously, more weight can be handled in the latter style. Many lifters are able to handle weights in excess of their best snatch (especially after giving the bar a preliminary leg drive) after they have practiced the exercise for a time.

Effectiveness: This exercise can be of help to both the beginner and the advanced lifter and should be included in the routine from time to time, particularly in any periods in which the lifter is doing many pulls but not many snatches. Doing reps can be dangerous due to the possibility of the bar hitting the rear portions of the vertebrae while it is being returned to the shoulders.

Drop Clean

This exercise is virtually never practiced. It would effectively involve jumping into a full squat position with the bar on the shoulders in front of the neck. This would place more strain on the joints in the low squat position than would ever be placed on them by a clean. Therefore it is not recommended. Lifters who wish to condition their bodies for receiving the bar in the clean merely need to do occasional back and front squatting with a rapid descent into to the full squat from about the half squat position.

Drop Jerk or Jerk from a Standing Position

Purpose(s): Same rationale as for the drop snatch and dead hang snatch.

Description: The lifter presses up with the arms in order to move to bar off the shoulders and simultaneously moves rapidly into the split position, while driving against the bar with the hands and arms to both raise the bar higher and drive the body down into the split or squat faster.

Effectiveness: Like the drop and dead hang versions of the snatch, this exercise can teach rapid movement into the low position. The weights used are not as heavy as those used in the classical jerk so the load on the joints is not as great. Across many decades of using this exercise, as both a lifter and a coach, some lifters have a tendency to split backward somewhat as they try to move rapidly under the bar. But done correctly, this can be a highly effective exercise for most lifters.

Snatching or Cleaning from the Hang or from Blocks

An entire series of assistance exercises for the snatch and clean consists of these exercises done from levels other than the floor. Sometimes the exercises are done with the bar placed on a pair of raised surfaces called “blocks” (described in Chapter 4), between which the lifter stands. At other times the lifter will lift the bar until he or she has reached a standing position (a deadlift) and then lower the bar to the desired starting height for the exercise. One final variation is for the lifter to lift the bar from a lower position than is normally required to begin the lift. This is accomplished either by having the lifter stand on a raised surface or by loading the bar with smaller plates than are normally used in competition.

The merits of performing lifts from various heights will explained below. The list of exercises always refers to a lift from a block, but the same basic principles apply to lifting the bar from the hang at the same position. While the advantages of pulling from certain heights pertains more or less equally to a pull from the block or from the hang, there are some differences between pulling from the hang and from the floor.

When an athlete pulls from a block there is an opportunity to prepare mentally for the lift while the bar is in a weightless state. The lifter can proceed at his or her own pace, so concentration can be facilitated relative to lifting from the hang (in which the bar is tiring the body as the lifter waits to begin the lift from the hang). The strength of the grip, in particular, is saved when the lifter pulls directly from a block as compared with a pause in the hang position, especially when the lifter is doing reps.

There are advantages to pulling from the hang as well. One advantage is that the lifter is less likely to assume an artificial position in the pull from the hang than from a block. For example, some lifters who are using blocks will place the bar in direct and forceful contact with the shins when they are pulling from a position with the bar just below the knees and will position the shoulders directly above the bar as well. In contrast, when performing the classical lifts, the bar should not be in contact with the shins (or at least should touch them very lightly) and the shoulders should be well in front of the bar when the bar is just below knee level. The lifter’s position tends to be more natural when pulling from the hang below the knees.

Another advantage of pulling from the hang is that the lifter has three choices in the execution of the lift. The lifter can lower the bar and attempt to catch a muscular rebound when reversing direction. Alternatively, the lifter can lower the bar to the desired position, pause briefly and then perform the lift. A third alternative is for the lifter to lower the bar, pause for several seconds and then execute the lift. This first method of hang pulling will tend to promote the lifter’s ability to activate the muscles quickly and explosively in reaction to the pulling muscles that have been previously stretched (i.e., the “reactive” capability of the athlete). The second method is the most common and is the one that most closely emulates pulling from a block that is in the same position. The final method can be used to strengthen the muscles isometrically in the pause position and to give the lifter some mental toughness because it requires the lifter to explode while in a slightly fatigued state.

A final advantage of the hang pull is that the safety factor is as great for it as it is for the classical lift. When the lifter lifts from a block, there is always the chance that the block will break when the bar is replaced, or, if the lift is missed, that the bar will be deflected towards the lifter or an observer (i.e., the bar may hit the corner of the block, or one block and not the other, on the way down).

Similarly, in comparing lifts with small plates with lifts while standing on a raised surface, when the lifter stands on a block or raised platform, there is always the chance that the block will break, the lifter will step off the block, or that the bar will fall on the block and be deflected. When the lifter lifts with small plates, there is always the danger that a missed lift will injure the lifter (since the normal clearance between the platform and lowest position of the bar with competition size plates is not sustained). Naturally, when the lifter is performing pulls from differing positions instead of the lifts (“pulls” are discussed later in this chapter), the difference in the safety factor with blocks and hang lifting is diminished due to the smaller likelihood of a “miss.”

It should be noted that while the explanations below pertain to the classical lift, several of the exercise variations described earlier can be done from the blocks or from the hang (i.e., muscle snatch, power snatch, power clean). This is also true of the “pulls” that are described later in this chapter. Fig. 27 shows the starting position of a clean from the blocks.

Snatch from Below the Knee

Purpose(s): The snatch from below the knee can be used to teach the lifter proper positioning of the bar and body during the crucial amortization phase of the pull. It can also be used to teach the lifter to emphasize the final explosion in the pull because momentum from the second stage of the pull cannot be relied upon. Finally, pulling the bar from a position higher than the floor lessens the load on the athlete’s legs and lower back. When an athlete is injured or fatigued in either or both of those areas, pulls from a block can be of great help.

Description: Bar height can vary, but the bar is typically placed on blocks that raise it to a position just below the lowest part of the knee when the athlete is set to begin the pull (i.e., the bar is at the top of the shin). The shoulders should be in front of the bar, the bar should be just slightly in front of or lightly grazing the shins. The legs should be nearly as straight as they get during this phase of the pull (i.e., in the same position as they would be if the bar had been lifted from the floor to that position). It is generally a good idea to pull the bar from the blocks in a relatively controlled manner, using the legs only at the first instant (i.e., not attempting to straighten the torso as the bar comes off the block) and then accelerating as the bar begins to move from the block. In the hang version of this exercise, the bar is typically deadlifted from the floor and then lowered to a position below the knee. Alternatively, it is placed on a rack or block in front of the lifter, at a position just below the lifter’s finished deadlift position. Then the bar is lifted from the rack, and the lifter steps back several paces to lower the bar and begin the exercise.

Effectiveness: The snatch from blocks or hang below the knee can be helpful for the reasons discussed in the “Purposes.” There are two cautions that should be observed when exercising from this position. First, the pull must ultimately be performed as one motion. Too much practice in the segments may actually hamper development of proper technique in the classical movement. This is a particularly important issue for the lifter who pulls rather quickly from the floor to the knees. Second, it is possible for the lifter to assume a starting position for this exercise that is different from that which is assumed during the classical lift. Naturally, when this occurs, the carryover value will be diminished. The most common version occurs when the lifter sits back on heels as the bar is lifted from the blocks and positions the shoulders directly above the bar (they should be slightly forward of the bar). Pulling from this position does not approximate the position achieved when the bar is lifted from the floor, and most lifters straighten the torso too early and lean back too much at the finish of the pull when they commit this error in commencing the lift. Fig. 28 shows the starting position of the snatch from below the knees).

Clean from Below the Knee

Purpose(s): Similar purposes to the snatch from this position.

Description: Similar to the snatch from this position.

Effectiveness: The effectiveness of lifting from this position tends to be somewhat less it is in the snatch. This is because most lifters rely on developing almost continuous acceleration from the floor in their cleans (while many do not in the snatch). Pulling from the blocks provides no such opportunity for near continuous acceleration, so the timing in the clean from the blocks tends to be different from its classic counterpart. (The exception to this rule would be the lifter who pulls slowly from the floor and relies on the final explosion in the clean pull to achieve adequate bar height and speed.) However, this style of lifting does reduce the stress on the legs and back that normally arises out of lifting the bar from the flood. It can therefore be useful for specific teaching purposes. I have known some lifters who felt they benefited from performing this exercise from the hang with a rapid turnaround from this point to that at which the bar is lowered (so that the elastic capacity of the muscles is utilized). This exercise can have value, but it should be used sparingly, if at all, for most lifters.

Snatch from above the Knee

Purpose(s): The snatch above the knee is used to teach the lifter to achieve a powerful final explosion in the pull. It is also used with beginners to simplify the process of learning the pull.

Description: The bar is typically placed in a position that is approximately one-third up the thigh (some lifters place the bar even lower, closer to the top of knee). The shoulders are generally placed directly above the bar as it leaves the block.

Effectiveness: There is probably no single position in lifting that can improve a lifter’s final explosion faster than this exercise. Unfortunately, the exercise carries with it one great danger. Because the lifter must rely totally on the final explosion of the pull to impart all of the bar’s speed, there is a tendency to lengthen the explosion phase of the pull (i.e., for the lifter to assume to an excessively elongated body position at the finish of the pull by stretching too high on the toes and remaining in that position for too long a period). This results in the lifter’s moving too late under the bar and taking too long to move under the bar, both serious technical flaws. In addition to extending the body excessively and/or remaining in that position longer than necessary, some lifters tend to start with the shoulders behind the bar and the balance toward the heels and then to rotate the torso backward too much in a futile effort to pull the bar for a longer period. Therefore, this exercise, while potentially effective, must be used with great care and must be intermingled with the full lift or pull. Recent research performed by Marchenko in Eastern Europe suggests that performing this exercise (and its counterpart in the clean) builds more explosive power than any other variation of the lift and that pulling from the hang with an immediate reversal of direction is the best way to build the lifer’s “reactive” capabilities.

Clean from above the Knee

Purpose(s): Similar to the snatch.

Description: Similar to the snatch but the bar is typically lowered to a position that is just above the knee.

Effectiveness: This exercise tends to be somewhat less effective than its counterpart in the snatch, because of the greater importance of the velocity generated in earlier phases of the pull in the clean, as compared to the importance of early velocity in the snatch pull. The exercise can still have value in certain circumstances, since there is surely a need for an explosive finish to the clean, but the exercise should be used more sparingly for the clean than the snatch. In addition, even greater care must be taken to ensure that the lifter does not overextend the body or stay in the extended position too long.

Snatch Standing on a Block or with Small Plates

Purpose(s): Whether the lifter stands on a raised surface or lifts a bar with plates that have a smaller diameter than those that are used in competition, the purpose of the special equipment is to lower the height of the bar in relation to the lifter when the lift is commenced. Performing snatches from this position strengthens the starting position of the snatch by requiring the muscles involved to go through a greater than normal range of motion. It also can be used to teach a lifter not to rely too much on the start of the pull for imparting acceleration to the bar, because performing the pull while standing on a raised surface tends to place the body in a less favorable position from which to start (making it more difficult for the lifter to begin the lift explosively). Lifting while standing on a block can also teach a lifter to wait longer before commencing the amortization and final explosion portions of the pull, teaching patience during the second stage of the pull. (This applies to lifters who prematurely contract certain muscles groups as soon as they separate the bar from the floor, or even earlier.)

Description: The lifter stands on a surface that is raised 1″ to 2″ above to the platform. (Some lifters use a platform as high as 4″, but this is unusual and is not generally recommended.) The lift then begins in the normal way, except that lifters who normally begin their pulls with an explosive effort should begin this style of lift more slowly than usual, because the joints and muscles are in a less favorable position to overcome the weight and inertia of the bar than when the bar is started from the normal position. The lifter should make an extra effort to maintain a sound and functional position for the joints as the bar is started from the floor. Essentially, the legs are bent more than usual so that the lifter can reach the bar. The angle of the back relative to the floor, the arch in the back and the chest out position normally used to start the pull must be maintained (generally more difficult to do from this position than from the floor, so special emphasis must be placed on this point).

Effectiveness: This exercise can be effective for the purposes described above. However, it should be used sparingly for the snatch, because the normal starting position for the snatch is rather extreme, and strength in the pull from the floor is relatively less important in the snatch than in the clean snatch. In addition, lifters are somewhat less likely to contract muscles prematurely, or to accelerate the bar prematurely, in the snatch than in the clean.

Clean Standing on a Block or with Small Plates

Purpose(s): Similar to the snatch.

Description: Similar to the snatch.

Effectiveness: This exercise tends to benefit performance in the clean more than in the snatch. Strength in separating the bar from the floor is a more important factor in cleaning than in snatching. Premature contraction of muscle groups and improper sequencing of the acceleration are more common problems in the clean than in the snatch.

Varying the Grip When Lifting

Most variations of the snatch lifts mentioned above and some variations of the clean (e.g., snatches, power snatches, muscle snatches, snatches from different heights and power cleans) can be done with a grip that is anywhere from several inches wider than a normal snatch grip to one that is narrower than the normal clean grip. (Some old-time strongmen even did snatches with the arms crossed, which surely cannot be recommended.) There is value in sheer variety. Muscles are stimulated at a slightly different angle, and the challenge of a different exercise can give a psychological boost to the lifter’s training. However, any grip variations are typically restricted to the preparatory and transition phases of training in order to assure that technique is honed to a perfect and consistent groove before important competitions.

I am not a big advocate of the general use of grip width variations. They have the potential for changing a lifter’s technique for the worse and they can lead to injury for the lifter who is not conditioned to do them (particularly the snatch with a wider than normal grip, squat cleans with a wide grip and squat snatches with a clean grip). The risk of injury can be greatly reduced if the variations are practiced often enough to condition the lifter to use them, and then often enough to maintain that condition. Unfortunately, if this is done, lifts with varying grips are probably using too much of that lifter’s training time.

There are several special circumstances that can make extensive practice with a different grip worthwhile. The lifter who is injured and finds that a different grip does not aggravate the injury may find the variation vital. A lifter who has a problem with technique can sometimes benefit from the practice of a variation. For example, the lifter who has a habit of extending the body too far in the snatch and/or holding the extended position for too long can be helped by the power clean with the wide grip. Because the lifter needs to get immediately into catch position after the pull and the height of the pull is close to that of a squat snatch, practice of the wide grip power clean can help the lifter to improve upon the structure of his or her snatch pull. (It is even helpful to alternate the wide grip power clean with the snatch on occasion.)

