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August 13, 2007
Utility
Dimas after completing a snatch at Athens in 2004
An interesting conversation came up during this past weekend's Basic Barbell Certification (BBC) seminar in San Diego. It was noted that some of the top NCAA football teams use the power clean as their default move for developing power and explosiveness, while other top programs use the hang power snatch for the same purpose.
If you could only do one of the moves above (power clean vs. hang power snatch), which one would it be? Post the justification for your choice to comments.
Posted by Mike Minium at August 13, 2007 10:44 PM
Comments
I would skip the barbell stunt.
Posted by: Maximus at August 14, 2007 7:11 AM
Dimas rocks!
Posted by: angela at August 14, 2007 9:44 AM
Hmm...that's a tough one...I must say that having heavy wieght overhead makes me a bit nervous(as in the snatch). However, i feel like i can really engage my hips and get that nice scooping action from the hang position which allows me to be more explosive.
Posted by: Connie at August 14, 2007 10:57 AM
Power clean, as I can move more weight from the floor than from a hang position, and I can clean way more than I can snatch.
Posted by: Sam L at August 14, 2007 11:28 AM
Hanging power snatch, only because I'm much weaker/worse at it than the power clean.
And if you suck at something...
Posted by: Tim at August 14, 2007 12:50 PM
If you're trying to generate power, remember FxD/T=P. So, the best exercise would be the snatch. In addition, you're developing incredible shoulder strength and flexibility along with balance, coordination and accuracy - trying to incorporate as many as the physical elements as possible. I see the power clean as a stepping stone to the snatch, which is my ultimate goal (no pun intented).
Posted by: Jim at August 15, 2007 1:09 PM
HPS (Hang Power Snatch) for sure, look at that final position, got to love the feeling of heavy loads way overhead.... Reason, Power clean uses more leg than upper body, if you added the jerk to the power clean I would go with the Power Clean and Jerk rather than the HPS.
Posted by: Franklin O at August 15, 2007 5:26 PM
Yeah, but Jim, the distance traveled (by the bar) in the PC (I was very specific in the wording of the post: PC from the floor, not the hang, vs. PS from the hang) is longer in the PC. Also the load is far greater in the PC. So on both counts you're generating more power with the PC.
Unless, of course, you're moving the HPS so much faster than the PC, in which case the time component makes up the difference. But I'm skeptical about that on heavy loads.
I'll grant you the other stuff, though.
And clearly both exercises are great.
Disclaimer: I used a tape measure to arrive at the distances of travel for both lifts.
Franklin: athletics in general uses more leg than upper body, so your argument fails on that level, in my opinion, if you're looking to justify a method for power production. Using the legs is a good thing in sport.
Posted by: Mike Minium at August 16, 2007 3:18 PM
Why would you compare a hanging exercise to one pulled from the floor? Let's compare apples to apples - hanging power clean vs hanging power snatch, and power clean (from floor) vs power snatch (from floor).
No more trick questions :-)
Posted by: Jim at August 17, 2007 8:40 AM