Competitive Olympic and Power Lifts usage in my opinion should be limited to a select group of people who posses high levels of muscular and functional ability, excellent posture, and task specific hip and calf mobility who have the desire to do these lifts for their own goals and athletic pursuits. These exercises have no purpose being part of a general fitness program. They typically used be power athletes and those who pursue these lifts as a sport.

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Olympic Lifts

The Olympic Lifts have become very popular in fitness communities. In my eyes these lifts are more an athletic conditioning tool for power sports and have no place in people looking to get healthy and fit. It is more a competitive sport than fitness exercises.


When I was a collegiate power athlete (football running back and track and field sprinter and weight man) I was taught how to do these Olympic Lifts properly using no weight (just a broomstick for week), moving to and unweighted bar for another few weeks, before actually putting weight on the bar. These lifts needed to be done perfectly and we never did more than 1 to 2 repetitions. Execution was about explosive power versus building muscular endurance through repetitions.


Repetition training with Olympic Lifts especially amongst the CrossFit Community has become popular. The major problem is when you get fatigued through repetitions your form may worsen, which opens the door for injury. If you are interested in an exercise that has the same amount of overall body motion/effort and function then try the squat to shoulder press, push presses, goblet squats, and front squats all done to parallel at the bottom of the squat and preferably with dumbbells. Also, try single leg squats, farmers carry, and sled pushes or pull. These exercises for an advanced person can be done for repetitions safer than the Olympic Lifts and have more functionality.


One of the main factors for the Olympic Lifts being so dangerous is the Snatch and Cleans both require you do go into a compete squat at the bottom of the motion. For most people this can not be done safely because of their hip structure as well as mobility issues. What typically happens is that people end up in excessive posterior pelvic tilt (buttwink), which causes the spine to flex out of the protective lumbar neutral position. Repeated exposure and even a one time event of loaded spinal flexion can cause catastrophic issues. If you are even going to attempt these exercises please find out if you have the mobility, hip structure, and the core stability for the exercise. We can help you determine that through our athletic conditioning coaching program.


The deep squat motion of Olympic Lifts also places the knee in a vulnerable position where there are increased tensile and compressive forces. Some can handle this strain and it may be helpful, but for many why take the chance especially when under load.  I would never perform a deep squat in a fast fashion with weights as in an Olympic Lifts. I do perform versions of deep squats in a slow controlled motion where I maintain a neutral lumber curve, but when prescribing exercise I do not typically suggest it intially.



















Power Lifts

Another very popular exercise is the deadlift, which is one of the three power lifts (deadlifts, squat, and bench press), which is also considered a sport. The deadlift is a great exercise, but it is not for everyone. As with the Olympic Lifts you need excellent core stability and proper hip and calf mobility to even get in the proper position to be able to perform a deadlift properly. Many great coaches have their athletes training off blocks so that they do not have to go too deep into a squat to reach the bar to start a deadlift. Lebron James incorporates half squats and deadlifts off blocks into his training to avoid deep squats. The key to proper deadlift form is keeping back locked in neutral throughout motion where there is no buttwink.


A better alternative to the standard deadlift with those who have an above average functional ability is the Hex Bar Deadlift. The Hex Bar is positioned so you do not have to bend forward too much, which is protective to the spine. Please seek out professional on proper use. The military has just satrted to use the Hex Bar Deadlift in their testing protocol.


As for the barbell squats and bench press I feel that they can be performed safely for repetitions by those who have more than an adequate level of fitness. The barbell squat should be performed using excellent form: hinge at hips, thigh does not go below parallel with the floor, and keeping natural lumbar curve. The barbell bench press also has certain form rules that should be followed. I typically suggest not having the bar touch the chest at the bottom of the motion. I prefer a 2 to 4 “ space to avoid bouncing the bar off the chest, to allow for better non-momentum control, and to protect the shoulder. With all the power lifts I prefer repetition schemes from 4 to 12 reps over one repetition maximum training for most people.