Varying Speed While Lifting

Some coaches advocate varying the tempo of the exercises done in training. For example, the lifter might practice snatching with a lighter than maximum weight and executing the pull, or parts thereof, faster then normal speed. Alternatively, the lifter might go through the pulling motion in the snatch at a slower than normal speed. One rationale for lifting at different rates of speed is that there is some evidence of a superior training effect emanating from training at various speeds. One reason for pulling faster is to increase the lifter’s speed. One reason for pulling slower is to increase the tension in the lifter’s muscles, which is thought to lead to a greater increase in strength. These arguments have merit, but there are hazards to varying the pace of the lift too much. If a lifter’s technique and timing are good, practicing the same lift at different tempos can lead to a deterioration in that technique. I believe that the advantages of varying speed can be enjoyed without having to practice the classical lifts themselves at varying speeds. The lifter can achieve greater speed in the pull or jerk thrust by practicing power snatches, cleans and jerks. Slower pulls and more muscle tension can be achieved through practice pulls with heavy weights and deadlifts and shrugs. There are enough differences between these exercise and the classical lifts that the nervous system is likely to be able to retain them as different patterns of movement in its memory banks and not to confuse the power snatch or snatch pull with the pull for the squat snatch.

Assistance Exercises Related To The Classic Lifts

The assistance exercises that are presented in this next group are related to the classic lifts and can have a direct effect on performance in those lifts. However, they are generally not considered to be close enough to the classic lifts to account for them (in terms of training volume and intensity) in the same way as the lifts that were presented in the previous section.

Snatch Pulls

Purpose(s): To develop pulling power and certain aspects of pulling technique without having to perform the lift itself.

Description: Snatch pulls are essentially a snatch without the squat under phase (i.e., the first four stages of the pull are performed but the last two stages are not). Pulls can be done from the floor or from the hang or boxes of various heights (i.e., essentially in the same variations that were presented above for the snatch). There is general agreement that when performing a pull the lifter should endeavor to emulate as much as possible the pulling technique that is used in actual lifts. There is, however, considerable disagreement about how to accomplish such an emulation.

Some lifters attempt to complete all of their pulls with an explosive effort and a follow through with the body to a fully extended or elongated position. This finished position generally finds the lifter with his or her heels raised somewhat from the platform, the body stretched vertically as much as possible, shoulders up and arms bent with the elbows above the bar or slightly to the rear of it. On occasion some lifters who employ this style of pull attempt to hold this elongated position momentarily (some lifters actually pause noticeably with the body supported on the balls of the feet and the toes). Other lifters employ this technique but attempt never to bend the arms, which results in the appearance of an explosive snap of the shoulders at the end of the pull, as the upward momentum of the bar generated by earlier stages of the pull is slowed by a collision of the bar with the straight arms of the lifter. Still other lifters achieve a fully extended position and then lower their bodies by rebending the legs (which results in the bar’s traveling higher in relation to the lowered body, though not necessarily relative to the floor).

Another group of lifters attempts to achieve a maximum explosive effort in the pull before reaching the extended position and then more or less let the bar travel further on the basis of its momentum (rather than attempting to increase bar velocity and height even further by a follow through). Some of the lifters in this group even attempt to “check” any follow through into a fully extended position by intentionally never completely extending their bodies after executing the final explosion at a position with the bar near the tops of the thighs.

Effectiveness: Pulls can be a very effective way of improving power and technique in the snatch. As was noted in Chapter 2, some Bulgarian coaches actually teach the pull by having the lifter practice high pulls instead of partial or full versions of the classic lifts. This method appears to have considerable merit.

Pulls place much less strain on the nervous system than does a snatch from a similar position. They also place less strain on the body when the lifter is slowing the descent of the bar after it has been pulled because the downward motion of the bar is amortized over a longer distance than in the snatch. There is, of course, little strain of the arms and shoulders because the bar is never lifted over the lifter’s head. Since the overall movement of the pull is less complex and does not require as much movement of the body as a snatch, the lifter does not become as fatigued while doing a pull as while doing a snatch with the same weight. This is particularly true when a lifter is performing repetitions. If a lifter wishes to exploit the advantages of higher reps (up to five reps) to develop his or her pull, then pulls are the means of choice. (Maximum sets of five, or even three, reps in the classic snatch cannot be recommended except in special circumstances, while such reps in the pull can be used to great benefit in terms of strength and power development.)

In terms of the style used in the pull, there are different theories behind each of the styles mentioned above. The lifters who practice pulls to a fully extended position feel that one of the functions of the pull is to teach the lifter to extend explosively and completely. Since the lifter need not worry about descending under the bar in the pull, the exercise affords the lifter the opportunity for total concentration on the final explosion phase of the pull and the opportunity to achieve a full follow through position after the final explosion (which, advocates of this style believe, would occur as a natural product of the pull, were it not for the pressing need of the lifter to catch the bar overhead after the explosion phase of the pull has been completed). Lifters who pause in the extended position feel that this exaggeration of the follow through will carry over into the performance of the lift and cause the lifter to pull a little more forcefully and extend a little more completely than he or she otherwise would. The lifters who bend their arms at the top argue: “The arms eventually bend during the squat under phase of the lift, so why not at the end of the pull?” and/or, “The arms help to pull the lifter under the bar at the end of the snatch, so why not use the pull as a means to strengthen and educate the arms for doing this?” The lifters who keep their arms straight at the top maintain that the arms never bend except in the squat under phase of the pull, so maintaining straight arms helps to avoid the fault of pulling too much with the arms during the final explosion phase of the pull.  Fig 29 depicts the near finished position of a pull in which the lifter will fully straighten the body and not bend the arms at the finish. Fig. 30 shows the lifter remaining in the stretched position and permitting the arms to bend as the bar rises (but the arms are not being used to pull the bar up to this height).

The lifters who attempt to complete their final explosion before the body achieves a fully extended position, either to minimize the extension of the body or even to check it, argue that such a style resembles the lift more than an extended body pull. Such lifters are concerned that by extending the body in the pull too much they will get into a pattern of having too much of a follow through in the lift itself, giving them less time to squat under the bar and accomplishing little in terms of adding height to the pull. On balance, I find the latter arguments more compelling. More lifters extend too long than fail to finish their pulls. Moreover, practicing a greater and longer extension than is used in the lift may lead to poorer timing in the lift itself. However, as in so many aspects of weightlifting, the use of the pulls and the style employed must be individualized. For example, the relatively rare lifter who is having trouble achieving proper extension of the body may benefit from practicing pulls that emphasize extension of the body. The lifter who tends to overextend may benefit from actually checking the extension while practicing the pull. There is certainly no one correct way for performing pulls, but there is at least one major wrong way to do so. Any deviation from the normal pulling style (that which is used for the lift) during the first four phases of the pull is a bad idea. What the lifter does after that is much more of an individual issue. Therefore, one of the keys to successfully using this exercise is to make sure that the lifter is using the same tempo that he or she uses during the lift.

As was the case with snatches from the hang or boxes, lifters tend to benefit from practicing partial snatch pulls because they focus on the crucial amortization and final explosion phases of the pull, but the same cautions that were noted for partial snatches must be noted here as well. Using a height gauge for all types of pulls can be helpful in assuring that the lifter is pulling hard and not just “going through the motions” when performing pulls. Height gauges are discussed in Chapter 4.

Clean Pulls

Purpose(s): Similar to the snatch pull.

Description: Similar to the snatch pull.

Effectiveness: Essentially the same arguments as in the snatch pull. Clean pulls from the floor tend to be more useful than clean pulls from the higher positions because of the greater importance of the second and third stages in the pulls of most lifters during the clean relative to the snatch.

Combining Pulls and Lifts

Purpose(s): To tax the pulling muscles beyond the point that is feasible while doing the lift alone. Alternatively, to give the lifter practice in some aspect of the pull or the thrust of the jerk before doing the actual lift.

Description: When the lifter is adding the pull to the lift as a means of continuing to train strength after the lift has been completed, the pull(s) are done following the lift(s). This is not a common method of training, but some lifters feel that by doing a pull after a lift they are more likely to use lift-like technique while doing the pull. They may be right.

The more common use of the pull and lift (or jerk thrust and jerk) combination is to have the lifter experience some phase of the pull first, without having to worry about completing the entire lift. After doing one or more pulls (or jerk drives) with the correct focus, the lifter does a complete lift.

Effectiveness: Pulls done immediately after a lift are an effective way to increase strength and to do so by the same pattern of movement that is used in the lift itself ( although most lifters prefer performing one exercise at a time). In addition, if this pattern exercise is used on the last set in which the lift will be attempted, the lifter can move right into pulls after the lift has been performed. If successive sets of the lift and pull combination are performed, particularly if several reps in the pull are employed, the lifter’s pulling muscles can become so fatigued that the technique used on the lift can be compromised.

The process of performing a pull or jerk drive before performing a lift tends to be the more useful version of this exercise. The pull or dip for the jerk becomes, in effect, a partial practice lift. It is then hoped that this “practice” technique will carry over into the lift when it is performed almost immediately thereafter.

Consider two examples. I was recently working with a lifter who persistently dropped the elbows at the low point of the dip for the jerk. She tried dipping once or twice without dropping the elbows before attempting an actual jerk. There was a nearly immediate improvement in her technique in the actual jerk. In another case a lifter was having difficulty not using the arms prematurely in the clean. Performing a couple of reps in the clean pull with straight arms before attempting a clean enabled this lifter to perform cleans with straight arms immediately thereafter.

Naturally, the lifter eventually needs to learn to do the lift correctly without the preliminary motion, but doing the lift properly with the help of that “warm-up” motion can often help the lifter begin to experience the lift done correctly, an important step in reaching ultimate mastery.

For the more advanced lifter, the pull and lift combination can still be used to help the lifter focus on some aspect of the pull before doing the lift. The pull and lift combination exercise should certainly not be the foundation of a lifter’s classical lift and pull training, but it can be a helpful adjunct to the overall development of each of these exercises.

Snatch Deadlifts

Purpose(s): To strengthen the pull from the floor and to teach the lifter proper positioning and timing of the bar and body in the first, second and third stages of the pull.

Description: Same as for the snatch or snatch pull. Because a heavier weight is handled in this exercise than in the snatch, a special effort must be made to maintain proper positioning, timing and balance during the execution of the lift. Some athletes lift the bar until they are standing fully erect at the end of the deadlift. Other athletes lift the bar until it reaches a position similar to that achieved at the end of the third stage of the pull. The primary purpose of the latter method is to assure that the lifter achieves a proper position for the beginning of the fourth stage of the pull. Many lifters find that by pausing in such a position they are able to “feel” and thereby learn it more quickly and deeply.

Effectiveness: Snatch deadlifts can be a useful adjunct to the snatch for the purposes described above. One caution that should be observed when doing any kind of deadlift is to limit the number of repetitions. I do not recommend ever doing more than five reps. Fives should only be done with submaximal weight (at a minimum, there should always be room for another rep or two after the fifth rep). Threes or lower reps should be the more common rep pattern, especially for maximum efforts. This is because the muscles of the lower back generally fatigue first in the deadlift (before the hip extensors). When the back muscles are fatigued, additional strain is placed on the ligaments of the spine (which are already heavily loaded during normal weightlifting training). This additional strain places the spine at an elevated risk of injury; it is not worth the risk when lower reps and better control can yield essentially equal benefits.

Clean Deadlifts

Purpose(s): Same as for snatch deadlifts.

Description: Similar to the snatch deadlift except that the starting position of the clean is assumed instead of the starting position of the snatch. The lifter needs to make even a greater effort in the clean deadlift than in the snatch version in order to maintain the body in the same position as in the clean throughout the deadlift.

Effectiveness: There seems to be a greater carryover from this exercise to the clean than from the snatch deadlift to the snatch. One reason is that a strong initial pull in the clean is generally more crucial to its success than an energetic initial pull is for success in the snatch. Another reason is that the clean pull is slower than the snatch pull, so an exercise that is performed slowly has more carryover to the clean than the snatch. A variation of the deadlift that was very popular up through the 1950s is called the “hopper” deadlift. There are several variations of the hopper deadlift, and some special equipment is required to perform some of those variations. The essence of the hopper is that the bar is rebounded from the floor (or other surface). It was thought that this rebounding motion improved the lifter’s explosiveness and strength. Many practitioners of the hopper swore by its benefits. To my knowledge, no modern study of the exercise has been performed. There seems to be at least some theoretical support for the idea that the elastic qualities of a muscle along with its strength can be enhanced by performing a movement like the hopper. However, there is some question as to whether such training would carry over into the static start that most lifters use in the lifts or to the explosion at later phases in the pull. Both of these propositions seem doubtful, but the exercise may be of some value for lifters who need more explosiveness in the second stage of the pull. Moreover, bouncing the bar against a support would cause the lifter to lose at least some of the effect of the pre-stretch on the muscles that execute the pull because the support absorbs some of the downward force of the bar.

Lifters who employ deadlift training should always be careful to employ a position virtually identical to that used in the lift and to limit deadlift training to only a few sets and one or two training sessions a week (the lower back becomes easily fatigued from this exercise).

Halting Snatches, Cleans, Jerks, Pulls and Deadlifts

Purpose(s): Halting lifts (lifts with a pause at one or more points during the exercise) are used to teach the lifter certain crucial positions that are assumed during the execution of the lifts. They are also used to strengthen specific positions in the pull, typically the positions that lifters find to be the most difficult. As is noted in Chapter 3, one of the primary benefits and limitations of isometric contractions is their tendency to improve performance in a range of motion that is near to the position in which the isometric is performed. This can be a drawback when the lifter is attempting to strengthen the full range of motion with isometrics, but it can be an advantage when the lifter wishes to target a narrow segment of the lift. Typically, the lifter finds the greatest difficulty in the pull during the start (when both inertia and the weight of the bar need to be overcome) and when the bar is approximately at the level of the bottom of the knee.

