Olympic Lifts for Bodybuilding?

[Hank Vangut]

i used to do some olympic lifts when i was younger and competing in sports.

i haven't done them i a long time as most bodybuilding routines only include compound moves like squats and deads.

anyway, just in the last few weeks i included some cleans and snatch in my workout.
i forgot how physically demanding these lifts are!!!
they really kicked my ass - almost puked! well, i did that thing where you hurl some watery stomach acid into your mouth and then quickly swallow it. i've been sore for days now.

is it still the mindset that these explosive moves are great for strenght but not necessarily size?
i was thinking of including them maybe 1-2 times each month just to shock my body a little.

i'd like to hear some opinions on if they are good thing for bbing?

 

[EasyEJL]

I think like most exercises its more about the weight, number of reps, etc as to whether it works well for bbers. I'm just guessing tho.

 

[Tad50]

I've been doing olympic lifts for years now. Like you, I started doing those exercises for sports (played college basketball) but continued to do them even after my playing days were over. IMO, they do a great job in developing the traps, upper back, shoulders, forearms, etc.

I'll always be doing power cleans, etc.

 

[VolcomX311]

If you're doing reps of 10-12 with the cleans, I can see how it may be helpful for muscle development, otherwise, power movements perpetuate primarily neural adaption(s), such as, increased muscle recruitment by motor units per contraction, increased firing rate of motor neurons (which is what you're exciting in the explosive movements which leads to increased velocity). The primary adaption to power movements is muscle velocity as oppose to muscle size & strength.

With that said, the first principle of resistance training, is that resistance training will have some effect on all levels of muscle adaption, power, strength, hypertrophy and endurance, but how you train will create a PRIMARY adaption of one of those aspects.

Adaption also follows that particular hierarchy of power, strength, hypertrophy, endurance. If you're performing power movements, yes you can hypertrophy, but primary adaption will be power [velocity], your secondary adaption will be strength, and your tertiary adaption will be hypertophy. The hierarchy also works the other way. If you're performing 20-25 reps, you're making primarily endurance adaption(s), secondary adaption will be hypertrophy, tertiary strength and lastly power.

If you're doing 1RM cleans, C&J, snatch, you're really hitting the pinnacle of power adaption(s) which will move you further away from the subsequent adaption(s).

8-12 rep (hypertrophy zone) cleans will bring you closer to the other adaption(s), secondary strength, tertiary hypertrophy.

I do 8-12 rep cleans with 135lbs up to 175lbs and I think they're by far the most taxing exercise, but I also realize I do this more for fun or to switch things up on occasion. If my primary goal that day was hypertrophy, I would stick to traditional bodybuilding. As long as you know what you're in for when you're lifting I like doing everything.

Sorry about the lengthy explanation, I hate giving simple "yes" or "no" answers with answers that carry depth in the question.

 

[Hank Vangut]

thanks for the well thought out answer volcom!

i believe my muscles have adapted quite well to hypertrophy training as that is almost entirely what i've been doing for several years now.

it's to the point where i'll never get super sore after a typical workout, even when i change rep range/weight/rest period.
i feel that a lot of my lifts have been stagnant for awhile.

however, after doing only 4 sets of cleans, which totally kicked my ass, i realize how untrained i am in the power category.

i know in bbing hypertrophy is our main goal but would improving power and strength help in breaking a hypertrophy plateau?

 

[thesinner]

I do snatches every week. I really love 'em. It gives me a good compound exercise to use on shoulder's day, and I've definitely noticed a difference in shoulder size.

 

[Mo250]

the problem with these lifts is that they are quite technical and you need someone to demonstrate them to you.

 

[VolcomX311]

thanks for the well thought out answer volcom!

i believe my muscles have adapted quite well to hypertrophy training as that is almost entirely what i've been doing for several years now.

it's to the point where i'll never get super sore after a typical workout, even when i change rep range/weight/rest period.
i feel that a lot of my lifts have been stagnant for awhile.

however, after doing only 4 sets of cleans, which totally kicked my ass, i realize how untrained i am in the power category.

i know in bbing hypertrophy is our main goal but would improving power and strength help in breaking a hypertrophy plateau?

Power not so much, strength definitely. If you increase your strength, say with a strength phase type of routine, such as 3-4 sets of heavy 4-6 rep range, then when you return to your hypertrophy phase, you'll have a stronger base to perform the higher reps with heavier weights. Therefore, increasing the bar for potential supercompensation.

With that said, when you switch from one style to the other, say from strength back to hypertrophy, there is always a taper. Which basically means you'll perform lower then your optimal ability. You're body always requires time to adapt to meet the stressor at an efficient level, before it goes into supercompensation. So when you go from strength, back to hypertrophy, the hardest part of that transition is hitting those high rep ranges again, but once you do, then you'll start to see the increased strength base breaking previous plateaus.