Description: The lift, pull or deadlift is performed in the same way as its non halting counterpart, except that on one or more reps in a set the motion of the bar is halted on the way up and/or on the way down. Perhaps the most common position for a halt in the snatch, clean, pull and deadlift is just below the lifter’s knee. Another popular position is just after the bar clears the floor. In the jerk a popular position is at the lowest point in the dip; another is at the lowest point of the split. The halt is normally sustained for two to six seconds. It is important to maintain correct position during the halt.

Common faults while performing this exercise are to permit the back to round or relax somewhat during the halt and to shift the body to a position that is different from what the lifter normally does during that phase of the pull. For example, the lifter might raise the torso to a straighter than normal position while pausing at the knee. This is a far easier position for the lifter to sustain, but unless the lifter halts in the same position that is used during the pull, the results will tend to be poor.

Another variety of the halting deadlift and/or pull is one in which there are multiple halts during the exercise. For example, one variety of multiple position halt popular some years ago was performed with a halt just below the knees on the way up. A second halt was effected at the top of the pull (the fully extended position), another was done at the knees on the way down and a final halt took place just above the floor.

Effectiveness: The deadlift version of this exercise can be very effective in building pulling strength at points in which the pull is most difficult. It is particularly useful for the clean. The best results are normally obtained with weights that are between 100% and 120% of the lifter’s best clean or snatch at the time. Handling more weight, while entirely possible, tends to cause the body’s positioning to break down. Doing classical lifts and pulls with a halt can bring some variety to the training, but the down side is that they can adversely affect the timing of the pull. Despite its drawbacks, this type of exercise can be useful in teaching the lifter to assume proper positions in the lift or pull and to be patient and confident enough to actually achieve those positions while doing the pull at normal speed.

Halting pulls, particularly in the snatch, are a favorite of 1994 World Champion Robyn Byrd-Goad and her coach, John Coffee. Robyn used these pulls very effectively in preparing both for the snatch World Records that she established and the World’s Championship that she won. John has used the exercise successfully with a number of his other athletes in addition to Robyn.

In the jerk, the pause at the bottom of the dip can be used to teach the lifter proper depth, proper voluntary muscular effort in the drive (explosion phase) of the jerk and proper position of all of the joints and body segments at the point of beginning the explosion phase of the jerk. Pausing in the split can teach the lifter the importance of landing in a well balanced and strong position. A variety of this exercise that I have used with success is to perform jerks inside a power rack with pins set at the height the bar would achieve if it were caught in a low split position. Then I take the bar from a set of pins positioned just below the lowest point in the dip and rise to a standing position. The jerk is performed in the normal way, except that once in the low split position, the bar is sustained for several seconds before recovering from the split and letting the bar fall to the shoulders at the same time. The placement of the pins prevents too high a thrust in the jerk and forces me to assume a low and well balanced split. When I first tried the exercise, I had trouble controlling weights that were even 33% of my maximum. Eventually, however, I was able to handle with consistency weights that were approximately 85% of my maximum standard jerk from the rack. By that time my precision and control in the split position of the jerk had improved significantly.

The multiple stage variations of the halting style have the advantage of utilizing isometric contractions in multiple positions, thereby strengthening more than one range of motion in the pull. They are generally not effective for teaching technique.

The disadvantages of these exercises are that not all of the positions trained will need to be strengthened and that extreme fatigue during the movement can cause the lifter to assume positions unlike those used during a lift. Undue fatigue can even expose the lifter to injury. Therefore, multiple stage halting pulls and deadlifts need to be designed carefully and used sparingly and with caution if they are to be beneficial.

Partial Deadlifts and Pulls

Purpose(s): Partial pulls are performed for the same reasons as regular pulls, except that they are meant to focus on certain aspects of the pull, similar to the way regular lifts from the hang and blocks are used. Partial deadlifts are performed with the purpose of strengthening a particular phase of the deadlift, to train around an injury that precludes a full deadlift or to reduce the load on the legs that is created by pulling from the floor while permitting the muscles of the lower back and hip extensors to be worked. In order to enjoy the full benefits of this exercise, the athlete must maintain an arch in the lower back and minimize the curve of the upper back (i.e., mimic the position assumed during the pull).

Description: Partial pulls are performed in a fashion similar to regular pulls, except that the bar is started from a block or the hang (see the section on snatches and cleans from the hang or boxes for a fuller explanation of this kind of movement).

Effectiveness: Partial pulls are a good way to bring variety into training and to focus on specific areas of the pull. The same cautions that apply to hang lifts and lifts from the blocks apply here as well. Partial deadlifts can be an excellent way to train the back and hips. They resemble the good morning exercise in many respects, but they are superior in most cases. This is because consistency in the angle of the back at the bottom of the deadlift can be assured by always pulling from the same height with the body in the same position (there is always a question of whether someone has done a “full” good morning). From a safety standpoint, if a strain is felt in the back on the deadlift, the bar can be dropped immediately. In contrast, getting rid of the bar in the good morning is not as easy. From a technical standpoint, the lifter can assure that the position of the body and the balance on the feet in the lift can be emulated in the partial deadlift much more easily than in the good morning, and this must be done. In my experience the most useful version of this exercise is the clean deadlift from below the knees. Former world record holder in the C&J Frank Capsouras relied almost exclusively on this exercise for improving his pulling power in the clean.

Pulls and Deadlifts Standing on a Block or with Small Plates

Purpose(s): Similar to regular pulls and deadlifts, except that the strengthening and technical benefits are derived in the context of the overall purpose of a pull or deadlift rather than a lift.

Description: The lifter begins the lift while standing on a block or using small plates. This use of small plates tends to be impractical for the advanced lifter because the weights being handled are hard to fit on the bar.

Effectiveness: In terms of technique and strength, pulling from this position can certainly offer benefits similar to those mentioned in the discussion of lifts while standing on a block. The higher the block, the more difficult it is to assume a correct starting position (i.e., with the lower back arched, the upper back flat, the chest out, etc.). In the snatch this problem is greater than in the clean. Deadlifts from this position place a great load on the back, hips extensors and legs and can therefore build considerable strength in these areas. However, really pushing the deadlift from this position has its hazards. Because it is more difficult to assume and maintain the proper position of the back when deadlifting from this position, there is some risk of lower back injury. Therefore, when practicing such lifts, great care needs to be taken to assure that: a) the muscles are gradually accustomed to the load, and b) that proper position is scrupulously maintained (which implies that the athlete is flexible enough to perform the exercise with perfect technique). If the lifter loses this position, he or she will lose much of the value of the exercise and may risk lower back injury.

Good Mornings

Purpose(s): To strengthen the lower back muscles and hip extensors. In some variations the exercise can also be used to build explosive power in those same muscle groups and the leg extensors.

Description: There are several variations of this exercise with a few common characteristics. The bar is placed behind the lifter’s neck, resting on the rear of the shoulders and trapezius muscles at the start. With the body in a standing position, the torso is then moved forward and down into the lowest position of the exercise; the athlete then returns to the starting position.

Perhaps the most popular variation of the good morning is one in which the back is maintained in essentially the same position as during the pull (lower back arched and the upper back with only the normal curve). The torso is inclined forward and the legs are bent until the lifter assumes a position similar to the one that is achieved when the lifter is beginning the amortization phase of the pull (i.e., the legs are only slightly bent and the back is at an angle similar to the one used in the early stages of the pull from the floor). Some lifters attempt to bend forward even more, until the torso is approximately parallel to the floor. The lifter then rises up to a standing position, while maintaining an arch in the back.

A second variation of the good morning is similar to the one described above, but the lifter attempts to perform the exercise as rapidly as possible; as the lifter nears completion of the exercise, there is an explosive extension of the legs and even a rise on the toes.

A third major variation is one in which the lifter lowers the torso until it is well below parallel with the floor (some lifters go to the point where the torso is upside down, or the body is in a near “jackknife” position). In this variation the lifter allows the back to round in the low position, but the legs are maintained in a nearly locked position throughout the lift.

A fourth variation involves performing the good morning while the lifter is seated on a bench. This version of the exercise places the legs and back of the lifter at a much smaller angle than does any other variation of the exercise. Therefore, an extreme stretch is placed on the adductor muscles, the hip extensors and the lower back muscles. In some ways this position resembles the one assumed by the lifter who lifts the bar from the floor while standing on a block with a snatch grip, except that there is no strain on the knees or leg extensors. Fig. 31 illustrates the low position of the most popular version of the good morning.

Effectiveness: I am not a big fan of the good morning exercise, not so much because it is inherently ineffective or unsafe, but rather because it falls short of partial deadlifts in both of these regards, for the reasons set out in the discussion of the partial deadlift. All of the benefits of the first version of the good morning that was discussed above can be secured from the partial deadlift from below the knees. The explosive version of the good morning can be emulated by partial pulls and/or deadlifts with a finishing shrug. The partial pulls or deadlift and shrug have the advantage of training the trapezius muscles as well as the lower back and leg extensors. Moreover, all the appropriate muscles can be trained in concert and in the same sequence that occurs during a normal lift. Finally, there is some danger that in the explosive variation of the good morning the spine and knees can be traumatized when the lifter comes down from the explosion position (the bar itself can also crash against the neck and shoulders). These risks are greatly diminished or eliminated in the pull. The benefits of the good morning using full range of motion can be obtained through the stiff-legged  deadlift with less risk (again the bar can be easily dropped while doing the stiff-legged  deadlift).

The good morning shines when a lifter has injured the arms and the shoulder girdle. Here, good mornings can be used to load the lower back and hip extensors while the shoulder girdle and arms are recovering. I do not recommend the seated version of this exercise because of the extreme positions that it requires the lifter to, but more importantly that it forces a lifter into to a position where a bodypart (here the head or neck) is between the barbell and the bench. Should a miss occur near or at the point the lifter’s head near the bench, the head or neck could be trapped between the barbell and bench, leading to catastrophic injury or even death, consequently I would not recommend this exercise.

Stiff-legged  Deadlifts (including the “Romanian” Version)

Purpose(s): To strengthen the leg flexors, hip extensors and lower back. Although not generally recommended by physicians, this exercise has helped some lifters overcome spasmatic lower bark injuries. .

Description: There are two basic variations of this exercise. In one variation the lower back is kept arched and the upper back flat. The bar is raised from the platform with the legs nearly straight. The bar is then lowered back to the floor or as near as the lifter can come to the floor while maintaining proper back positioning. As soon as the bar touches the floor, it is usually deadlifted once again. This process is then repeated until the set is completed. At its lowest point, the lifter’s torso typically reaches a position parallel to the platform, or even somewhat below parallel, to the platform.

The ”Romanian” version of this exercise was first brought to the attention of US lifters when Nicu Vlad visited the US in 1990, in connection with his competing at the Goodwill Games, giving some exhibitions travelling to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and trained with the US athletes there. By this time, Vlad, who was Romanian by birth, become an Olympic and World Champion, and world record holder in the snatch. During his US visit, Nicu was seen performing a variation of the stiff legged deadlift in which (after deadlifting a barbell from the platform in the typical way), he would not fully complete the deadlift but rather straighten the torso while keeping his knees slightly bent. From that position he would lower the bar to about 2” above the platform while keeping his back arched and rigid and then return to his starting, slightly bent knee position, doing any subsequent reps in the same way. Nicu reportedly came up with this variant of the stiff legged deadlift on his own and could do reps with weights in excess of his best clean. When Vlad was asked what the exercises was called, he didn’t have a name for it as he likely simply saw it as a variation of the stiff legged deadlift. So how did the name come about? Muli-time Olympic Coach and former USAW President, Jim Schmitz has reported that he suggested calling it the “Romanian Deadlift” or RDL, and that name stuck. While the exercise was quite popular for the time, its practice has diminished in recent years, One reason may be that a number of athletes have injured their hamstrings doing them (e.g., a former Olympian injured his hamstring just before his second Olympic Trials and lost his opportunity to repeat as on Olympian because of it).

In the round back stiff legged deadlift variation, the bar is lowered to a deeper position than in the straight back version. It is very common for the lifter to stand on a block when doing this variety of the exercise, so that a deeper position can be obtained. Normally, the neck rounds forward with the body so that the head is down by the time the lowest position is reached.

Effectiveness: Stiff-legged  deadlifts can certainly strengthen the leg flexors, lower back and hip extensors. If they are done with the lower back in an arched position and the upper back flat, the strength developed can have some carryover into the snatch and clean pull, but as noted above, the exercise carries with it some injury risk, as it is hard to be fully consistent in terms of range of motion and it is relatively easy to overextend at the bottom of the lift.  

Doing the exercise with a rounded back will also strengthen the leg, hip and lower back muscles (the latter in a concentric manner, as compared with the isometric manner applied when pulling and in the flat back stiff-legged deadlift). However, during the performance of this version of the exercise, there is enormous pressure on the spine in a position that is not identical to the lifts. To me this represents a significant risk with only a modest benefit. Therefore, I do not recommend doing heavy stiff-legged deadlifts with a rounded back, but there are some athletes and coaches who believe in them.

There is one special situation in which rounded back stiff-legged deadlifts have been found by some lifters to be beneficial: when they are performed with light weights and are used to stretch the lower back muscles. Please see Chapter 11 for a description of how this potentially risky version of the stiff-legged  deadlift has been employed effectively by some lifters. Fig 32 displays the low position in the stiff-legged deadlift.

Stiff-Legged Lifts and Pulls

Purpose(s): To place added stress on the hip extensors and back muscles while placing less stress on the leg extensors.

Description: The lifter assumes a position similar to the one used while doing the classical lift or the conventional pull. The main difference in the execution of the stiff-legged version of the lift or pull is that the legs are placed in a nearly straight position at the outset of the exercise, and they maintain that position until the final explosion phase of the pull is completed.

Effectiveness: This variation of the classical lift and pull will strengthen the lower back and hip extensors, perhaps to a greater extent than conventional lifts and pulls. However, the coordination of these movements is so different from those of the conventional lifts that the carryover of any strength so developed to the conventional lifts tends to be disappointing. One negative aspect of this difference in coordination is that when the legs are unavailable in the final explosion of the pull, the lifter will tend to lean back with the torso at the finish of the pull in order to apply force for a longer period. This serious technique flaw presents a risk to the lower back, so it should be scrupulously avoided. In addition, pulling in the stiff-legged position can place so much additional strain on the lower back and hip extensors and put them through so much larger a range of motion than is normally experienced by the lifter that injuries or overtraining of these areas can occur when the exercise is first introduced. Therefore, any stiff-legged lifting and pulling need to be introduced gradually. Given these overall limitations, it appears that the stiff-legged lifts and pulls should be used sparingly, if at all.

Split and Squat Recoveries and Supports

Purpose(s): To strengthen the shoulder girdle and arm extensors for purposes of fixing and holding a snatch or jerk overhead. To teach a lifter the proper positioning of the bar in relation to the body when the bar is overhead.

Description: There are several variations of this exercise, all of them utilizing a power rack or similar equipment. When the lifter is training the split jerk, the bar is typically set on a power rack at a height that is equivalent to or slightly below the lowest position the lifter is likely to reach while jerking. The lifter then assumes the split position under the bar (either by jumping into it as he or she would when jerking or by simply placing himself or herself under the bar in a split position). When the lifter is doing a “recovery,” the lifter recovers from the spilt position as he or she would after reaching such a position in the split jerk (i.e., the front foot is brought back toward the lifter first, and then the back foot is brought forward under the lifter). When the lifter is merely doing a support, he or she pushes up with the legs enough to get the bar to clear the pins supporting it in the rack. The bar is then generally supported in the split position for two to six seconds and then is returned to the rack.

In the squat variation of the support, the bar is set at a height approximately equal to or slightly below the lowest point in the power jerk. In the rare case of the lifter who actually uses a full squat in the jerk, the bar could be set at the lowest position that is assumed in that style of jerking. If the lifter is doing an actual recovery, he or she stands up from the low position with the bar over head, much as would be done if the lifter were recovering from that position in the jerk (overhead squats would probably be just as effective or more so). If the lifter is doing a support, the bar is raised enough to clear the pins and then held for three to six seconds. Another variation of the exercise that permits the lifter to handle heavier weights and reduces the stress on the legs, hips and back involves setting the bar so that the lifter need only to descend into a one-quarter or one-eighth squat in order to get under the bar with the arms straight,. The lifter then recovers from that position.

Recoveries and supports with the arms in a snatch position are not practiced as often as they are for the jerk. One reason is that the lifter who practices sufficient snatches, and/or overhead squats, and related exercises will rarely experience difficulty in supporting a snatch overhead. In addition, few power racks are set wide enough for the lifter to assume a snatch grip while inside the rack. (Even if the pins are a little wider than the lifter’s normal grip, some margin must be available so that if the lifter loses his or her balance, and/or shifts the grip somewhat during the exercise, the hand will not be caught between the rack and the bar when it is returned to the rack.) Lifters with collar-to-collar grips will, of course, never have a rack wide enough to accommodate their grip.

One solution to that problem for the lifter who is doing supports is to position the bar off-center in the rack (with the bar’s inside collar touching one pin). Depending on the rack, this position often permits the lifter who does not use a very wide grip to assume a snatch grip. This is done by placing one hand on the bar inside the rack (on the side of the bar that has its inside collar against the rack’s pin) and placing the other hand outside the rack but inside the collar of the bar on the other side. This method cannot be used if there is not adequate clearance for the hands, so that even if the lifter shifts the body or the hands during the exercise, the hands will not be pinched when the bar is lifted or returned to the rack. Whenever this variation of the exercise is done, spotters should always be used to assure that the lifter is in no danger of pinching the hands at any point in the movement. Fig. 33 illustrates the split support.

Effectiveness: This group of exercises is not very important for the average lifter and therefore are not part of most lifters’ regular training programs. However, when these exercises are applied selectively in specific circumstances, they can be very useful. A lifter who has trouble with his or her armlock and with holding a bar overhead can use supports to strengthen the arm extensors and shoulders (although regular presses and partial presses can be effective for this purpose as well). Perhaps the major effective use of the recovery and support exercise is to teach the lifter the proper positioning of the body and bar in the jerk.

For most lifters, the greatest benefit will come from using moderate weights (70% to 90% of the jerk) and emphasizing correct position. This is because the lifter who is having trouble holding weights overhead is rarely experiencing the problem purely as a result of a lack of strength. An improper arm position is almost always at least one contributing factor. By using heavy weights and emphasizing the amount lifted, the lifter is almost assured that improper positioning will continue. With more moderate weights, the lifter can use the exercise to experiment with different arm and shoulder positions (e.g., the bar further behind the head, the crook of the elbow turned slightly toward the front of the lifter and the shoulder blades pulled together). When the lifter is using a small enough weight to relax somewhat and to focus on form, maximum benefits can be derived from these exercises. Once proper positioning has been learned, heavier weights can be used occasionally.

Supports and recoveries can also be very useful for the lifter who is resting or rehabilitating certain areas of the body that would otherwise preclude practicing the jerk. In addition, they can be helpful to the lifter who wishes to condition the body for a change in style, before actually beginning to use that style. An example would be a lifter who is planning to switch legs in the jerk (i.e., reverse the legs placed forward and back) or one who wishes to learn to place the bar well behind the head in the jerk, instead of in front of the head or directly over it.

Jerk Drives and Front Quarter Squats

Purpose(s): To increase the power that the lifter can generate in the amortization and explosion phases of the jerk and, to a certain extent, the final explosion of the pull. These exercises are also used to improve the technique of the lifter in the dip and drive of the jerk.

Description: These lifts are typically performed in one of two ways. One is to take the bar from a rack, step back and the perform the jerk drive or partial squat. In the other variation the lifter begins the exercise from a position that simulates the lowest point in the lifter’s dip for the jerk and then returns the bar to the pins of the rack (or at least touches them) between reps. When the drive is performed, the lifter attempts to emulate the explosion phase of the jerk (and the amortization phase as well, if the bar is lowered before the drive). After the drive there is no attempt to move the feet, so that once the bar reaches its maximum height, the lifters catches the bar at the shoulders (absorbing the shock by bending the legs with the torso held upright) or on the pins of the rack.

When a lifter practices the jerk drive, the most common mistake is to extend the body too far at the top of the drive and to get the majority of the power at the end of the drive. This may result in a higher drive, but it also causes the lifter to learn improper timing of the most powerful part of the jerk drive and creates a significant downward shock to the body if the weight is caught at the shoulders. Maximum power must be applied when the legs are still well bent, not at the point where the lifter in on the toes and reaching up with the arms.

In the front quarter squat, heavier weights are used, and the speed of the jerk drive cannot be achieved (although the lifter generally attempts to drive the bar with as much speed as possible).

Effectiveness: Jerk drives and front quarter squats can increase a lifter’s strength and power output in the jerk drive. As noted above, this will only occur if the timing of the maximum power output is correct. In quarter squats the point of maximum effort is almost automatically correct because the greatest strain is felt at the start of the lift (which is close to where maximum power is to be applied in the jerk). Both exercises can be used to teach certain aspects of technique, such as proper depth in the dip, good arm, leg and torso position in the dip and correct balance and proper timing. However, these exercises are not mainstays in the training of most lifters because of the difficulty of truly mirroring the style of the jerk. In the case of the jerk drive, lifters must avoid the exercise because it is quite unpleasant (and potentially dangerous) to catch a weight at the shoulders once it has been driven up.

Overhead Squats

Purpose(s): To improve the strength of the arms and shoulders and the lifter’s balance and position in the full squat snatch.

Description: The exercise begins with the bar held on straight arms with a snatch grip and the lifter in a standing position. There are two ways to get the bar into position. One is to set the bar at a height and in such a position on the power rack that the bar can be removed from the rack with a slight bend of the knees. The lifter then steps well back from the rack, so that if a miss or loss of balance occurs the bar will not bounce against the rack, but, rather, will fall safely to the floor. The other method of getting the bar into the starting position is to power jerk it from behind the neck.

Once the bar is overhead, the lifter carefully lowers himself or herself into a full squat position. It is helpful for the lifter to fix the eyes on one position throughout the squat (the position that would be used when doing the squat snatch). The lifter should also think of pushing up and pulling out on the bar. The greatest difficulty in balancing the bar will typically be experienced during the first third and last third of the squat. It is also a good idea for the lifter to pause for a second or two at the bottom of the squat in order to improve his or her balance, position and strength in the low squat position. It is a good idea for the lifter to have spotters when this exercise is performed, but not for the purpose of catching the bar if the lifter should miss (unless protecting the floor of the gym is a primary concern). When a miss occurs, it is better for the lifter to push himself or herself away from the bar (as is done when missing a snatch) rather than having the spotters catch the bar. However, the spotters can be used to great advantage when the bar is returned to the rack or to the shoulders of the lifter. In the former case the spotters can guide the lifter back to the rack and assure that the lifter does not pinch his or her hands between the bar and the rack. In the latter case, the spotters can ensure that the bar does not fall heavily onto the shoulders of the lifter at the end of the set. Alternatively, the lifter can step forward and let the bar drop. The only time a spotter should be used for the squat itself is to assist the rank beginner find the correct position for the bar and to prevent a miss in the low position (the latter problem should go away as soon as the athlete is taught how to miss).

Effectiveness: The purposes cited above can all be accomplished using the overhead squat. The exercise can help the beginner build confidence, balance, position and strength. For the advanced lifter the exercise can be of great help when the lifter wishes to take a break from practicing the classical lifts but wishes to maintain conditioning in the arms and shoulders and still be in control of the bar in the squat position.

Front Squats

Purpose(s): Front squats are used primarily to strengthen the legs of the lifter for the recovery from the low squat clean position.

Description: The lifter begins by taking the bar from a rack and assuming the same position that he or she will be in at the end of the clean. The lifter descends smoothly into the full squat position and then recovers immediately to the starting position. The torso is strictly vertical, the upper back straight and the lower spine slightly arched throughout the lift. The knees stay in line with the feet while squatting (neither going inside nor outside the feet during the descent or ascent). The feet are always kept flat on the floor during this and all other versions of the squat. Squatting on the toes places undue strain on the knee joints and gives the lifter only a very small balance point. The lifter should try to descend in a controlled but smooth manner and should avoid crashing into (i.e., dropping in a completely free fall without any control on speed) or rebounding out of the full squat using the joints. (He or she should feel the muscles doing the recovering instead.) However, it is generally a good idea for the lifter to attempt to explode up from the bottom of the squat with as much power as possible. This effort will build power in the squat but will not place as much stress on the joints as crashing into, or bouncing up from, the bottom position.

Variations of the squat include the squat with a slow descent, the squat with a pause at one or more positions in the descent, the squat with a pause at the bottom and the squat done more quickly than usual (in the descent, the turnaround into the recovery and/or during the ascent). Fig. 34 shows the low position in the front squat.

Effectiveness: Front squatting is a highly effective method of strengthening the legs for the recovery from the clean and can also be used to condition them to catch the weight in the clean position. With proper training and mechanics in the pull, the lifter will be able to pull very heavy weights to the shoulders while in the clean. Without diligent training in the squat, the lifter will find it difficult, if not impossible, to recover from the full squat position. Moreover, a difficult recovery makes it less likely that the lifter will have sufficient energy left for the all important jerk. Therefore, dedicated training in the squat is essential.

Squatting slowly, or with one or more pauses during the descent, is aimed at both taxing the muscles eccentrically and pre-fatiguing the leg muscles on the way down, so that the recovery becomes more difficult. Squatting in this fashion, as well as squatting with a pause at the bottom, is also meant to reduce or cancel the use of the elastic qualities of the muscle during the recovery. It is important to use the same foot position in this exercise as in the clean and to keep the torso vertical and the spinal curves in a normal position while squatting (i.e., do not permit the back to round).

Performing squats with a faster than normal descent trains the elastic qualities of the muscles as they pertain to the recovery from the squat and, to a certain extent, conditions the body to absorb the shock of catching the bar in the clean. Too much can place undue strain on the joints and the muscle tendon units of the legs, so practice of this version of the front squat must be carefully controlled. Nevertheless, for the lifter who does not perform the squat clean very often, the fast front squat can maintain and improve the conditioning of the leg muscles, so that they can absorb the impact of the bar at the bottom of the clean and use their elastic qualities to the greatest advantage.

Back Squats

Purpose(s): Back squats are used to develop strength in the legs and hips, and, to a lesser extent, the lower back. Most lifters can squat from 120% to 140% of their best C&J.

Description: The bar is placed on the top of the rear deltoids and the trapezius muscles. The head is held in a vertical position, the upper back is as straight as possible and an arch is maintained in the lower back. The elbows are placed behind the bar, the hands grip the bar firmly with a grip that is a few inches wider than shoulder’s width (some lifters feel more comfortable with the hands placed even wider). The method of descent described for the front squat is followed. Many lifters find it helpful to look up (at least slightly) while recovering. This helps to keep the back tight and to prevent the lifter from leaning forward during the recovery from the squat position. Fig. 35 depicts the low position in the back squat.

Effectiveness: Many coaches have called back squats the “king” of the assistance exercises. Former junior world record holder Victor Schreiner only half jokingly calls the squat “the basis for life on earth as we know it.” More strength has probably been built by more weight trainees (whether competitive weightlifters or not) using the squat than any other single exercise, and those who have overlooked the squat in favor of exercises like the bench press have failed to develop the full power of the body’s strongest muscle groups, the legs and hips.

Squats are essential for weightlifters. If the lifter is to succeed, they must practically become an obsession. Squats are very hard work, and the amount of development the lifter achieves in them is almost directly proportional to the conscious effort that the lifter applies while doing them. It is difficult to recruit all of the muscles of the legs, and only profound concentration and volitional effort will both teach the lifter how to recruit those muscles and train them. Paul Anderson, former Olympic champion and one of the strongest men who ever lived (if not the strongest) built most of his legendary power through highly specialized training on squatting. He once said that, contrary to popular belief, he disliked squatting. However, he became convinced early in his career that squatting would be the key to his success, so he learned to like every set, not for the experience but for the knowledge that every set marked step toward the success he strove for and achieved. Others would do well to learn from Paul’s example. This is not to say that training the squat should ever take precedence over the classic lifts, but it should take precedence over most other assistance exercises unless a lifter has surplus squatting strength (i.e., can squat with much more weight than is necessary in order for him or her to stand up easily from the low squat position in the clean).