Power has greater implications for sports performance, so I don't recommend it for bodybuilding, however, if traditional bodybuilding has grown stale, then I wouldn't be against do power lifts. I think you'd be better off doing exercises that are fresh and you're excited about, as oppose to going through the motions. I'm a big fan of switching things and doing whatevers necessary to maintain your motivation.

I say if your body has stopped responding to your hypertrophy program, go strength for awhile or strength & power. Just because power has sports performance implications doesn't mean I'm saying there is NO use for power lifts, you still have a secondary adaption to strength with power lifts, so ultimately it will still be useful.

:squat:

 

[Hank Vangut]

the problem with these lifts is that they are quite technical and you need someone to demonstrate them to you.

yes, this is true. if you perform them with poor form you open yourself up to significant injury.

fortunatly for me, i was a D1 college athlete (like Tad50) and we had strength coaches in our weightroom that helped a lot.
i learned so much about lifting in those 4 years.

if you have never performed these moves i would recommend hiring a trainer that is well versed in athletic training to demonstrate and teach correct form.

 

[Tad50]

yes, this is true. if you perform them with poor form you open yourself up to significant injury.

fortunatly for me, i was a D1 college athlete (like Tad50) and we had strength coaches in our weightroom that helped a lot.
i learned so much about lifting in those 4 years.

if you have never performed these moves i would recommend hiring a trainer that is well versed in athletic training to demonstrate and teach correct form.

Yup, I had strength coaches as well as a personal trainer. They both stressed form/technique on those lifts. Those lifts rock for anyone looking to increase athleticism. My vertical leap, first step, etc. really go to another level when I incorporate those olympic lifts.

So Hank, is that a gators hat you're wearing? I graduated from UF in '06. What sport did you play??

 

[Hank Vangut]

Yup, I had strength coaches as well as a personal trainer. They both stressed form/technique on those lifts. Those lifts rock for anyone looking to increase athleticism. My vertical leap, first step, etc. really go to another level when I incorporate those olympic lifts.

So Hank, is that a gators hat you're wearing? I graduated from UF in '06. What sport did you play??

wow tad.....you played hoops for the gators? they are always one of the top teams in the NCAA every year!!!

yeah, that hat does look like your colors but i went to the university of washington on a swimming scholarship. i spent most of my time in the weight room druing the offseason. i agree, the olympic lifts really help a lot for sports training.

 

[Tad50]

wow tad.....you played hoops for the gators? they are always one of the top teams in the NCAA every year!!!

yeah, that hat does look like your colors but i went to the university of washington on a swimming scholarship. i spent most of my time in the weight room druing the offseason. i agree, the olympic lifts really help a lot for sports training.

haha. No I didn't play for the gators, although everyone at the university rec center tried to convince me to go out for the team. I couldn't...by the time I got to UF my ankles were shot and my major was too demanding.

I played for San Diego State University and Palm Beach Community College before I had to call it quits. My ankles were killin' me. After PBCC I transfered to UF to finish my degree. Swimming, huh...yeah you look like a swimmer.

 

[LilPsychotic]

i used to do some olympic lifts when i was younger and competing in sports.

i haven't done them i a long time as most bodybuilding routines only include compound moves like squats and deads.

anyway, just in the last few weeks i included some cleans and snatch in my workout.
i forgot how physically demanding these lifts are!!!
they really kicked my ass - almost puked! well, i did that thing where you hurl some watery stomach acid into your mouth and then quickly swallow it. i've been sore for days now.

is it still the mindset that these explosive moves are great for strenght but not necessarily size?
i was thinking of including them maybe 1-2 times each month just to shock my body a little.

i'd like to hear some opinions on if they are good thing for bbing?

Phuck yeah, power cleans are a great mass builder, great for overall strength.

 

[Hank Vangut]

Phuck yeah, power cleans are a great mass builder, great for overall strength.

that's good because i'm on a mass building mission right now!
i'm eating a ton and focusing on a lot of heavy coumpound moves in my current workouts.
i've noticed my shoulders are already stronger in recent weeks from some of these power moves. it's improved my bench as well.

 

[boxmeman]

Swimming is killer for cardio if done right and at the proper intensity man its simply FANTASTIC! yea I def give ALL swimmers props that stuff is Rigorous!!

 

[Rodja]

I love clean and press and also DB snatch.

 

[BifWebster]

heres some bodybuilders doing hang clean and presses with huge shoulder, theres forms a bit different than the olympic style but if your doing these lifts for bodybuilding you might want to use form similar to theres

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Justin Harris has MASSIVE shoulders but i think i'd fall backwards doing them like this
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

but hey its working for them