One caution should be observed when doing the squat in general and the back squat in particular; spotters should always be used when heavy weights are being attempted. It is true that if a lifter misses a squat, he or she can always push the bar backward and jump forward out from under the bar, thereby letting it fall to the platform. There is some risk in this procedure, however. The bar can scrape against the lifter’s torso as it falls or become caught on the lifter’s belt (thereby exerting a significant downward force on the lifter). A less likely scenario is one in which the lifter loses his or her balance or is injured as he or she descends into, or recovers from, the squat position. In any of these situations, the use of spotters helps to prevent the worsening of any misfortune. Spotters are especially important for the back squat because of the bar’s position behind the head of the lifter. This position makes getting out from under the bar more difficult than in other varieties of the squat. (When a lifter is doing an overhead squat or front squat, pushing the bar forward and jumping back permits him or her to get rid of the bar relatively easily.) As is the case with most versions of squatting, back squatting should be performed with the torso as upright as possible, the curves of the back in a normal position and with the feet in the same position that is employed during the execution of the squat clean.

Partial Squatting

Purpose(s): Partial squatting is used to improve the strength and power of the legs in other than the full position. As noted earlier, the partial front squat can be used to improve the jerk. The partial back squat can be used for the same purpose; it can also strengthen the legs in the finishing position of the pull.

Description: The bar is typically placed on a rack at or just below the height the lifter wishes to focus on in terms of building strength and power. One common position for performing partial squats is the half squat (a position in which the bottom of the thighs are just above parallel with the floor). Another common position is the quarter squat, in which the legs are bent at an angle of approximately 150^o. When performing partial squats it is important to keep the torso absolutely upright or inclined very slightly forward (never backward) and to keep the knees directly over the front of the feet in the starting position (as compared with outside or inside of the feet – i.e., if the toes are pointed out from the center of the body at a 45 degree angle, the thighs and  knees should be at a similar angle to the center of the body as well).

Effectiveness: The carryover from full movements to partial ones is far greater than any carryover from partial movements to full ones. In addition, the half squat can place a great deal of strain on the back as the lifter attempts to struggle up from the half squat position. (This is a very difficult position for the legs, so there is a tendency to let the torso incline forward, so that the angle of the legs can be increased, thereby placing significant stress on the lower back.) When the torso is inclined to a greater degree, there is a greater than normal strain placed on the lower back. Quarter squats can place a significant strain on the muscle-tendon unit at the front of the knee. I have injured my lower back doing half squats and my knee doing quarter squats (and I have seen others do the same on a number of occasions), so I am not the greatest fan of either of these exercises. Partial squats can have their place for certain special strengthening purposes, but they should be used sparingly. They tend to yield better results when they are done quickly with sub-maximum weights (for power more than pure strength) as long as you don’t permit the bar to crash back down on the body significantly after exploding up. In no event are partial squats a viable substitute for full squats (which for weightlifters means squatting as low as possible while maintaining good back position and, of course, not hitting the floor with the buttocks).

Remedial Exercises For Strengthening Specific Muscle Groups

Exercises that strengthen muscles that are directly or indirectly involved in the classical lifts are often referred to in the weightlifting literature as “remedial” exercises. The carryover value of these exercises, in terms of performance on the classic lifts, tends to be small or nonexistent. However, it is thought that performing these exercises helps to balance the strength of an athlete’s muscle groups and to prevent injuries. Remedial exercises also offer a means for maintaining the condition of a muscle group without placing the same stress on the body as when executing the classic lifts and closely related exercises.

Lunges and Related Exercises

Purpose(s): Lunges are used to strengthen the legs in the split position and as an occasional substitute for, or adjunct to, squats.

Description: Lunges can be performed in a number of ways. The bar can be placed behind the neck in the same position as for back squats. It can also be placed on the lifter’s shoulders in front of the neck and at arm’s length overhead in a snatch position (where it becomes the equivalent of overhead squats or split snatchers). Regardless of where the bar is placed, the lifter begins the exercise by stepping forward far enough with the front foot so that the feet are positioned properly in order to descend into the low split position. (Depending on the depth of the lunge, more than one step may be required to accomplish this.) The lifter then lowers the body by bending the forward leg while maintaining a straight position with the rear leg. The torso remains in a upright position, with the upper back flat and the lower back slightly arched. The head is up and fixed on a point that will be slightly above eye level in the full split. In recovering, some lifters follow the same pattern as when recovering from a split while lifting (front leg a large step and then back leg a smaller one). Other lifters take two or even more steps back with the front leg until they have recovered to a point where one step forward with the best foot will complete the recovery process.

Still another variation of the exercise is to place the bar on the floor and then to have the lifter step over the bar and descend into a split position, so that the hips and upper body are directly over the bar. The lifter then lowers the body sufficiently to grasp the bar with the hands. The athlete then raises the bar as high as possible with the legs. Obviously, in this latter technique, the lifter is prevented by the bar from recovering to a standing position. Lifters who perform this variation of the lunge often place the feet on elevated surfaces, so that the depth that they are required to achieve in the split in order to grasp the bar with the hands resembles the very lowest split position it is possible to achieve. Fig. 36 shows a fairly low position in the lunge, although flexible lifters can go lower than this (and split lifters must).

Effectiveness: Lunges are very useful for strengthening the legs in the split position. Needless to say, they are nearly as important for split style lifters as squats are for squat lifters. For the majority of lifters (who only split in the jerk, and not very low at that) the exercise is of less import, but it has some value nonetheless. It can be used to condition the legs for the split and to prepare the lifter for the eventuality of a lower than normal split on some occasion. Lunges are especially useful when a lifter is not practicing the split jerk for a time (e.g., when specializing in the power jerk off-season), enabling balance and conditioning in the split position to be.

Regardless of the variation of the exercise used, it is a very good idea to practice lunges with alternating legs. When the lifter practices the actual lift, he or she will always put the same foot forward and the opposite foot backward. While this is desirable from the standpoint of skills, it places uneven strains on muscles and joints that were built to be used symmetrically. In addition, the spine is subjected to an uneven strain. Practicing lunges only with this leg position will tend to accentuate the problem. Using both legs in an alternating fashion promotes balanced conditioning. Bud Charniga, a former top ranked lifter American lifter with an M.A. in physical education, Eleiko dealer, noted translator of Soviet publications, owner of Dynamic Fitness and one of the most knowledgeable coaches in the United States today, advocates a greater volume of lunges using the arrangement of the legs opposite to that normally used in the jerk and/or split. He believes that extra lunges on the leg opposite to the one that is used in the jerk even out the stress on the body. I believe there is great merit in Bud’s advice.

Leg Presses

Purpose(s): To strengthen legs and hip extensors.

Description: In the most common kind of leg press today, the athlete sits on a small seat that is at or close to floor level with the back supported by an incline bench with an incline of approximately 45^o to the floor. The legs then push on a platform that is forward and above the lifter (the resistance slides along supports that are typically at approximately a 45^o angle to the floor). The back remains stationary and the feet are pushed away from the body.

Effectiveness: The vast majority of weightlifters never do this exercise, but I know of at least one national level Olympic lifter and one high level power lifter who have partially substituted leg pressing for some squatting and deadlifting. No lifter has ever built great squatting power without practicing the squat. However, the leg press can provide some variety for the athlete. It can also be used to increase the leg flexibility of some lifters and can permit others to work around certain injuries to maintain some leg strength.

Leg presses are normally performed with the lifter either lying on his or her back or sitting in a specially designed seat with a rigid back. The feet are placed on a surface that is attached to the resistance being applied in performing the leg press. The leg press machine is constructed in such a way that the legs must be well bent (often to the point of the knees touching the lifter’s chest, or nearly so) in order for the feet to be placed in a flat position against the resistance at the outset of the exercise. The lifter pushes against the resistance with his or her legs until the legs are straight. The bar is then returned to the starting position.

Step Ups

Purpose(s): Similar to lunges except that a more extreme low position is achieved with respect to the front leg and the strain and the back leg is reduced. Consequently, the step up might be looked upon as a bridge between the squat and the split or lunge.

Description: The bar is typically placed on the shoulders behind the neck. The lifter places the foot on a block that is approximately the level of lifters mid-thigh. although higher and lower blocks are often used. The back leg is relatively straight. The lifter pushes off the back foot to generate some momentum and then pushes up on the bar almost entirely with the front leg to lift the bar and lifter onto the box. The opposite leg is then put backward for the descent, and the lifter lowers the body back to the start position and performs a rep with the opposite leg. The process of repeated for the appropriate number of reps on each leg. Fig. 37 displays the starting position for the step up.

Effectiveness: The front leg is typically worked in a deeper position in the step up versus the lunge. There tends to be a greater stress placed on the hip extensors as a result. Step ups were originally touted as a replacement for the full squat, but to my knowledge it has never demonstrated its ability to do so. One of its weaknesses relative to the squat is that it is in some ways harder to ensure the performance is equal on both legs and that any unevenness of stress that is placed on the legs will not simply mimic the stresses that are part of the squat. But its biggest drawback is lack of its similarity to the squat, which suggests any carryover to performance in the squat is unlikely. It’s possible may have some value when done in conjunction with squats (i.e., as a substitute for squats only in some training sessions). Of course for those looking for an excuse to avoid the squat, the step up offers “loophole” to escape the full squat exercise that is dreaded by so many trainees because of its strenuousness and the skill required to master it – but most who have mastered the squat consider the effort to have been well worth it.

Leg Extensions and Leg Curls

Purpose(s): To strengthen the leg extensors (leg extensions), leg flexors (leg curls).

Description: The leg extension is most frequently performed while seated on an bench that is specifically designed for leg extensions and leg curls. In the most common version the upper legs are supported by the bench and the lower legs hang over the edge of the bench, so that the upper and lower legs are approximately at a 90^o angle to one another. Resistance is provided by a bar that hangs on a rigid set of “arms” attached to the bench (the bar is normally set at the level of the lifter’s ankles). The lifter straightens the leg and typically pauses, at least momentarily, before lowering the bar to its starting position.

Leg curls are typically performed while the lifter is lying face down on a bench designed for the leg curl exercise. Both the lifter’s torso and upper legs are supported by the bench. A bar is attached on either side to the bench through a set of rigid arms. The lifter places the rear of the ankles beneath the bar and then curls the lower legs toward the buttocks, going as far as is possible. Machines designed for the performance of standing leg curls also exist today.

Effectiveness: Leg extensions and leg curls are very popular in rehabilitation circles and health clubs. They are effective for strengthening the muscles they are designed to strengthen, but they are not very useful for improving a lifter’s performance in the classical lifts or the squat. Because of their popularity in rehabilitation circles, leg extensions are often erroneously used to “rehabilitate” the knee from such conditions as quadriceps tendinitis. There is evidence doing leg extensions can help quad tendinitis and some evidence that it can hurt (by irritating the inflamed tendon even more).

In fact, the evidence is building that leg extensions are more stressful to portions of the knee joint than squatting. The leg extension can be useful in rehabilitating an injured knee that is not ready for squatting or for maintaining some strength in the leg extensors when squatting is precluded for a time due to injury. The leg extension can also be used for “quad setting,” which can be used to rehabilitate the knee of a lifter affected by chondromalacia (see Chapter 11 for further details).

Leg curls are used to train the leg flexors directly. They are of little or no use in improving performance in the classical lifts or the squat. There is a school of thought in sports medicine that believes uneven strength in the opposing muscles of the legs could be the cause of some knee injuries (especially in sports which generate high velocity leg movements, such as sprinting). As a consequence, on the premise that their leg extensors had become much stronger than their leg flexors (through the practice of the classical lifts and squats), a number of lifters began to practice leg curls. I have met few people who felt that they benefited from leg curls (either in terms of weightlifting prowess or injury prevention/rehabilitation). This may be because during weightlifting exercises, the leg is never straightened forcefully against little resistance (as it is while running). A second reason for the weak results may be that many of the exercises performed by lifters (e.g., full squats and pulls from the floor) do train the leg flexors, at least to an extent and in a limited range of motion. This does not mean that a given lifter may not find practicing leg curls or similar exercises beneficial. It simply means that for the majority of lifters the benefits are not clear.

Hyperextensions and Glute-Ham Exercises

Purpose(s): To strengthen the muscles of the lower and middle back, the foremost of which are the spinal erectors (the muscles that hold the spine in a rigid position during the pull). Also to strengthen the buttocks and hamstrings in certain positions.

Description: The lifter lies face down on a high bench with the hips, or the legs and hips, supported by the bench (the torso,  from about the bottom of the waist up, extends beyond the bench). The legs are held in place by a sturdy strap or bar that is placed over the ankles (or by another lifter who usually sits on the exerciser’s ankles). The lifter lowers the torso until it is nearly perpendicular to the floor (see Fig. 38a), then raises the torso until the shoulders are at the level of the hips or slightly higher level (see Fig. 38b). (In the glute-ham variety of the exercise the lifter continues to raise the torso further by bending the legs.) Naturally, the equipment used to support the lifter’s lower body during this exercise must be high enough off the ground so that when the lifter is in the low position, the head is well clear of the floor. When the exercise is performed against resistance, as it should ultimately be, a bar is placed behind the neck of the lifter.

Effectiveness: The hyperextension will strengthen the spinal erector muscles (especially the lower area of these muscles), the hamstring and the gluteus muscles. The hyperextension’s value is somewhat limited by its limited effect on these muscles. In addition, the tensions experienced in the legs, hips and back are not very similar to those experienced during the pull. This is because the greatest stress on the spinal erectors during the pull occurs when the angle between the legs and torso is the smallest (i.e., during the second and third phases of the pull). In the hyperextension the greatest effort of the spinal erectors occurs when the back in nearly in line with the legs.

The hyperextension can be of value for general conditioning, for rehabilitation and when the lifter is injured in such a way that regular pulls are precluded. It can also help lifters who have trouble keeping the spine rigid when lifting.

When performing hyperextensions, the lifter should be very careful to assure that the strap or bar (or the partner) holding the legs is very sturdy. It must be remembered that during the hyperextension the head of the lifter is between the bar and the floor. If the feet become loose, an injury could result. It is also important to assure that the bench be sturdy, stable and attached to the floor (or weighted in some way). Significant force is created outside the base of support of the bench when the hyperextension is being performed with weights. Therefore, there is a tendency for the bench itself to become upended if it is not weighted at the opposite end or fastened down. I prefer straight benches to the specially designed benches that support the hips because the former tend to support the knees more.

Obviously, the glute-ham exercise requires that the knees bend at the end of the motion so it cannot be performed on a conventional high bench. Some lifters truly believe in this latter exercise, but I have not detected any dramatic benefits from its use.

Calf Raises

Purpose(s): To strengthen the muscles that extend the foot in rising on the toes.

Description: In its most common variation, the bar is placed on the shoulders, behind the neck. The lifter rises as high on the toes as possible and then lowers the body to the starting position, using only the calf muscles. The torso and knees are kept straight throughout the exercise.

Effectiveness: In the 1960s and 1970s a great emphasis was placed on the importance of rising high on the toes at the top of the pull. This follow through in the pull was regarded as a key to proper technique. With the today’s styles, there is less of an emphasis on rising on the toes. Therefore, the need for specially strengthening the calf muscles has been somewhat diminished, and so the need for this exercise (if there ever really was one) has declined. It is rarely, if ever, included in the routines of top lifters.

Sit-ups and Other Exercises for the Midsection

Purpose(s): To strengthen the midsection (abdominals, external obliques, etc.) of the lifter so that the spine is well supported and to maintain some balance between the muscles that run along the front and sides of the torso and the muscles of the back.

Description: There are three main variations of the sit-up: sit-ups with the legs straight, sit-ups with the knees elevated and partial sit-ups. Sit-ups with the legs straight are the traditional version of this exercise. The legs are braced and the torso is lifted from the floor by curling the head and neck up toward the chest, lifting the torso from the floor until the lifter is at a 90^o or greater angle to the floor.

In the bent-knee version, the feet are placed flat on the floor and the knees are elevated. This reduces the stress on the spine but still utilizes the hip flexors during an extensive portion of the exercise, though to a lesser extent than the regular sit-up. The partial sit-up typically ends when the head and shoulders are lifted from the floor. It is the only version of the sit-up that exercises the abdominal muscles alone (or at least primarily). This is because the only function of the abdominals is to flex or curl the trunk to its greatest extent; once this has been accomplished, the act of raising the torso is performed by the hip flexors.

Another exercise that is popular for strengthening the abdominals and hip flexors is the leg raise. When doing the leg raise, the lifter lifts the legs (which are typically kept straight) towards the torso. The most popular variation of the exercise is for the trainee to lie on the floor or a bench and to lift the legs from a position in which they are in a straight line with the torso up to a point where they are at a 90^o angle with the torso and then return them to the starting position. A more advanced variation, one that places more stress on the abdominals and hip flexors and less on the back, is the hanging leg raise. In this version the lifter hangs from a chinning bar or from straight arms on parallel bars and raises the legs until they are parallel with or higher than the ground (sometimes pausing in that position before returning to the starting position).

An easier variation of both the regular and hanging leg raise is the bent-knee leg raise or frog kick. In this exercise the knees are bent as they are lifted toward the torso. The lifter pulls the knees as close to the torso as possible before returning to the starting position.

Both the straight and bent leg variations of the lying leg raise can be combined with the sit-up, so that the legs and torso are lifted toward one another at the same time. This combination exercise is more strenuous that either exercise done alone and is a time saver because more muscles are trained at once. Fig. 39 depicts the combination crunching sit-up and bent knee leg raise while Fig. 40 illustrates the hanging leg raise.

Side bends and twists are the most popular forms of exercise used to strengthen the obliques, although they are often done incorrectly. Twisting while standing with an evenly loaded bar is virtually a waste of time because the only resistance applied to the obliques is the inertia of the bar (a relatively small resistance). Twisting while leaning forward places much more pressure on the lower back than on the obliques, and it places the spine in a position that make it vulnerable to injury. Twisting while standing erect with the bar unevenly loaded is far more effective in terms of loading the obliques on the opposite side and is safer than the lean forward style.

Side bends are typically done with dumbbells of equal weight in either hand. Unfortunately, these equal weights essentially cancel one another out in terms of the added resistance they supply during the side bend itself. Side bends with a weight in only one hand are much more effective in terms of stressing the oblique (though they may place more strain on the spine than the two arm version).

An exercise that is better than the side bend in terms of stress on the obliques, and one that probably exerts less stress on the spine, is the side hyperextension. This exercise is performed with the athlete lying on his or her side on a bench with the torso overhanging the end of the bench. The torso is lowered as far as possible toward the floor and then is raised as high above the legs as possible. Naturally the legs must be firmly supported by a strap or by the hands of another lifter.

Effectiveness: It is important to strengthen the abdominal and oblique muscles for the reasons above. Sit-ups with the legs straight strengthen the hips flexors as well as the abdominals. They place the greatest stress on the spine of any of the three versions of the exercise. Nevertheless, it is my opinion that they can be useful for the Olympic lifter, because many of the movements that a lifter makes involve a coordinated effort of both the abdominals and the hip flexors. Both muscle groups need to be strong.

The two other variations of the sit-up can be used to strengthen the abdominals while placing less strain on the hip flexors and spine. Such exercises have their place and it is a good idea to mix the versions of the sit-up. Sit-ups can aggravate groin, back and certain knee problems (the latter is especially true of sit-ups done with bent knees).

Leg raises are also a good exercise for the lifter, but they should be done in the hanging style as soon as the lifter can master it. This both loads the abdominals more strenuously and appears to reduce the pressure on the spine (relative to standard leg raises). The bent-knee version of the leg raise is a good cooling down exercise for the lifter in that it stretches the spine. Resistance should be added to hanging leg raises whenever possible.

As mentioned earlier, combined leg raises and sit-ups are a good exercise and a time saver. The main disadvantage of the exercise is that it is difficult to increase the load after the exercise has been mastered with no added resistance (the lifter would have to add resistance to the feet and shoulders, probably an uneven one).

Properly performed twists and side bends can both be used to strengthen the obliques, but in my opinion the side hyperextension is the exercise of choice for strengthening the obliques. (In some cases this exercise unloads pressures (in/on) the back as well.)

Once the athlete is past the beginning stages of these exercises, doing them without weights is virtually a waste of time. Lifters practice sit-ups to strengthen their abdominal muscles. Muscles do not get stronger without progressive resistance. In addition, high reps are ineffective in the sit-up. There is nothing special about the abdominal muscles. Low reps make them stronger without building undue mass. Reps in the six to twenty range will tend to build size and strength, and reps that are much higher will tend to build endurance.

Presses and Dips

Purpose(s): Pressing and dipping movements are used to strengthen the arm extensors and shoulders. Dips strengthen those same muscles as well as the pectoral muscles of the chest.

Description: There are five common variations of the press: the military press, the press behind neck, the seated press, the bench press and the incline press. Any of these variations of the press can be practiced with a wide (snatch like) or narrow (clean width) grip. The narrower grip places more stress on the arm extensors than on the shoulders. A wider grip places more strain on the shoulders than on the arms in the overhead versions of the press and more stress on the chest muscles in the bench press. The clean grip is the grip most frequently used by Olympic lifters when they press because it promotes more overall muscular development and because most lifters feel they need arm and shoulder strength more for the jerk than the snatch, Both the military press and press behind the neck should be done with the torso perfectly upright. There must be no leaning back with the upper body. Leaning back places undue strain on the spine and simply lessens the strengthening effects of the press at the desired angles.

The military press is usually begun by taking the bar from a rack. The exercise is then commenced with the bar resting on the shoulders in front of the neck. The elbows are generally held in a lower position than they are for the clean or front squat (near the front of the chest). From here the lifter pushes up with the arms, keeping the bar close to the face and with the elbows traveling in a position that is neither alongside the body nor in front, but, rather, between these points. At the end of the motion, the bar should be well behind the head in a position that simulates the finished positions of the jerk. Fig. 41 illustrates the middle position in the military press.

The press behind neck begins with the weight behind the lifter’s head. It is then pushed to arm’s length with the arms while maintaining the position of the bar behind the lifter’s neck. Here the elbows move primarily sideways and up. For many lifters, starting the bar from behind the neck places undue strain on the shoulders (much more than the military press), and the lift does not stimulate the starting position of the jerk.  Fig. 42 depicts the middle position in the press behind neck.

The seated press can be performed either behind the neck or in front. The lifter normally sits on a bench after taking the bar from the bench supports or those of a rack. The press itself is performed in the same way as the standing version. One variation of the exercise is with the lifter in a full squat position instead of sitting on a bench. The lifter simply presses up from that position (the snatch grip is generally used in this exercise). Sometimes lifters perform a cheating version of this exercise by bouncing up with the legs a little as the press commences in order to give the press a little start. (This lift is typically begun with the bar resting behind the neck.)

The bench press is performed while the lifter is lying in a supine position on the bench. The bar is normally taken from a rack that is attached to the bench. The lifter then lowers the bar to the chest at a point just below the nipples and pushes the bar up to straight arms. When the bar travels up, it is pushed gradually toward the lifter’s shoulders, so that it is traveling in a slight backward curve throughout the lift. The elbows are neither at a 90^o angle to the torso of the lifter nor against the lifter’s sides, but, rather, in between those two positions. Fig. 43 illustrates the starting position for the bench press (after the bar has been lowered to the chest).

The incline press is performed on a bench that is normally set at between 45^o and 60^o in relation to the floor. It is executed in much the same way as the bench press, except that the bar is lowered to the shoulders or the top of the chest instead of the lower part of the chest. Figure 44 captures the incline press just after the athletes has begun to press the bar up from the chest and shoulders.

Dips are normally performed on parallel bars. The lifter begins by pushing the body up on the bars, so that the upper body is above the bars, the legs are hanging below the bars, and the arms are straight and supporting the entire weight of the body. The palms are pointed down and are generally facing the body. A dip begins when the body is lowered by allowing the arms to bend, and it continues until the shoulders are at the same horizontal level or are below the level of the elbows. Then the lifter pushes the body back up to the starting position. During the exercise the body is kept as motionless as possible (e.g., the legs hang straight down and do not swing). Fig. 45 shows the low position in the dip (some athletes do go lower but doing so seems to increase the risk of injury to the shoulder).

Effectiveness: All forms of pressing will develop the strength of the arm extensors and some portions of the shoulders to a certain degree. In the days when the sport of weightlifting included the overhead press, all lifters spent a great deal of their training time practicing the press and hence building great strength in the arms and shoulders. I never saw a dislocation of a shoulder in those days, and shoulder injuries, in general, were extremely rare. It is my belief that the extensive pressing that weightlifters practiced at that time was at least partially responsible for that extremely low injury rate. Today’s lifters still have strong arms and shoulders as a result of practicing the snatch and jerk, but their strength through the full range of motion is not as great. While shoulder injuries are still relatively rare, we do see a significantly higher incidence of them since the press was eliminated from competition. I believe it is important for all lifters to practice pressing as a protective measure and to develop well rounded (i.e., full range of motion) strength in muscle groups that are important in performing the classical lifts.

The pattern of movement in the military press resembles the pattern of arm movement during the snatch and jerk to a greater extent than any other pressing movement. Therefore, in terms of protecting and strengthening the muscles involved, the strength it develops should have the greatest degree of carryover to the lifts,. They should be the cornerstone of any lifter’s press training.

The press behind the neck stresses the lateral aspect (outside portion) of the shoulders more than the military press. Some lifters rank it before the military press as an arm and shoulder strengthening exercise, and others disagree (I am one). It is probably a good idea to at least some training on both exercises.

The seated press is intended to be a stricter version of the military or press behind the neck, one that supposedly places less strain on the spine because the lifter cannot lean back while doing it. It has been my experience that seated presses can place more strain on the back than the standing version. This is partly because in the standing version, if the lifter does lean back, it is possible and likely that the lifter will let the hips travel forward as well, limiting the arch in the spine itself and thereby placing less pressure on the spine than during the seated press. The lifter also has a greater ability to move the body overall in response to a loss of balance, etc., in the standing version. In the seated press the hips are fixed on the bench; when the lifter braces the back in order to press the bar up at a difficult point in the press, the only way the shoulders can be lowered is to arch the spine. The only way to correct for a loss of balance is to shift the hips around on the bench. In addition, most lifters find it more necessary to tense the muscles of the lower back to maintain torso position in the seated press than in the standing version. For all of these reasons lifters may experience more back problems in performing seated presses than the standing versions, but the incidence of injury is very low if either exercise is performed properly.

When a lifer has an injury that prevents the lower body from supporting weight, the seated press can be used to maintain strength in the shoulders and arms, but the standing version of the press is far superior for the healthy lifter.

The versions of the press that are done with the lifter sitting in the full squat position are meant to simulate what the lifter experiences during the snatch. While on the surface this may appear to be true, a closer analysis reveals that this argument is not as strong as it sounds. When the lifter is snatching, the bar is in front of the head and shoulders during most of the motion, including the squat under, It is only as the lifter descends into the low position of the snatch that the arms begin to press up and back. It is true that the torso is leaning forward somewhat since the lifter is sitting in a full squat position, and the resulting body angle during the press is different from that which can be achieved when standing; this difference may have some carryover value to the snatch. However, pressing while sitting in a squat position places the knees in a stressful position for the entire set. When stress is placed on any joint for an extended period, the muscles surrounding that joint tend to fatigue and relax, placing greater stress on the ligaments. Overall, the practice of pressing while in a squat position may have some value, but it should not be the primary pressing exercise for a weightlifter.

The bench press is probably the most popular pressing exercise in the world today. This is probably because it is easy to learn, it is one of the lifts used in powerlifting competition and it develops more upper-body muscles than perhaps any other single exercise. The main advantage that the bench press has over the standing presses discussed above is that it develops the chest muscles, as well as the arm extensors and shoulders. The chest muscles are impressive to the general public and are viewed by many as one of the measures of an athlete’s strength and development (right behind the arms).

For the weightlifter (and for most athletes), the bench press is definitely a second-rate exercise. Since it develops the chest muscles, a group of muscles that are virtually useless in lifting a bar overhead, the weightlifter who practices bench presses extensively develops unnecessary muscles (and hence unnecessary muscular body weight), which can push the lifter up a weight class or make it harder to reduce to a lower weight class. Another disadvantage of the bench press for the weightlifter is that it exercises the shoulders in a less well rounded fashion than the overhead press. The anterior deltoid is greatly stressed in the bench press, and the lateral aspect of the deltoid is far less stressed (if at all). Overhead pressing utilizes a wider range of shoulder muscles in positions that resemble the snatch and jerk more closely.

One final major disadvantage of the bench press lies in the safety factor. While most weight training exercises are very safe in comparison to other athletic activities, the bench press is one of the more hazardous (though it is still quite safe overall). One danger of the bench press is that its starting position is the one in which the body is the strongest (i.e., with the arms in an extended position). If the lifter cannot complete the exercise once the bar has been lowered, or the lifter otherwise loses control of the bar, the body is caught between the bar and the bench that supports the lifter. Because of this position, the lifter cannot merely move the body out from under the bar and let it fall harmlessly to the floor (as in the squat, for example). Moreover, a bar that does fall can actually fall on the neck or face of the lifter. This problem has led to a number of injuries and even some fatalities over the years (making it the only exercise with weights that I know which has directly caused fatalities). For this reason, spotters (or mechanical substitutes) should always be used when performing the bench press. However, even with spotters, bench presses have caused a significant number of shoulder injuries and tears in the pectoral muscle, particularly when performed with a wide grip.

Since heavier weights can be handled in the bench press than the overhead versions, it has been argued that the arm extensors are more strenuously worked near the lockout position in the bench press than in the overhead press. This may be true, but the difference in the position in which the arms are stressed makes it less likely that a carryover to the Olympic lifts will occur. Moreover, if the lifter wishes to train the strength of the arm extensors near the lockout position (a good idea for the lifter who has trouble locking out or supporting a weight at arm’s length), partial presses that begin a few inches below the lockout position are likely to be far more effective. With all of the disadvantages associated with the bench press, the Olympic lifter would be wise to avoid it, or at least to keep its use to a limited level. Most athletes will find that standing and incline presses more closely parallel the movements required in their sports as well.

Incline pressing is a cross between bench pressing and overhead pressing. The higher the incline, the closer it is to the overhead press in terms of the muscles it loads. It is therefore better for the weightlifter than bench pressing, but is not quite as useful as overhead pressing. For the lifter whose lower body is injured, the incline press can be used in conjunction with the seated press to maintain upper-body strength. The incline press has the advantage of placing less stress on the spine than the seated press, so the lifter can really push this exercise to the limit without putting much strain on the back.

Dips work the arms extensors, shoulders and chest muscles through a full range of motion and consequently were favored by many lifters for strengthening these muscles when the press was part of weightlifting competition. They have since fallen into general disuse. Overall, this appears to be a good thing. While dips are a very effective exercise for strengthening the aforementioned muscles, the extreme range of motion and the angles at which force is exerted place an enormous strain on the shoulder joint. More than one lifter has suffered a career-ending (or at least damaging) injury while doing the full version dips. Since other pressing movements are safer and as effective for the purposed of the Olympic lifter, dips are to be avoided. At a minimum, when they are done, the athlete should lower the shoulders no deeper than to the level of the elbows. This method of dipping will load the arm extensors significantly but will tend to lessen the strain on the shoulders and pectoral muscles. See Fig. 45.

Grip Work

Purpose(s): To strengthen the grip for the snatch and clean.

Description: There two basic varieties of grip work: grip work that provides resistance to the act of closing the hand (concentric grip work) and grip work that provides resistance to the act of maintaining the hand in a closed position (isometric grip work).

In the first category of exercises are those that employ spring type hand grippers, hand grippers that use weights for resistance and exercises that entail squeezing an object that has a certain amount of give (like a ball). In the second category are exercises like pinch gripping (holding the edge of a plate(s) in the hand), lifting, pulling or deadlifting without straps or without a hook grip and holding a weight in the hand after a partial deadlift (particularly with one hand at a time).

Effectiveness: Gripping exercises are among the exercises most neglected by lifters. This is an incredible omission when you realize that in weightlifting, perhaps more than any sport, the grip is vital to performance. Remember that in the snatch and the clean, it is the hands that transmit the force created by the leg, hip muscles to the bar. Except for thigh contact during the pull, the hands are virtually the only parts of the body that touch the bar.

Every lifter, whether they are have large hands or small, whether they have a strong grip or a weaker one, should practice some gripping exercises. If the lifter practices an ample number of lifts without straps and/or without a hook grip, it may be possible for such lifts to fulfill the lifter’s need to train the grip isometrically, but this is unlikely. Why? As most lifters know, the hands tend to become abraded by the bar before the muscles in them, or the muscles of the legs hips and back, have had their full complement of training. Grip work, when properly done, need not cause any material increase in abrasion to the skin of the hands, yet it can measurably strengthen the hands. Isometric grip work is probably the more important of the two methods of grip strengthening.

The lifter can practice isometric grip work by holding a smooth (non-knurled) bar while deadlifting with a hook or regular grip. Partial one arm deadlifting (lifting the bar from a position a few inches below the completed deadlift position) and holding at the finished position for a few seconds are excellent variations of isometric grip strengthening. Pinch gripping is a poor substitute for such lifting because the fingers are in a different position from that used to encircle the bar and because the joints or the fingers can be placed under great stress while they are in a hyperextended position (which can damage the finger joints). Isometric gripping of any kind should be of very limited duration (i.e., three to six seconds). Holding the contraction any longer does little to improve the training effect and can place greater than normal stress on the ligaments and cartilage of the fingers, thereby exposing them to injury.

The lifter should also do some concentric grip work to build more well rounded strength in the grip. As noted above, there are a number of exercise devices that have been developed for this purpose (see Chapter 4). The main caution to observe when using these devices is to try to maintain the arm and hands in the same position as when lifting (i.e., with the arm straight, sometimes with the wrist bent as it is with a wide grip). In addition, try to do the exercise as strictly as possible. I once saw a gentleman who claimed to have one of the strongest grips in the world demonstrating his prowess on a gripping machine. He loaded the machine to approximately 300 lb. and lifted the resistance 2″ or more. However, the careful observer was able to see that the fingers merely held the resistance during the lift. The lifter’s body was doing most of the lifting (as the lifter leaned back during the lift). No doubt, the demonstrator’s grip was far stronger than normal, but his feat did not require anything close to the level of gripping ability that the typical observer might have thought. Therefore, try to be strict, and at a minimum be consistent in the way you practice your grip work. No matter what, do some grip work.

Upright Rows and Shrugs

Purpose(s): Upright rows are used to strengthen the arm flexors, shoulders and trapezius muscles. Shrugs are used almost exclusively to develop the trapezius muscles.

Description: The upright row is commenced with the body in an upright position, the bar hanging on straight arms and the palms facing the rear of the lifter. The arm flexors are then contracted and the elbows are raised. This process normally continues until the bar has reached the height of the neck, whereupon it is returned to its starting position. The bar is kept close to the body throughout the motion. It is customary for bodybuilders and weight trainers to employ a grip narrower than shoulder width when performing this exercise. When weightlifters use it, they generally assume either a clean or a snatch grip. When weightlifters use the snatch grip, some continue to lift the bar until it is at arm’s length. Weightlifters normally use light enough weights in this exercise so that they are able to “pull” the bar to arm’s length without having the “press” it out at the finish (i.e.,, without having to turn the palms up and press up with arm extensors and shoulders to any significant degree). Some lifters perform this version of the upright row while sitting in a chair.

The shrug is begun in the same position as the upright row. From that position, the lifter attempts to elevate his or her shoulders to the highest possible position (i.e., shrugs his or her shoulders). The arms remain straight and the bar remains close to the body. There are several variations of the shrug. One consists of pulling the shoulders back as well as up. Another variation is to pull the shoulders straight up and then to pull them back after the highest possible elevation has been achieved. Both of these variations are used in an effort to activate both the part of the trapezius and other back muscles that pull the shoulders back and the portion of the trapezius that pulls the shoulders up. Still another variation, one that is used by injured lifters, is the shrug on an incline bench. In this variation the lifter lies face down on the bench (which needs to be an incline bench without a seat). The bar is handed to the lifter who then performs the shrugs. Fig. 46 depicts the regular grip shrug.

A final variation, one that is popular with Olympic lifters, is often called the “power shrug.” The power shrug is performed by starting in the normal position for a shrug, but then allowing the torso to incline slightly forward of the vertical position and/or to bend the legs slightly. Then the bar is shrugged at the same time as the torso is straightened and/or the legs are extended. Both the snatch and clean grips are used in the power shrug.

Effectiveness: Upright rows do strengthen the arms, shoulders and trapezius muscles. However, much of this strengthening occurs in positions that are unlike those assumed when the lifter is performing the classical lifts. Consequently, the carryover value to the lifts tends to be small. In addition, upright rows have been known to irritate the shoulders, occasionally leading to a shoulder injury. With the limited benefits that upright rows offer and the potential for injury, they cannot be warmly recommended. The exception is when a lifter has a lower-body injury that prevents more conventional training. Then the upright rows can be used to maintain some conditioning in the muscles involved.

The conventional version of the shrug, or the versions in which the shoulder are pulled back as well as up, has not been very effective in improving the pulling power of weightlifters. This is probably because the position in which the standard shrug is performed is not quite like the position that is used when the lifter is actually pulling. In addition, as was noted in Chapter 2, practicing a portion of a skill that involves several muscle groups by isolating one muscle group does not have much carryover to the normal movement. Better results have been obtained with the power shrug using the legs, hips and lower back or the pull from the high blocks or high hang. These motions resemble the pull, both in terms of the positions assumed and the coordination of the muscle groups producing the power. When lower-body or back injuries prevent the use of power shrugs and pulls, the regular shrug can be used as a means for maintaining condition in the upper-back muscles. In such a case the versions of the shrug that involve both upward and slight backward shrugging of the shoulders tend to be more beneficial. The shrug performed on an incline bench places virtually no strain on the legs or back of the lifter and therefore can be very helpful for the injured lifter who wishes to maintain as much condition as is possible. These shrugs (shrugs with a bar held on the shoulders behind the neck exercise the trapezius muscles when a bar cannot be held in the hands. (The invention of this exercise is attributed to J.C. Hise, a nationally ranked heavyweight weightlifter during the 1930s who was also an early advocate of concentrated training on the squat.)

Bent-Over Rowing Exercises

Purpose(s): To strengthen the rear deltoids and the upper-back and middle-back muscles.

Description: There are many variations of the rowing motion. Perhaps the most common is the bent-over row. In this exercise the lifter typically grips the bar with the hands in a position that is between the snatch and clean grip. The torso is nearly parallel to the floor and the legs are slightly bent. There is an arch in the lower back and the upper back is flat, or nearly so. The lifter then pulls the bar up to the chest, using the arm, shoulder and middle-back muscles. In the “cheating” version of this exercise, more force is often generated against the bar by straightening the back somewhat at the outset of the movement. Performing bent-over rows with the standard cheating method places a significant strain on the lower back.

The version of the bent-over row that I recommend is one that Dave Sheppard has advocated for years: the one arm bent-over row. In this exercise the lifter places the arm opposite the arm to be exercised on a bench that is directly below it. That arm is straight (or nearly so) and is supporting the torso. The torso is held parallel to the ground or somewhat more upright, and the legs are nearly straight. The lifter then grasps a dumbbell that has been placed directly beneath the arm to be exercised. The lifter performs the row by pulling the dumbbell toward the chest without any added help from the lower-back or hip muscles. Fig 47 illustrates the one arm bent over row.

Effectiveness: When done with heavy weights, the basic version of the bent-over row can actually be used to strengthen the pulling muscles of the back. In fact, years ago an article in Strength and Health Magazine by their outstanding writer and lifter Bill Starr advocated this exercise as the pulling exercise for the off-season. I know several lifters who used Bill’s off-season routine (rows, squats and bench presses) with success. Most lost very little on their lifts over a period of a few months, and one nationally ranked lifter of my acquaintance actually broke his all time record in the clean shortly after resuming more conventional training after being on Bill’s routine for approximately three months.

When the bent-over row is done in stricter fashion or with one arm in the manner described above, it strengthens the muscles indicated in “Purposes.” These muscles all play an important supporting role in the snatch and C&J. When done properly (really pulling the shoulders back), the bent-over row can help the lifter to get the chest out and shoulders back during the early stages of the pull.

Curling

Purpose(s): To strengthen the biceps muscles of the arms (the arm flexors).

Description: There are many variations of the curl, but the chief categories are: a) with the palms up; b) with the palms down; or c) with the palms held midway between the up and down position. In all variations the arm begins in a straight position and then is brought to a fully flexed position. The palms-up version (easily the most popular) builds the biceps most directly. The palms-down version builds the forearms more and the biceps less, and the in-between version, of course, has an in-between effect. The latter version, often called the “Zottman” curl, is probably more closely related to weightlifting movements than any other version of the curl, yet it is the least frequently practiced (it can only be reasonably performed with dumbbells). Figure 48 illustrates the middle position in the standard barbell curl and Fig. 49 shows the middle position of the Zottman curl.

Effectiveness: Curling exercises are probably the most popular exercise done with weights. The public loves big biceps, and curls are surely the way to get them. Unfortunately, the biceps are nearly useless for the weightlifter. Therefore, like the bench press, the curl develops muscles that are unnecessary and adds body weight where it is not needed.

In some cases a lifter may find it useful to perform curls in order to stabilize the elbow (e.g., in cases in which the lifter’s elbows tend to hyperextend when the bar is held overhead and/or the lifter feels discomfort in the elbows during of after snatching). However, if this is the case, the reps should be relatively low and the emphasis should be placed on building strength, not size. The hand positioning in such a case will depend on the area to be strengthened.

Other “Isolation” Exercises

Isolation exercises are done with machines or free weights and are designed to focus exclusively on one muscle group. Exercises like hyperextensions and leg extensions are examples of isolation movements.

Isolation exercises have very limited value for the competitive weightlifter. When power is applied in crucial areas of weightlifting, it virtually always involves the activity and coordination of multiple muscle groups. Muscle groups that are exercised in isolation generally show limited transfer of their improved strength when they are combined with the action of other muscles during the actual classical lift in which they play a role. In addition, the kind of motion through which the joints and muscles are taken while doing the isolation exercise is rarely the same or even similar to what occurs during the actual lift (e.g., the muscles involved may be the same, but the point at which they experience maximum resistance and the positions of the other muscles that support the prime movers during their efforts are rarely in the same). Therefore, the overall results that have been attained doing such exercises have not been very favorable. Naturally, in cases where the actions and tensions produced by the major muscle groups involved in a given movement are replicated, the carryover is likely to be more favorable.

Isolation exercises can be helpful for purposes of rehabilitation and to strengthen areas that are clearly lagging in development relative to other areas of the body. However, in order to be effective, the isolation exercises must be carefully designed and executed.

There are literally many thousands of resistance exercises that we have not covered in this chapter. However, most of them are either variations of the exercises that have been presented or are isolation exercises that are not of consequence for most competitive weightlifters. However, these exercises may serve particular needs, and there are a number of sources if the reader wishes to learn more about them. One of the best is Bill Pearl’s Keys To The Inner Universe (see the Bibliography for more information).

Resistance Exercises Performed With Machines

Many exercise machines have been created with the purpose of providing the lifter with resistance while exercising one or more muscles groups. In most cases the machine is constructed so that movement can only take place in one direction. In addition, the machine may be constructed in such a way that only the muscles which move a certain bone are activated during the exercise, while the muscles that normally stabilize other bones during such an action are not brought into play (e.g., the shoulder muscles act to stabilize the upper arm when a standard bar curl is performed), but those muscles may not be active when a curl is performed on a machine. Therefore, exercising with a machine generally requires less skill than lifting a “free” weight. This can be an advantage if the stabilizing muscles are injured or the athlete lacks skill in using them .

A wide variety of progressive resistance machines exists. Machines have been designed to exercise virtually every major muscle group in the body. From the standpoint of the exerciser, machines generally have the advantages of: a) being relatively easy to adjust (in terms of the resistance applied); b) requiring no spotters; c) requiring little coordination to use; and d) in some cases providing relatively constant resistance throughout the full range of the exercise. There are so many kinds of machines available today that it is beyond the scope of this book to describe even a small portion of them. A machine vendor or owner or gym instructor can be consulted about which machine does what (although such reports may be unreliable because these people may have been poorly trained or misled by the manufacturers of such equipment).

Generally speaking, the results obtained by lifters who have used machines in an effort to improve their lifting ability have been poor. There are a number of reasons for this, all of which are related to the principle of specificity of training explained earlier in this book. The pattern of movement that is experienced with a machine is rarely (if ever) the same as that experienced with free weights, especially when doing the classical lifts. Even if the pattern of movement experienced using the machine were identical to the movement used with the bar, the muscle tensions applied by the lifter at various points while in the machine based exercise would not be the same as those applied while using the bar. This could be because the angles of resistance are not quite the same as those experienced during the exercise when it is done with a bar, because little or no tension is required of the muscles that normally hold the bones that are stable in place during the exercise or because the effort required during the bar version of the exercise provides quite uneven resistance while the machine’s resistance is more constant.

One other consideration is that the lifter is not required to maintain his or her balance to the same extent while using a machine as when a bar is being lifted or to coordinate the motion of the resistance (as is necessary with a free weight). As a result, when the normal movement is experienced, the lifter perceives a very different sense of motion, and the carryover from what was done with the exercise machine is limited.

Machines can be helpful to the lifter who is in a process of rehabilitation or who needs to strengthen a specific muscle group that is not easily exercised with free weights. (For example, concentric contraction of the hamstring is easily accomplished using a leg-curl machine but is not as easily accomplished using free weights.) In most cases however, the lifter will benefit far more from using a bar than from using a machine. This is probably true for powerlifters, bodybuilders and general weight trainers as well (especially those weight trainers who are trying to improve their abilities in a specific sport).

More General Conditioning Exercises

Sprinting and Jumping

Purpose(s): To increase the speed and explosive power of the lifter.

Description: Weightlifters who practice sprinting generally the limit the distances practiced to forty to fifty yards or less. The practice of sprinting is typically conducted during the preparatory phases of lifting training, and such training is usually eliminated well before any major competition.

The most common forms of jumping that are in a lifter’s training are the standing broad jump, the vertical jump and the jump onto a horse or box. When doing broad jumps it is fairly common for the lifter to string several jumps together into a series of “bounds.” Vertical jumping is done from a standing position, typically with one or both arms overhead at the finish. In jumping onto a horse or box, the lifter stands at a distance of approximately one foot from the object onto which the lifter is jumping (the distance varies with the size of the lifter and his or her jumping style). The lifter then jumps onto the box, typically landing in a full squat position.

Effectiveness: Sprinting and jumping have long been popular with many weightlifting specialists as a means to increase the speed and explosive power of their athletes. But the use of such exercises remains controversial. Most elite athletes, champions and world record holders do little or no sprinting. Only some perform any jumping. Some of those who jump swear by its value. The research evidence is far from conclusive.

I tend to come down on the side of the doubters. The concept of specificity of training and a significant amount of research suggests that training at velocities that are very different from those that are experienced during the event does not have much carryover value. Clearly, the speed obtained by the lifter while he or she is loaded by a heavy bar is far less than the speed attained while the athlete is sprinting or jumping (except when a lifter squats under the bar, and specific drills for going under the bar quickly may be useful for the lifter). In addition, sprinting and jumping can often lead to injuries. Moreover, the kinds of injuries that are sustained are often those that have a direct negative effect on the performance of the lifter and can have long-term negative consequences (e.g., strains of the muscle tendon units of the groin and knee are not uncommon and are very problematical for the lifter).

A final point to consider with respect to sprinting and jumping raises a major question with respect to the value of these activities. Several years ago, a coach of a major United States international weightlifting team encouraged team members to perform some sprint drills before a major competition. During one of these drills, one of the best lifters on the team pulled a groin muscle. The injury almost cost the athlete an important international title, and the injury has recurred a number of times since. There was absolutely no reason to have a lifter over the age of thirty (when joints tend to become more fragile), who had never trained on sprints, perform such a drill, particularly before a major championship.

Most coaches would agree that sprinting and jumping should be reserved for the preparatory cycle of the lifter’s training. However, if this is true, how much carryover value can be expected on the day of the competition weeks or months later. To me there is a real question about any activity that cannot be carried on until very close to the event. (Remember that the training effect of most activities—other than skills—tends to wear off very rapidly.) To the extent that rapid reaction is a skill, a period of learning followed by occasions for “brushing up” on the skill may be useful. But I believe that the skill is better learned specifically while practicing.

Plyometrics

Purpose(s): To increase the power outputs of lifters, particularly in a movements that involves an eccentric contraction immediately followed by a rapid concentric contraction (e.g., the amortization and explosion phases of the pull and the dip and explosion in the jerk). Plyometrics are believed to accomplish this by training the athlete to better utilize the elastic and speed-strength qualities of his or her muscles and nervous system so that the athlete can reverse direction and generate maximum force rapidly following that reversal in direction. This capability is particularly important in executing the third and fourth phases of the pull and jerk (the adjustment/amortization phase and the final explosion phase).

Description: There are many variations of plyometrics, from push-ups with a rapid descent followed by an immediate and explosive push to the finished position to depth jumps (perhaps the most well known version of plyometric training). In this latter exercise the athlete typically walks off a box that is from .5 m to 1 m in height, lands flat footed on both feet (with the feet in the same horizontal line) and immediately jumps upward as quickly and as high as possible. Placing a slightly shock absorbing and non-slip material where the lifter will land reduces the risk of injury.

The literature of Eastern Europe has included many articles and books which contain advice on preparing for competition, and there is a growing body of information on the subject provided by authors in the United States. Yuri Verkhoshansky, a Soviet researcher and writer, is credited with being one of the developers of plyometrics. He would probably describe what he developed as training methods which increase the “speed-strength” of an athlete, with an emphasis on training which improves the athlete’s performance during the “stretch-shortening cycle” of muscle contraction (a cycle in which a muscle undergoes a stretch immediately prior to shortening , as when an athlete dips and explodes upward in the jerk). Although the training modalities recommended by Verkhoshansky include sprints and conventional and special jumps, the training innovation for which he is most widely known is “depth jumping” or “shock training.” Verkhoshansky recognizes both the effectiveness and the strenuousness of depth jumping and therefore recommends that athletes perform it only twice during the classic annual training cycle in which there are two major competitions at different points in the year. Those two times are during the latter half of the competitive period. According to Verkhoshansky, if depth jumping is performed during the preparatory period, it should be terminated five to ten days away from the competition.

Verkhoshansky recommends that depth jumping be performed for three sets of ten repetitions two to three times a week and that the load of squats be reduced to compensate for the added training stress of the depth jumps during the training period in which depth jumps are used. As was suggested earlier, repeated admonitions in the Soviet literature against doing depth jumps too often suggest that poor results and possibly injuries (a number of serious injuries have been reported in the United States) have resulted from too much of what many coaches consider to be a good thing. So, apparently depth jumps can be easily overdone (particularly by weightlifters whose training contains similar movements with high loads).

Effectiveness: There is considerable debate regarding the effectiveness of plyometrics. A number of studies have demonstrated improvements in power outputs as a result of plyometric training. However, these studies have not addressed the question of whether the improvements made are essentially one time phenomena that will not be repeated. That is, once the athlete has learned to execute the stretch-shortening cycle efficiently, will there be substantial improvements from practice thereafter, or can the improvements be sustained by application to the sport involved?

The larger questions facing weightlifters are: a) whether such results can be obtained by the practice of the classic related lifts, and b) whether the risk of injury as a result of performing such highly stressful exercises such as depth jumps is too high, considering the results. My belief at this time is that the answer to both questions is affirmative. The classic lifts are inherently plyometric in nature, and it is unlikely that any dramatic additional results will be attained through the use of plyometrics. Moreover, because the classic lifts themselves involve plyometric aspects, performing additional plyometric training carries with it a significant risk of generating injuries from overuse.

If the lifter wishes to try plyometric training, it should be limited to one or two periods of several weeks during the year, the amount and intensity of the training should be carefully limited (e.g., do not jump from a high box and do not perform many sets and reps) and the load in similar exercises should be reduced in order to reduce the risk of injury. When practiced in this way, plyometrics can aid the lifter in decreasing the time it takes for that lifter to achieve maximum force and improving his or her power output. However, once the athlete has learned this lesson, very moderate practice of this type or mere practice of the lifts should be enough to retain the benefits of plyometric training without running the risk of overdoing such training in combination with classic lift training.

Aerobic Exercise

Purpose(s): To improve the efficiency of the heart, lungs and the aerobic efficiency of the athlete.

Description: Aerobic exercise is virtually any exercise that can raise the athlete’s heart rate above a certain targeted level and sustain it for a period long enough to cause a training effect. For many years, it was thought that a training effect would only occur if the heart rate were elevated for twenty minutes or longer. More recent evidence suggests that two to three shorter periods may also be effective, as long as the total period of elevated heart rate is twenty minutes across the day. The most common forms of aerobic exercise are brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, rowing, continuous calisthenics (also known as aerobics), stair climbing (stepping) and cross-country skiing.

Effectiveness: There can be little doubt about the health value of aerobic training, particularly for older adults. In addition, aerobics can be used to burn calories, thereby helping to achieve or maintain an ideal body weight. However, for the weightlifter who has a minimal level of body fat and whose objective is maximum performance in weightlifting, aerobic exercise must be strictly limited. To be sure, aerobic exercise at a moderate level (three or four times a week, for twenty minutes at a time) will do no harm and may actually be of benefit (a body in better overall condition tends to recover more quickly from workouts). However, it is also fairly certain that aerobic activity that goes much beyond those limits is not beneficial for a number of reasons. (Research and practical experience both support his view.)

One negative aspect of strenuous aerobic training is that it expends the body’s limited performance and adaptive energies on an activity that has little or no carryover value into Olympic lifting performance. An athlete only has so much time and energy to train and to recuperate from that training. The serious athlete cannot allow that valuable energy to be dissipated in activities that will not directly benefit his or her sport. Significant aerobic exercise may even prevent the use of certain muscle fibers for purposes of strength and power development.

Another drawback of aerobic exercise is that it stimulates the body to adapt its muscles and energy supply in ways that are counterproductive for strength and power athletes. An athlete who performs extensive aerobic exercise actually works against these strength and power development goals. (see Appendix II for further details.)

Still another problem with excessive aerobic activity is that such activity can cause trauma to the athlete’s joints. Olympic lifting places substantial stress on the joints. This stress need not have a negative effect on the athlete. In fact, there is evidence that such stress causes the body to adapt in a positive way, making the joints even stronger and more resilient. However, if other activities place strain on the body as well, the chances of injury can increase substantially. This is a particular risk with aerobic exercises that involve high impacts with a hard surface, such a running. Problems can also develop with exercises like rowing, which places a significant strain on the back—an area that is already stressed by Olympic lifting.

Finally, there are environmental risks attached to certain aerobic activities. For example, one trip while running, one slip on the ice in winter, or one collision with a motor vehicle at night can be a career-ending incident for a weightlifter. While these risks may be minor, they do exist. If an athlete is injured in training for his or her primary sport, it is a terrible thing, but at least it involved a necessary risk. To be hurt doing a supplementary activity is truly tragic.

On balance, a moderate level of aerobic exercise can be beneficial to the lifter and should not be encouraged. However, any aerobics should be limited, extremely safe and non-traumatic.

Summary

Assistance exercises can be valuable tools for the development of the weightlifter. They contribute variety and emphasis to the athlete’s training. Assistance exercises differ greatly with respect to their effectiveness and safety, so they must be carefully chosen and carried out. It is clear that all of the possibilities have yet to be exhausted with respect to assistance exercises. If the lifter invents one that is helpful and is not dangerous, its use should surely be encouraged and expanded. Now that the issues of proper technique, the development of strength, power and flexibility, the equipment used by weightlifters and the assistance exercises that can be useful in a lifter’s training have been explored, we are ready to discuss a critical performance factor: the development of a training plan that puts what you have learned thus far to use.